The origin of the Eastern Idaho State Fair goes back to 1902 when some cattleman who were interested in running a livestock show.  They bought land and the original fair was begun.  It ran until 1918 when they ran out of money to support it.  They discontinued the festival at that time.  Then in 1920 county leaders, on the urging of the Farm Bureau, bought the land the original festival (fair) had been on and reopened the fair.  At that time it was called the Eastern Idaho Fair District.  The first event was held on September 1, 1925.  In March of 1939, it was learned that the Utah State Fair had changed its dates to run concurrently with the Blackfoot event.  The Blackfoot board refused to change its dates and challenged the Utah fair for livestock and entertainment.  With them being in the same area and trying to get the same people to display at both fairs was not a pleasant experience for either.  During all this the Blackfoot festival took the name Eastern Idaho State Fair and the name has remained and it became a state fair.

The fair was shut down in 1942 to help with the war effort.  The fair reopened in 1944 and have been held continuously ever since.  On September 22, 1944, less than one week after the sights and sounds of the festival had dissipated from the area, the Blackfoot labor committee announced that 500 Italian prisoners of war would call the fairgrounds home during the “acute harvest labor crisis in the country.” Four day later the armies set up headquarters in the east office building to guard and manage the prisoners who dug sugar beets and potatoes during their stay in southeast Idaho. For over a month the prisoners of war proved that the war affected people in Idaho as well as other countries.

One of the most attended events at the fair is the Indian Relay Race.  The race was canceled for awhile when the new pari-mutuel racing commission and the Fair Board canceled the Indian Relay races. This decision immediately spawned criticism from individuals who called the competition “the most popular part of the racing program.” The racing commission fine-tuned its schedule and the Indian Relay race returned in 1965. The danger in this race brings droves of people to the grandstand during the days that the races are held.

The fair is focused primarily on agricultural items, livestock and of course the flowers, baking, canning, needlecraft, antiques, fine arts, hobbies & craft, photography, Native American, FFA and 4-H exhibits and competitions are critical too.

This is an 8 day event for the people of Eastern Idaho and the surrounding areas to enjoy. The celebration begins with the parade in Blackfoot.  Come to Blackfoot and enjoy the floats, bands and candy being tossed out during the parade. 

While at the fair you may want to spend time in the grandstands enjoying the horserace’s which go on daily until about 4 pm.  Here you can see the Indian relays where there are three horses for each team as they take three laps around the track. Each team has to use three different horses in the relay so the riders are jumping off the horse while it is slowing down to run and mount the next one to continue the race.  Injuries are not uncommon during this since dismounting a moving horse and running to the next is filled with risk. 

The evening events are standard to the area.  There are events including motocross, bull riding, rodeo, tractor pulls, concerts and the famous demolition derby.  The only things that really change are the concerts.

For more information on the fair and the dates for this year’s events contact: Phone: 208.785.2480
F: 208.785.2483

Eastern Idaho State Fair
97 Park Street
Blackfoot, Idaho

Office Hours
Monday through Friday 8:30a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Open year round.
Fair Hours – September 4 – 11, 2010
Gates open at 8:00 a.m.
Buildings open from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Admission
Adults (age 12 and up): $6.00
Children (age 6 through 11): $2.00
Children 5 and under get in free

Visit the Eastern Idaho State Fair in Blackfoot, Idaho is a post from: Idaho Tourism

If you thought that the only place you could see sand dunes in the US was in New Mexico (White Sands) then you are in for a great surprise.  Here, at St. Anthony Sand Dunes, you will have 10,000 acres of dunes rising to 400 feet.  There are opportunities for OHV that will have you wanting to come back time and again.  There are 15 continuous miles of open sand!  Just think how much fun that can be for you and your friends or family.  If you don’t want to ride an Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) then either hike the sands or ride a horse.

The sand is clear, shifting, white quartz which move about 8 feet each year. 

