It might not be what you were originally looking for in Christmas At the Lake.

But if you spot a can of Spam there, or on a shelf in any other downtown shop, lunge for it like it's the last Harry Potter novel.

It's worth $80.

In theater tickets, anyway.

The Coeur d'Alene Downtown Association has paired with the Coeur d'Alene Summer Theater to put on a "Search-and-See-It" event, where 10 cans of Spam have been placed in the midst of merchandise within 10 downtown Coeur d'Alene stores.

Each of the cans, which are specially marked, can be redeemed for two free tickets to the summer theater's current production, Spamalot, running through August 5.

"Just to get some extra publicity out. It's just a fun play," said Gay Glasson with the Coeur d'Alene downtown association.

The musical Spamalot is "ripped off from the motion picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail," according to the production poster. Tickets for the summer theater, which promises Broadway quality performances, cost $35.95 to $39.95 for adults.

Although the Spam cans were placed in the stores on Wednesday, Glasson said, she hasn't heard of any being found yet.

"They will be more obvious than not," Glasson said of where the meat has been placed. "It's not like (customers) are going to have to dig to the bottom of the very back rack, though a couple did hide them a little more than some of the others."

Naturally there is hope of boosting downtown shoppers, Glasson said, but the object is just to get people excited about the theater.

"We're all locals, and we're all in for helping everybody," she said.

Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2 p.m. on Sundays, at the Schuler Performing Arts Center in Boswell Hall at North Idaho College.

Ticket sales for the summer theater have been great this year, said Jonna Olscamp, theater development director.

Olscamp expects Spamalot to draw big crowds.

"I saw the final dress rehearsal, I took my kids and a couple other kids, and oh my gosh, it was hysterical," she said.

So it's kind of huge that folks have a chance to see it for free, she said.

"We'd love for them to come see the show, love for them to come and hang out downtown and spend time in local businesses," Olscamp said.