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January 13, Noon - 6pm Downtown Coeur d’Alene’s popular annual Mac and Cheese Festival returns this weekend, bringing new takes and fun variations on the classic favorite. Prepared by local chefs competing for the Golden Noodle Award, each comfort food dish will be available for tasting and pairing with a perfect craft beer. Attendees will vote for their favorite dish to help crown the winner of the People’s Choice trophy. Choose your package and your check-in time, then travel between event sites enjoying a variety of gourmet Mac and Cheese dishes and local brews! CdADowntown.com

January 12 - 13 With more than 40 years of visiting Spokane, the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival returns this year with a new collection of festival-winning Outdoor Adventure, Cultural and Environmental films. With over 400 entries submitted to the festival each year, films are carefully selected to travel to theaters across the world, taking audiences up close and personal with adrenaline sports, environmental issues and mountain exploration. Visit The Fox Theater in downtown Spokane Friday and Saturday evening to take in two exciting nights of films and outdoor adventure. Doors open at 6pm, with the event kicking off at 7pm both nights; early entry available for VIP Package holders. FoxTheaterSpokane.org

January 18 - 21 The annual Inland Northwest RV Show & Sale returns to the Spokane County Fair & Expo Center January 18 through 21. The Northwest's largest RV show, and the only multi-dealer RV show in the region, more than 175,000 square feet of gleaming RVs will be on display with prices ranging from $15,000 to $450k+, as well as tent trailers, accessories and more. With six gigantic dealers and hundreds of RVs, as well as factory reps on-site to answer your questions, you'll find just what you're looking for ... at the 36th annual Inland Northwest RV Show & Sale. Tickets (cash only and sold at the door) are priced $12 each and are good all weekend long. Admission is free for children 12 and younger, as long as they are accompanied by an adult. And parking is free. For more information, visit their website. SpokaneRVShow.com

January 6, 10am - 4pm This Saturday, the Spokane Lifestyle Show invites you to make your New Year’s resolutions a reality. With local vendors in health, beauty, recreation, relaxation, and more, the expo is designed to be an informative event providing everything you need to be your best self this year. Sample products, explore services, enter prize drawings, and enjoy access to health-related services from across the Pacific Northwest. The Spokane Lifestyle Show will be held at the Spokane County Fair & Expo Center from 10am to 4pm. Tickets are $8 and available early online, or at the door. SpokaneLifestyleShow.com

January 11, 7pm Star Wars experts can unite and test their knowledge this Thursday at Iron Goat Brewing with the first of three nights of Star Wars trivia. Drawing from Star Wars’ 42-year span, the quizzes will be related to the Clone Wars, the rise of Darth Sidious, and the fall of the Jedi Order. With different trivia sessions on January 11, 18 and 25, the first will cover Star Wars Episodes 1-3, with 8 categories and a total of 40 questions per session. Trivia is free to play, with the highest-scoring team per trivia night eligible to win a $25 gift card to the brewery. Additional prizes are available, including a grand prize for the highest overall score across all three nights. Gather your team of five people or less, and show off your Star Wars knowledge, starting this Thursday at Iron Goat! Facebook.com

January 6, 5pm North Idaho Rock School presents Rockfest, a showcase of North Idaho Rock School's dynamic student community. Young local rockstars will demonstrate their creativity, hard work, and musical talent while refining their skills alongside an audience. Visit Coeur d’Alene’s KROC Center this Saturday evening to take in the talent of young rock musicians! KrocCdA.org

January 6, 1pm The Coeur d’Alene Public Library hosts the Plant Craft and Swap this Saturday, with the chance to mingle, craft, and discuss all things plants. Guests will create their own paper plant to take home, for a low-maintenance plant to brighten the home during the winter months. CdALibrary.org

January 5 - 7 For one weekend only, “Merrily We Roll Along” arrives at the Spokane Civic Theatre, a powerful story that follows 20 years of friendship between three friends who begin their careers in show business together. Featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, the show is a Season 76 Special Performance with performances held Friday through Sunday. Secure your tickets online to enjoy the show! SpokaneCivicTheatre.com

January 6, 5:30pm The Panida Theater and Studio 1 Dance Academy present the Jazzy Nutcracker, featuring young local dancers in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, acrobatics, and more. Performing a “spiced-up” version of the classic Nutcracker, the show is a local tradition almost 30 years in the making. Tickets will be available at the door or early from Studio 1, located at 521 Cedar Street in Sandpoint. Secure your ticket early to join in the fun with local dancers! Panida.org

December 31, 8pm Ring in the new year on the mountain Taps’ New Years Eve celebration at Schweitzer mountain Resort, celebrating the end of the year with live music, complimentary late-night snacks, a champagne toast, and more! The celebration will be held on the upper floor of the Lakeview Lodge. Adults 21 and over are invited to join the party starting at 8pm, with live music featuring Stoney Holiday kicking off at 9pm. Schweitzer.com

