The sun might be starting to set a bit earlier, but summer isn’t over yet — and there are plenty of summer celebrations and sunshine being enjoyed at the North Idaho State Fair, which runs through Aug. 25.  

Several local dance groups marked the end of their seasons with performances at the fairgrounds in front of delighted fairgoers Saturday. For the girls of Lokahi Dance, a Coeur d’Alene-based dance studio, this year marked an exciting return after not having performed at the fair since the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“This is just a fun performance opportunity for them to do at the end of summer,” said Bria Thompson, owner of Lokahi Dance. “They also performed this at their June recital, so it’s fun for them to be able to do it one more time.”  

One of the greatest joys of the fair is the unexpected finds around every corner, whether that be a unique local vendor, unusual fair food or an opportunity to learn something new. Tucked between the rustic red livestock barns, fairgoers can find a floral oasis brimming with life — but many don’t realize this garden is much more than an example of impressive landscaping.  

For five years now, Master Gardeners from the University of Idaho’s Extension Program have carefully cultivated a sizable garden of native and non-native flowering plants to educate locals about the vital work of pollinators in their gardens at home.  

“Our goal is to educate each other within the program and to educate the public with our demo garden,” explained Master Gardner Deborah Patterson. “We want to show the community what they can do to help their own gardens grow and what to plant to bring in pollinators, which leads to a better harvest.” 

When spending even just a few minutes in the “demo garden,” people can see hummingbirds, several species of bees and butterflies flitting between the plants — a good sign that the Master Gardeners know what they’re talking about.  

The fair continues this week.

    Coeur d'Alene's Lokahi Dance performs a Hawaiian Luau.
  

From left: Master Gardner Kathy Hernandez, trainee Maria Goodwin, Goodwin's granddaughter, Monroe Murphy, and Master Gardner Deborah Patterson. Patterson shows off a "bee house," a structure meant to provide a space for bees to build hives.