There are improved and unimproved campgrounds for you to stay at while you are visiting. 

One of the main attractions at the Dunes is the Choke Cherry.  This tall and steep hill is great for testing your skills.  It is over 300 feet high!  You can take the trail from Choke Cherry to Devil’s Dune.  When you try to get up Choke Cherry you will probably find that your quad can only get up the back side so don’t fret, just go up that way and be on your way.  Sitting atop Choke Cherry you will be able to see the Grand Teton mountains..what a sight.

Behind Choke Cherry is a great wall where you will want to go up the wall, down again and then take a run at Choke Cherry.  Behind the wall is Dead Horse Bowl.  This huge area is also great to ride in.  Devil’s Dune is another great bowl to ride in.  It goes down and then up about 300 feet from the bottom to the top, steep, challenging and a blast!  Don’t miss the other areas when you are at Devil’s Dune, there is another bowl nearly as big as Devil’s Dune just waiting for you to ride it.

Thunder Mountain is where everyone races.  You may want to race to the top and then turn around to do it all over again.  It’s really steep on the other side so be careful.

Egin Lake and the BLM campground are at the dunes too.  The lake is only 1 or 2 feet deep so by the end of summer it is dry, but hey, it’s nice for a while.

St. Anthony Sand Dunes
Please remember to follow designated routes.

Location: 50 miles northwest of Idaho Falls, Idaho.

From US 20 northbound, take the North Rexburg exit off of US Highway 20. Turn left, onto 1900 E. (Parker-Salem Highway and the Red Road). Travel 6.3 miles north to the 2nd flashing light (AT THE 4-WAY STOP). Turn left and travel 0 .85 miles to the split in the road. Travel right over the railroad tracks and continue on 500 N. for 2.9 miles. At the Egin Lakes Access Sign turn right onto the paved access road.

From Us 20 southbound, exit at the Saint Anthony City Center exit (346) turn right onto Bridge Street and travel through the stop light to West 4th North. Turn left onto West 4th North which turns into 600 North after you exit the city limits. Follow 600 North approximately 3 miles until you reach the intersection of Red Road and 600 North. At this intersection turn left to go to Egin Lakes access or right to the parking and dispersed camping areas along Red Road.

St. Anthony Sand Dunes – St. Anthony, Idaho is a post from: Idaho Tourism

The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho has a number of pieces of art that are on display, as well as some great rotating exhibits. The museum is always doing its best to add to its permanent collection, and you will always be able to find something new when you visit.

One of the latest exhibits is James Castle: From Icehouse unto Early Attic: Books and Drawings. The exhibit delves into the history and work of self-taught Idaho artist James Castle. Born in 1899, the man was deaf, never learned to read or write, and is now believed to have been autistic. Yet, he was an incredible artist. The exhibit at the museum focuses on his works created prior to 1924.

The Drawings of Milica Popvic is another exhibit at the museum. The artist is a master of the abstract form. Everyone who is a fan of abstracts should check out the artist’s work.

Each year the museum has an Annual Exhibit of the Colored Pencil Society of America, celebrating works by their local chapter. You will be able to peruse the colored pencil artwork in the Studio Gallery.

The current featured artist is Idaho Falls local Loren David. You can see this artist’s work in the Hall Gallery.

The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho has some great upcoming exhibits as well. A Parson Family Portrait displays the artistic talents of Oliver Parson and his sons Nolan, Del, and Leon. In addition, the Studio Gallery will offer affordable artwork by museum artists. These make great gifts for yourself and others.

If you plan to be in the area for an extended period, you may wish to attend some of the available classes and workshops. Classes are available for adults and children.

Visitors to the museum will also want to stop by the Museum Store, where you can pick up prints and a variety of other souvenirs. Purchasing something from the store is a great way to commemorate your visit, as well as support the museum.

