Donald Godbey of Hemet was “very impressed” to meet the “talking hairy beast” that staffed the Idyllwild Chamber of Commerce booth at this year’s Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival. The Idyll-Beast, a.k.a. David Jerome, hosted the Idyllwild booth for the entire Date Festival, which set record breaking attendance marks this year. The Idyllwild Chamber Booth was virtually near pandemonium with the availability of the popular Visitor Guides and multiple photo-ops for families and school groups with Idyll-Beast, according to Jerome. “Idyllwild is the only resort community represented at the fair this year,” the Beast reported.

The longest-running, community-wide sporting event on the Hill will take place Saturday, June 9, with hundreds of runners and walkers pushing themselves beyond their usual limit in Idyllwild’s annual 5K and 10K Run and Fitness Walk. Athletes will pound the pavement through downtown and forest campgrounds, and in off-the-beaten path neighborhoods to help raise money…