Spring is a magical time in Walla Walla. As the weather warms, the restaurants, tasting rooms, and boutiques of downtown Walla Walla receive a fresh infusion of energy. Farther afield, the region’s rolling vineyards awash in green as the buds begin to break.
No season is a bad season to visit the unofficial capital of Washington wine country, but spring offers an optimistic vibe that is all its own. Wine lovers rejoice each year during Spring Kickoff Weekend (April 5-7) and Spring Release Weekend (May 3-5), when Walla Walla’s more than 130 wineries unveil some of their newest vintages.
But Walla Walla is never just for oenophiles. A spring bike ride along Walla Walla’s country roads, a hike in the Blue Mountains, a view of the spring migration of thousands of shorebirds, or a round at one of Washington’s most celebrated golf courses make for a memorable spring day, too.
A time for arts and entertainment
As the home of the longest continually operating symphony orchestra west of the Mississippi, Walla Walla has long been a hub for the arts. The Walla Walla Symphony’s final 2023-24 season performances will be held this spring. Those performances include “Musica Antiqua” from conductor Nikolas Caoile on March 26 and “Homeland Soundscapes” from conductor Fernanda Lastra on May 14. The end of the symphony season will usher in the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival, which takes place June 6-29.
Walla Walla is also an increasingly popular stop for pop and country music stars, including a pair of recently announced headliners. You won’t want to wait until summer to buy tickets, either. Singer-songwriter Norah Jones will be performing at the Wine Country Amphitheater on July 27, and country star Martina McBride will play at the Walla Walla Fair & Frontier Days on Aug. 28.
For a different experience this spring, the Gesa Power House Theatre offers a variety of entertainment options. In April it will present a rock opera concert by Alexander Kariotis on Saturday, April 13, weaving timeless operatic arias amid soaring rock melodies, with a powerhouse rock rhythm. Spring laughs will be coming to Walla Walla when Comedian Steve Hofstetter makes a stop on his “Kill the Butterflies” tour at the Gesa Power House Theatre on April 10 and 11.
During the first Friday of every month from April through October, art lovers will flock to downtown Walla Walla for the First Friday Art Tours. Locally owned galleries, wineries, restaurants, and businesses showcase a variety of works by local artists in what is a monthly celebration of local art and wine.
For a full calendar of Walla Walla’s arts and culture events, visit wallawalla.org/events/calendar.
A season of events
While the region is renowned among oenophiles for Spring Kickoff and Spring Release Weekends, it’s also a season of enduring events of all kinds, including many that go beyond the vine like the Walla Walla Balloon Stampede (May 9-12) and Waitsburg Celebration Days (May 17-19).
Spring also marks the opening of the Downtown Farmers Market, which begins on May 4 and runs each Saturday through October. Both visitors and locals celebrate the Valley's agricultural heritage, rubbing elbows with the chefs from Walla Walla’s acclaimed restaurants as they peruse locally grown and seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables.
Tee it up this spring
The turn of season means longer days for cycling, hiking, golfing, and much more. The golf world is increasingly learning what southeast Washington has known for years: Walla Walla has plenty of game thanks to Wine Valley Golf Club. Walla Walla’s gem made Golf Digest’s 2023-24 list of America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses. And there’s not a better time than spring to tee it up, especially with Walla Walla’s stay-and-play golf packages.
Veterans Memorial Golf Course, Walla Walla Country Club, Milton-Freewater Municipal Golf Course, Touchet Valley Golf Course in Dayton, and Oregon’s Wildhorse Resort, offer a diversity of styles, amenities, and challenges that can keep an avid golfer busy from sunup to sundown.
To explore more or begin planning a spring visit to Walla Walla, visit wallawalla.org.