The Long Way
Kootenai County
A black and white photograph of people square dancing outside at a fair.
Plate I. Square dancers, North Idaho State Fair. From kcfairgrounds.com
A black and white photograph of a carnival swing ride in motion.
Plate II. Carnival swing ride, North Idaho State Fair. From kcfairgrounds.com
An aerial black and white photograph showing a fairgrounds with carnival rides, exhibition buildings, and parking lots.
Plate III. Aerial view, North Idaho State Fair. From kcfairgrounds.com
A performer juggles pins while riding a unicycle outside.
Plate IV. Juggler performing, North Idaho State Fair. From kcfairgrounds.com
A black and white photograph of children participating in a sack race outdoors.
Plate V. Sack race at North Idaho State Fair. From kcfairgrounds.com
Black and white photograph showing carnival rides at night.
Plate VI. Carnival rides at night, North Idaho State Fair. From kcfairgrounds.com
A person rides a large bull at an outdoor event.
Plate VII. Bull rider, North Idaho State Fair. From kcfairgrounds.com
A black and white photograph of a swing ride at a carnival.
Plate VIII. Carnival swing ride, North Idaho State Fair. From kcfairgrounds.com

North Idaho State Fair

Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai County, Idaho. Ten-day, community-wide entertainment and educational event.

Details

Map. Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai County, Idaho. Larger map
Where
4056 N. Government Way, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815. Directions
When
August 21 - August 30.
Getting there
Main Parking Lot - Enter off Government Way; South Entrance off Kathleen Avenue; North Entrance off Dalton Avenue at the RV Park - ALL LIVESTOCK must enter at this gate for animal checks.
Fees
Parking is $7 per day.
Hours
Year-round office: Monday - Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
Access
Tuesday is free senior day.
Phone
(208) 765-4969
Established
early 1920s.

The North Idaho State Fair is one of the region's largest annual celebrations, welcoming more than 150,000 guests each August for 10 days of agriculture, entertainment, rodeo, concerts, carnival rides, delicious fair food, and family traditions that have brought communities together for over a century.

Notable Events

  1. 1920With voter approval, Coeur d'Alene bought a 160-acre field just west of Dalton Gardens for $16,000 and named it Weeks Field after civic booster George Weeks. cdapress.com
  2. 1931A 4-H fair was held at the county courthouse, with approximately 100 members participating. nisfair.fun
  3. 1935The County Commissioners levied 1/20th of a mill to raise approximately $800 for fair purposes. nisfair.fun
  4. 1935The city purchased the old Mill Grounds for $19,000 and a Fair board was organized. nisfair.fun
  5. 1938The City of Coeur d'Alene purchased property downtown for the fairgrounds and by 1938 a building was constructed on that site; over 4,000 people visited in 1939 to see exhibits from 150 4-H members. history.idaho.gov
  6. 1942The airport's use increased significantly when Weeks Field was leased to the Buroker-Hicks Flying Service, a civilian pilot training contractor forced inland by the military. cdapress.com
  7. 1950sThe city and county reached a land swap agreement, and the fairgrounds were relocated to a 110-acre parcel adjacent to Weeks Field near Dalton Gardens. history.idaho.gov
  8. 1951City and county officials began negotiations to exchange Weeks Field for the old Kootenai County Fairgrounds at the base of Tubbs Hill; the fairgrounds now occupies 83 of the original 160 acres, and the Buroker-Hicks hangar is still in use. cdapress.com
  9. 1954Three livestock barns were moved to the site and two Quonset huts were constructed. history.idaho.gov
  10. 1958The fair built the grandstand. history.idaho.gov
  11. 1965The fair added pari-mutuel horse racing in 1965, discontinued in 1983, as well as several other buildings, including some moved from the former Farragut Training Base and the Beauty Bay CCC grounds. history.idaho.gov

People

  • George Weeks, civic booster for whom Weeks Field, the fairgrounds site, was named.
  • Alexcia Jordan, general manager and CEO of the North Idaho State Fair (since 2016).

Sources

  1. nisfair.fun
  2. nisfair.fun/p/getinvolved/hours--directions
  3. nisfair.fun/p/getinvolved/parking