The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho is open Tuesday through Saturday. The hours are 11AM to 5PM on everyday.  The first Tuesday of each month Seniors are admitted free of charge, the first Saturday of each month the general public is admitted free of charge.

Admission : Adults $4, Students under 18, Students over 18 $2 with ID, Yourth $2, 6 and under Free.

While staying in Idaho Falls, you will want to find comfortable accommodations. You can find great rates on HotelsCombined.com.

300 S Capital Ave
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
(208) 524-7777

Art Museum of Eastern Idaho – Idaho Falls, Idaho is a post from: Idaho Tourism

If you’ll be visiting Yellowstone National Park or Grand Teton National Park, stop by Yellowstone Bear World for an exciting adventure the whole family will enjoy. At Yellowstone Bear World, you’ll view two types of bears and other wildlife up close in a thrilling drive-thru adventure. Yellowstone Bear World is located just south of Rexburg in Idaho.

The wildlife you’ll see on your drive through Yellowstone Bear World is the star attraction, but there is also a petting zoo and fun amusement rides at the Park. You can choose to reserve a special hands-on experience bottle-feeding baby bear cubs, too.

As you drive through the wildlife park at Bear World, you’ll see Grizzly Bears and American Black Bears roaming freely in natural habitat areas. In the bear area of the park, you can also see Gray Wolves and two Arctic Wolves that interact freely with the bears.

Other areas of the Park feature Rocky Mountain Elk, Whitetail and Mule Deer, Moose, Rocky Mountain Goats, and Bison. You can see and photograph all of the wildlife up close at Yellowstone Bear World. Visitors can drive thru the Park as many times as they like with the price of admission.

If you are interested in feeding adult bears or enjoying an even closer interaction with the wildlife at Yellowstone Bear World, take a Curator Tour. Curator Tours provide visitors with an even closer, open-air experience with Rocky Mountain Elk, Bison, the Wolves and the bears at Bear World.

After your adventure driving through Yellowstone Bear World, you’ll want to stop by and visit the young bears at the Cub Yard. Here you’ll see young bears resting and playing. If you opt for a personal bottle-feeding experience with the baby bears, you’ll be taken behind the scenes with a bear keeper to help feed and pet the babies. Bottle-feeding experiences are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, or you can book reservations for this popular personal tour in advance of your visit.

You can take a break, relax and enjoy lunch at the on-site eatery at Bear World, then visit the Duck Deck. Here you’ll see ducks, geese, swans, and cutthroat trout. You’ll also want to spend some time interacting with the friendly barnyard animals that roam freely at the petting zoo. Sheep, goats, deer and geese are some of the animals you can pet and feed within the one-acre petting zoo.

The Three Bears Gift Shop at Yellowstone Bear World includes a huge selection of bear themed items including gifts, toys, clothing and collectibles. You can see and purchase wildlife carvings and artwork, or have your own plush bear stuffed at the shop. Huckleberry products and 20 flavors of delicious fudge are also available at the Gift Shop.

Yellowstone National Park is a multiple-day attraction and in order to see everything, you’ll need to spend at least two days in the park.  If you’re not the camping type, you can find several hotel accommodation options in Rexburg on HotelsCombined.com. 

Yellowstone Bear World – Rexburg, Idaho is a post from: Idaho Tourism

Skiing is a top interest in Idaho where we have one of the two US Ski and Snowboard Association cross country courses.  Idaho is the top choice for cross country skiers – offering a wide variety of courses, slopes, and of course the resorts and accomodations to make your trip excellent!

Idaho’s museums, including the Museum of Idaho offer wonderful educational and historic tours as well.  Ice Age Mammels is exhibiting in the Museum of Idaho, featuring Pleistocene-era mammals, the Columbian Mammoth, Mastodon, Saber Tooth Cat, Giant Ground Sloth, North American Camel, Giant Beaver, Ancient Bison, and Giant Short-Faced Bear.

Idaho Vacation is a post from: Idaho Tourism