Good morning, Emmett. Here's what happened around town this week.

Community

Cherry Festival Is 11 Days Away — Here's the Lineup

The 91st annual Cherry Festival runs June 17-20 at Emmett City Park, with events spread across town all week. The main schedule is taking shape, and there's a lot to plan around:

Wednesday, June 17 — Festival officially kicks off. Carnival opens at City Park.

Thursday, June 18 — The Valley of Plenty Quilt Show runs 10 AM to 5 PM at 1144 N. Lake Lowell (also Friday). The Great Cherry Bake Sale and Sidewalk Book Sale opens at 11 AM and runs through 6 PM (continues Friday).

Friday, June 19 — Children's Parade at 6:30 PM. This year's theme is "Cherry, Red, and Blue." Check-in is at 5:20 PM at Blaser Railroad Park on Washington Avenue. The parade route runs down Main Street from Commercial to Johns. No entry fee — forms available at Gem County Recreation District (107 East Main).

Saturday, June 20 — Car Show from 8 AM to 3 PM on Main Street in front of City Park. The big Cherry Festival Parade is the same evening on Main Street.

The festival typically draws more than 55,000 people over the four days. If you have errands to run on Main Street, get them done before the weekend.

Wizard of Oz Hits the EMS Stage

Speaking of community events, the Emmett Middle School auditorium has gotten significant sound and lighting upgrades ahead of the upcoming production of The Wizard of Oz. Watch for show dates and ticket info from the district.

Schools

Class of 2026 Project Graduation Says Thank You

The Project Graduation committee and the class of 2026 want to thank everyone who participated in the Cake Auction. Local support pulled together a strong send-off for the graduating seniors.

School Officially Out for Summer

Today, Thursday, June 4, was the last day of school for the 2025-26 year. Buses ran their final routes, and the Emmett School District transportation team is logging some well-earned rest after another year of safely moving kids to and from school in every kind of weather.

The next school board meeting and the annual budget hearing are still set for Monday, June 15 at 4:00 PM at the Butte View Complex (400 S. Pine St). Expect this to be a meaningful meeting given the levy result.

City & County

A quieter week on the city and county side. The City's online meeting page does not show new agendas since the spring. We are continuing to watch for an official Merrill's Pit decision out of the May 26 commissioner deliberation, and certified Republican primary results for the Gem County Commissioner District 1 race. Both will be in the next issue.

Development

No new permits, projects, or business updates this week.

Quick Notes

• District budget hearing: Monday, June 15 at 4:00 PM, Butte View Complex (400 S. Pine St).
• Cherry Festival: June 17-20, Emmett City Park.
• Children's Parade: Friday, June 19, 6:30 PM, Main Street.
• Cherry Festival Parade: Saturday, June 20, evening, Main Street.

Sports

The high school spring sports season is fully wrapped. Softball and baseball both finished in late April/early May. Look for summer ball and youth league coverage starting next month.