The annual Free Spaghetti Dinner and Basket Festival, organized by Soroptimist International of Idyllwild, is slated for Wednesday, Oct. 16, at Buckhorn Camp. The event starts at 5 p.m.
Club members spent months putting together six themed baskets that range in value from $1,200 to $2,000. This year’s baskets are: Wine and Dine, Kids and Family, Happy Trails Travel, Home Sweet Home, Pamper Yourself, and Mountain Folks/Garden. There is also a “Money Hat” worth $250 cash that one lucky winner will take home.
Some of the treasures in this year’s Kids and Family basket (valued at $1,600) are a Strider Bike, a family photo shoot, six rounds of miniature golf at Mulligan Family Fun Center (Murrieta), gift certificates to the Candy Cupboard and Rustic Theatre, plus tickets to LEGOLAND, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Aquarium of the Pacific, and more.
The Mountain Folks/Garden basket has an outdoor pizza oven included (donated by Idyllwild Heating & Cooling).
The Home Sweet Home basket (valued at $1,700) features a Cuisinart Kitchen Central, a Shark Vacuum Cleaner, framed art and a handmade quilt, many useful kitchen items, coffee from Black Mountain Coffee Roasting, plus gift certificates for Coyote Red’s, carpet cleaning, chimney sweeping, organizing and decluttering services and more.
Travel enthusiasts will want to put their tickets in the Happy Trails basket (valued at $1,200) for a chance to win an Away battery-powered carry-on suitcase, assorted luggage bags and accessories, a portable battery charger, water bottles, travel bags, an insulated picnic basket, $350 Visa Gift Card, and many more items.
The Free Spaghetti Dinner and Basket Festival is a long-running Idyllwild tradition and is sure to bring a crowd. The dinner includes meat-lover, vegetarian and gluten-free options. Garlic bread, salad, drinks and ice cream are also served.
Tickets for an opportunity to win one of the baskets or the Money Hat are available periodically at the post office prior and during the event up until the 6:30 p.m. drawing on Oct. 16. Tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20. The event takes place at Buckhorn Camp, 24641 Highway 243 in Idyllwild.
This is the local Soroptimist Club’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Proceeds support the club’s local work including scholarships for women and girls. Find Soroptimist International of Idyllwild on Instagram or Facebook and at siidyllwild.org.