Right to Life Coeur d'Alene Plans 47th March and Rally Saturday

Right to Life Coeur d’Alene will stage its annual local march and rally at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, beginning at the Skate Plaza and the Candlelight Church parking lot at Dalton Avenue and U.S. 95 and proceeding along U.S. 95 to Kathleen Avenue. The event marks the 47th local march held in coordination with national Right to Life activities and typically draws a few hundred participants.

Organizers say rally signs are usually provided, and one guest speaker scheduled for this year is Deacon Andy Finney of St. Thomas Catholic Church. The procession follows a familiar route through a key stretch of Coeur d’Alene’s downtown and north-south corridor on U.S. 95, which could create temporary interruptions to normal traffic flow during morning hours.

For local residents and businesses, the most immediate impact will be traffic and parking. Drivers using U.S. 95 should expect delays near Dalton Avenue and Kathleen Avenue during the scheduled march time, and downtown merchants may see concentrated foot traffic where the march passes. Events of this scale - a few hundred people - tend to generate modest short-term spending at nearby coffee shops and restaurants, while also requiring attention to parking availability and pedestrian safety.

The march’s longevity underscores steady civic engagement on a recurring community issue. Holding the 47th local march alongside national events keeps Coeur d’Alene connected to broader organizing efforts while maintaining a local tradition that residents recognize. Local nonprofits, houses of worship and civic groups often use such gatherings to mobilize volunteers and signal policy priorities at the municipal and state level.

Public safety considerations are likely to figure into planning, given the busy highway setting and central starting point. Participants frequently gather at the Skate Plaza and the Candlelight Church lot before moving as a group along U.S. 95, so residents living or working along the route should plan for increased pedestrian activity and short-term street slowdowns.

What this means for readers is practical: expect localized traffic congestion on Saturday morning if you commute through downtown Coeur d’Alene, and allow extra time for parking or detours. For community members following local organizing, the event is a signal of ongoing civic mobilization and will offer another occasion to engage with neighbors, faith communities and local leaders on the issues the march highlights.