around town

faces of the falls

by rebecca blackson

Just past EIRMC’s professional plaza entrance and down the hospital’s hallway, you can turn a corner, open a door, and find yourself inside a quiet and comfortable home environment. This respite is the Family Room, a space for families of children who are being cared for at the hospital, and is supported by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Idaho staff along with caring volunteers such as lifelong Idaho resident Brenda Stewart.

It’s a place where families can come to rest, regroup, and enjoy a home-cooked meal while staying close to their children. For the past two years, Brenda has been a core volunteer there, sharing her time three days each week. She came when her own life felt heavy and she wanted to focus on others.

by andrea olson  | photos by brady l. kay

Inside the Museum of Idaho, you can discover what it was like 290 million years ago and learn about fierce creatures that ruled the land and sea.  

The Life Before Dinosaurs exhibit is fit for all ages and is especially exciting for children. It explores the lost world of Permian monsters with hands-on dig pits, fossilized skeletons, and models from the time period. 

“A lot of these Permian monsters are full-size animatronics. They have motion sensors. People will walk by, and one of them will turn his head towards you and wink at you almost, and start roaring,” said Camille Farac, director of marketing with the Museum of Idaho. 

fair guide

j. brandon bird
fair general manager

The Eastern Idaho State Fair returns September 4–12, 2026, and this year, it’s all about red, white, and blue. Fairgoers are invited to dust off their denim and wave their flags high as the 124th annual fair celebrates with a bold patriotic theme: “RED, WHITE AND BLUE JEANS.” As America marks 250 years, there’s no better place to celebrate the spirit of 1776 than right here in Blackfoot.

This year’s fair blends hometown tradition with big-name entertainment, all set against a backdrop of community pride, agriculture, and good old-fashioned fun. From live music and rodeo action to free entertainment and fair food favorites, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

fair guide

After spending more than 100 years between them helping the Eastern Idaho State Fair run smoothly, Mike and Judy Kirkham will step into the spotlight as the Fair’s 2026 Grand Marshals.

The Grand Marshal honor is awarded annually to an individual or couple whose longstanding dedication, service, and contributions have strengthened both the Eastern Idaho State Fair and the eastern Idaho community. As honorary ambassadors, the Kirkhams will be recognized during the Eastern Idaho State Fair Annual Parade on Saturday, September 5, along historic Shilling Street, as well as at other ceremonial events throughout the fair.

For a couple who have never missed a single year of the fair, the recognition feels both meaningful and a bit surreal.

fair guide

The Eastern Idaho State Fair is welcoming one of its most diverse grandstand lineups in recent memory as it prepares for its 124th annual run, Sept. 4-12, at 97 Park Street in Blackfoot. This year’s fair celebrates with the patriotic theme “Red, White and Blue Jeans,” tying into America’s 250th anniversary. The nighttime grandstand schedule at the Bank of Commerce Grandstand reflects that ambition, blending pop, country and comedy into a nine-night run that also includes perennial crowd favorites like the Gem State Classic Pro Rodeo and the Demolition Derby.

Fair General Manager Brandon Bird said finding the right performers is both art and science. “You want the energy, and the energy comes from finding that right artist,” Bird said. “We think we’ve done a pretty good job this year with a lot of high-energy and very accomplished entertainers.”

fair guide

Long before there were grandstands or admission tickets, there were riders, horses and the thunder of hooves across open ground. Indian Relay Racing is one of the oldest and most demanding equestrian sports in North America, and this September it returns to the Eastern Idaho State Fair for another run at the Bank of Commerce Grandstand track in Blackfoot.

The sport originated on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation more than 100 years ago, and many families that participated decades ago are still competing today, passing the tradition from generation to generation. It is a living piece of Shoshone-Bannock culture — fast, dangerous and deeply rooted in the identity of the tribes of the Fort Hall region.

fair guide

fair guide

The Eastern Idaho State Fair, in partnership with Butler Amusements, Inc., is excited to continue its support of local high school seniors by once again offering scholarships to students graduating in 2026. The Fair’s commitment to agricultural education and youth programs is demonstrated by the $126,000 in college scholarships awarded since the program’s inception.

This year, as the committee met to discuss the more-than-qualified applicants, Director Tom Barnes commented, “How do these kids find enough hours in the day for all these activities?” The committee was impressed not only by the wide variety of exhibits and competitions these Seniors have participated in at the Eastern Idaho State Fair, but also by the sheer number of activities they are involved in off the fairgrounds.

There are plenty of places to tee it up in eastern Idaho. Wide-open tracks, tree-lined layouts, water-heavy designs. Take your pick. But Pinecrest has always been something different.

Now celebrating 90 years, this centrally located stretch of green represents a stroll through Idaho Falls history. A place where the game, the town and the people who built both have been intertwined since the 1930s.

And like most things with staying power around here, it didn’t start pretty.

by karcin harris

The third annual Bluegrass on the Snake Festival will take place September 11 through September 13 at the Rigby Rodeo Grounds. This year’s lineup features Jake Workman, the former guitarist for award-winning bluegrass singer Ricky Skaggs.

Bluegrass on the Snake was started by Teresa and Monty Mortensen in 2024. The couple play in a Bluegrass band called Mountain Strings, along with Jack Poulson, Tom Middleton, and Gerry Grinder.

by steve smede

Whether looking for a new fishing hole or just a shortcut to my favorite mountain creek, I never thought much about access as a kid. I grew up thinking about current seams, backcasts and how far I could push up a drainage before the willows swallowed me whole. For years, as an equally reckless but able-bodied adult, I waded the big waters of the Upper Snake and slipped into those tight little creeks where a clean cast felt like a win. (Looking at you, Palisades Creek.)

These days, with a cane or forearm crutches in the mix, the question has changed. Not whether I can fish, but how.

Thanks to some progressive neurological issues, I don’t get far without adaptive equipment. So I’ve had to get creative. My current transport around town is an Addmotor 360 e-Trike with a gear basket. It’s not elegant, but it works fine as an ad hoc fishing buggy. I’ve found stretches of the Riverwalk where I can roll right up to the edge of the Snake, set the brake and fish without ever leaving the seat. Clean pavement, gradual grades, railings where you want them. It’s not the backcountry, but the fish don’t seem to mind.

celebrate life

by susan stucki

By the time the sawdust settled, the day had become more than a volunteer project. It was a portrait of Idaho at its best: neighbors showing up, businesses pitching in, and children one step closer to a safe place to sleep.

With just one week left before the Fourth of July, volunteers gathered for the Stars, Stripes & Service beds-for-kids build, hosted by Idaho Falls JustServe and America250 in Idaho service ambassadors. In partnership with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, they cut, sanded, drilled, stained, and stacked lumber that would soon become beds for children in the community.

The effort was part of Idaho’s tribute to America’s 250th anniversary, a statewide Service Challenge inviting residents to complete 250,000 acts of service by July 4. Idaho not only met that goal—but surpassed it, proving that patriotism can look like sleeves rolled up and hands put to work. Idahoans submitted their acts of service on IdahoKindness.com, creating a visible reminder that community service is one of the enduring threads in America’s story.

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