Five restaurants, same unparalleled dining experience By Jillian Chandler | Photo by Victoria Belle Photography John Grollmus and Brad Fosseen have made a name for themselves, and their restaurants, here in the Inland Northwest. As the owners of not one, not two … but five restaurants spread across North Idaho and Spokane, the longtime friends and business partners are proud of the upscale pub-inspired restaurants they’ve created for their local communities to enjoy. From first opening their doors to Moon Time in Coeur d’Alene in 1996, their goal, from the very beginning, has been to exceed the expectations of each and every guest who walks through the door. “They may walk in expecting to find typical pub grub, but we hope they walk out blown away by having enjoyed a more elevated and inspired meal,” John shares. Their original menu, of which some items are still around, was inspired mainly by Brad and John’s experience throughout the years cooking in other restaurants. “We tried to bring the best parts of many world cuisines with which we had experience into one cohesive unit,” John reflects. “These days we seek inspiration mainly from our travels and do a lot of menu testing in our own home kitchens. Of course, we also try to incorporate the input of our kitchen manager/chefs from each location.” They went on to open The Elk Public House in Spokane’s South Hill in 1999, followed by El Que in 2001, The Porch Public House in Hayden Lake in 2003, and Two Seven Public House in Spokane in 2008. Fresh ingredients, creativity and consistency are at the forefront of their menus. John and Brad take pride knowing that they build everything from scratch with attention to detail during every step of the process. “By making our own stocks, sauces, soups and dressings, along with pretty much everything else, and buying whole foods, which we prep ourselves, we are able to offer the freshest, most delicious, consistent food available,” John shares. “We believe that our dedication to the cause is reflected in the great flavors and consistency of our food.” They prep their own lettuce and other greens for salads rather than buy pre-processed versions. Burger patties are hand formed, and in some cases they even grind their meats. Chicken breasts are trimmed, cleaned and tenderized for every salad and sandwich. They roast and slice their own meats and buy blocks of cheese and shred and/or slice it themselves. “Every sauce for every dish, every spread for every sandwich, every dip for every quesadilla, and pretty much anything you can think of, we make in house,” affirms John. “This hard work and dedication to detail was picked up on clearly by Food Network star Guy Fieri while he was filming for Triple D at The Elk when, after watching the whole process for making our smoked onion dip, which starts by smoking the onions, he said in a bit of disbelief, ‘And all this is just for the dip?’ Yes, yes it is, my friend, and that’s why our food is so darn special.” So what’s on the menu? Probably their most famous, and widely loved, menu item is the Corn Pasta. “A somewhat humble pasta salad which is simply a side item has garnered such a cult following that I almost never make it through a day without someone telling me how much they love it,” smiles John. Another very popular item available at all locations is their 74th Street Gumbo. “Originally created by our Godfather restaurant, the 74th St. Ale House in the Greenwood Neighborhood of Seattle, the process of making the gumbo takes pretty much an entire day, but the results are why people continue to seek it out after 27 years on the menu,” John attests. Some other favorites found on many of the menus, if not all, are the Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich, Caesar Salad, Grilled Lamb Sandwich and, of course, their made famous on the Food Network Reuben—which many agree is the best in the area. Offering a full bar at each location, they offer craft cocktails to accompany your meal—"without the show and 10-minute wait,” John laughs. Well liquors are always a cut above, so a guest can order anything from the most basic to the most elaborate cocktail and know they will get a quality beverage. Their beer and wine lists are constantly rotating and carefully curated to take the guesswork out of it for the guest. As John says, “Whether you are seeking a dry hopped IPA, a glass of rosé, a crisp pilsner or a glass of cabernet, you can be assured that whatever we are offering is delicious and offered at a fair price.” Moon Time, The Elk, El Que, The Porch and Two Seven … no matter where you choose to dine, you can trust it’s the right choice. Cheers! WeDontHaveOne.com Moon Time 1602 E. Sherman Ave. #116 Coeur d’Alene, ID 208.667.2331 The Porch Public House 1658 E. Miles Ave. Hayden Lake, ID 208.772.7711 The Elk Public House 1931 W. Pacific Ave. Spokane, WA 509.363.1973 Two Seven Public House 2727 S. Mt. Vernon St. #5 Spokane, WA 509.473.9766 El Que 141 S. Cannon St. Spokane, WA 509.624.5412

December 31 Coeur d’Alene Cruises presents New Year’s Eve Desserts Cruises, combining sweet treats with the best views of fireworks on the lake. The cruise departs at 10:30pm, offering plenty of time to enjoy sips, bites and views before the fireworks show begins. CdACruises.com

December 31, 8pm Downtown Spokane’s Wonder Building presents a “Wondrous New Years’ Eve Celebration," inviting guests to dance the night away in their best silver and gold. With music from DJ Shaner, drink specials, prizes, giveaways, bites and sips, the party will offer something for everyone, including admission for all ages until 10pm. Tickets are available online to secure your admission. EventBrite.com

December 31, 9pm Spokane’s popular local act, MasterClass Big Band upholds its tradition of ringing in the new year at the Knitting Factory with its third annual New Year’s Eve Gala this Sunday night. “Open the Door to ’24” is an all-ages event featuring live music and dancing from the area’s top artists. Enjoy dance favorites played into the night for a rockin’ New Year celebration. SP.KnittingFactory.com

December 31, 9pm Ring in the New Year at Riverfront Park this year, with a family friendly fireworks show and New Year’s celebration. Enjoy fireworks at 9pm, along with food trucks like Tacos Tumbras, Gluten Free Donuts, and more. Park attractions will be open during the day, including the Looff Carousel, Numerica Skate Ribbon and Numerica SkyRide, to make a full day out of the occasion! Facebook.com