Riverfront Park (Spokane)
Encyclopedia
Riverfront Park is a public park in downtown Spokane, Washington
. The 100 acre
park is located along the Spokane River
, not far up from the Spokane Falls
. It was created for Expo '74
, a World's Fair
event. The defining feature of the park is the Pavilion, which is marked by a 145 feet (44.2 m) metal frame and wire shell that formed the US Pavilion tent during Expo '74
. The park is well known for the Riverfront Park Carousel
, as well as an IMAX
theatre, Clock tower, skyride over the falls, a small amusement park for kids, a skating rink during the winter months, and the Spokane River Centennial Trail
which passes through it.
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
. The 100 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
park is located along the Spokane River
Spokane River
The Spokane River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately long, in northern Idaho and eastern Washington in the United States. It drains a low mountainous area east of the Columbia, passing through the city of Spokane, Washington.-Description:...
, not far up from the Spokane Falls
Spokane Falls
Spokane Falls is the name of the series of waterfalls and dams on the Spokane River in downtown Spokane, Washington.The Indian name for the Spokane Falls was "Stluputqu", meaning "swift water". The falls was once the site of a large Spokane people village....
. It was created for Expo '74
Expo '74
Expo '74 was an environmentally themed world's fair in Spokane, Washington that ran from 4 May to 3 November 1974.Expo '74, in proclaiming itself the first exposition on an environmental theme, distanced itself from the more techno-centric world's fairs of the sixties...
, a World's Fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
event. The defining feature of the park is the Pavilion, which is marked by a 145 feet (44.2 m) metal frame and wire shell that formed the US Pavilion tent during Expo '74
Expo '74
Expo '74 was an environmentally themed world's fair in Spokane, Washington that ran from 4 May to 3 November 1974.Expo '74, in proclaiming itself the first exposition on an environmental theme, distanced itself from the more techno-centric world's fairs of the sixties...
. The park is well known for the Riverfront Park Carousel
Riverfront Park Carousel
The Riverfront Park Carousel, also known as the Looff Carousel and the Natatorium Park Carousel is a carousel in Spokane, Washington originally built in 1909 by Charles I. D. Looff. The carousel was a gift for Looff's daughter Emma Vogel and her husband Louis Vogel, who owned Natatorium Park in...
, as well as an IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
theatre, Clock tower, skyride over the falls, a small amusement park for kids, a skating rink during the winter months, and the Spokane River Centennial Trail
Spokane River Centennial Trail
The Spokane River Centennial Trail is a paved trail in Washington for alternate transportation and recreational use. It extends from Sontag Park in Nine Mile Falls, Washington to the Washington/Idaho border. It passes through the cities of Spokane, Washington, Spokane Valley, Washington, Liberty...
which passes through it.
Festivals and Events
Riverfront Park plays host to numerous events including the following:- The Lilac Bloomsday RunLilac Bloomsday RunThe Lilac Bloomsday Run, also known as Bloomsday, is an annual timed road race in Spokane, Washington, held on the first Sunday of every May since 1977. The course is 12 km long. The course starts in Downtown Spokane and heads northwest along the far west end of town, passes by Mukogowa Ft...
Post-Race Celebration in May. - Spokane Hoopfest in June.
- 4th of July fireworks display.
- Kid's day in August.
- Pow Wow in August.
- Pig Out in the Park during Labor DayLabor DayLabor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend.
Sources
- http://www.spokaneriverfrontpark.com/
- http://www.gonorthwest.com/Washington/northeast/Spokane/riverfrontpark.htm
- http://media.www.gonzagabulletin.com/media/storage/paper375/news/2004/09/03/Community/Riverfront.Park.Still.An.Attraction.30.Years.After.Fair-710813.shtml
- http://www.expo74.com/
- http://www.spokanepigout.com