Washington's 'Lilac City' Blooms With Downtown Gardens, Festivals, And A Top-Tier Arts And Dining Scene

After Spokane's soil was cultivated by its settlers in the 19th century, lilac blooms began to blossom earning the Washington city the nickname "The Lilac City". This reputation as being North America's home to the fragrant flower developed further following a push in the early 20th century for its residents to plant lilac bushes in downtown gardens. As such, for nearly 90 years Spokane has continued to host its annual Lilac Festival in the third week of May each year. In 1976, the flower show began its tradition of coinciding with Spokane's celebration of the nation's armed forces, and since then, visitors have been able to enjoy the Spokane Lilac Festival Armed Forces Torchlight Parade, the largest of its kind in the country.

Just 20 miles from the Idaho border, Spokane is a fascinating city with at least a dozen highly regarded art galleries and a dining scene that holds its own against regional powerhouses. Its location means that it can also serve as an ideal base for exploring the nearby states of Idaho and Montana. Those crossing state lines who have a penchant for nature can do amazing day trips to places like Lewiston, with its scenic trails along the Clearwater and Snake rivers, less than two hours away by car. And while Spokane does have an international airport, those planning a trip from other major cities such as the crown jewel of Oregon, Portland, or those visiting from Washington's waterfront city of Everett, can get to Spokane from those cities by rail on the Amtrak Empire Builder route. 

A short stroll from Spokane's downtown lies Manito Park, home to Spokane's famous Lilac Garden. Downtown itself is enriched by numerous other public gardens. Riverfront Park's Connections Garden is not just a peaceful place to enjoy a lunchtime picnic, but also a site that blends cultural symbols from Spokane's sister cities around the globe, including an 11-foot lighthouse replica from Japan and an Irish harp. From there, take a seven-minute walk, passing by Huntington Park's lovely green space with its views of the lower part of Spokane Falls, and you'll arrive at A Place of Truths Plaza. There you'll find metal statues depicting Native American tribesmen's traditional fishing methods, which pay tribute to Spokane's indigenous heritage.

Spokane's artistic edge is not just on display through its outdoor installations, but also in its galleries. Avenue West Gallery presents a mixture of artistic styles from paintings to photography to woodwork, with all its pieces for sale to visitors. The gallery also hosts First Fridays, a themed event with music and hors d'oeurves. Meanwhile the Terrain Gallery prides itself on displaying art from diverse backgrounds; 80% of its work is either from artists of color or from those who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. In Terrain's attempt to make art this accessible to those from the region, the gallery is free to visit . Ceramics lovers should consider visiting the Kolva-Sullivan Gallery, a derelict warehouse that was reconstructed into a spacious gallery where ceramics and sculpture are the focus.

Spokane's festival and events calendar is as lively and popular as its gardens and galleries. Aside from the Lilac Festival, Spokane engages in traditions both new and old. This year (2025) saw the introduction of Spokane's free Armenian Festival, Vardavar. This "water festival" encourages participants to playfully splash water at one another in a tradition of purity and goodwill. The Spokane edition of this festival also celebrates Armenian culture with traditional music, dance, and food. Labor Day is a busy weekend in the state of Washington, with Spokane's westerly cousin Seattle thought of as the nation's most crowded destination for Labor Day celebrations. Since 1979, Labor Day weekend in Spokane sees around 80,000 people head out to Riverfront Park every year for the Pig Out In The Park festival to enjoy live music and try food from different vendors.

Spokane's love for good food is not just on show at the start of each September. Rather, all year round Spokane's dining scene impresses. In the heart of downtown, Wild Sage Bistro has won many awards for its farm-to-table cuisine. Meanwhile, Anthony's serves up fresh northwestern-style seafood with spectacular views of the upper part of the Spokane Falls. Also downtown is Wiley's Bistro, whose dinner menu features sharing plates as well as beautiful dishes like crab-topped salmon and duck confit. For something a little more casual but still just as tasty, try Versalia Pizza for its delicious pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven.