I've said it before and I'll say it again, September is the busiest month in Boise. There’s something significant happening every single weekend. Today's story is a big ol' list of the September events you don’t want to miss. Oh and btw the Spirit of Boise Balloon festival starts tomorrow!

Before we get into it, here's a fun September event for ya:

SPONSORED BY VISIT IDAHO Join the Visit Idaho Cleanup Crew On Wednesday, September 11, you’re invited to join Visit Idaho, the City of Kuna, and Boise River Enhancement Network for a cleanup along Indian Creek in Kuna. They'll be picking up trash, trimming willow trees and blackberry bushes along the banks, and painting the walkway under Bridge Street. This fun volunteer opportunity is open to all! It’s all part of the Travel With Care mission to preserve the beauty and kindness that represent Idaho. Grab your gloves, bring a friend (or meet a new one!), and spend a morning showing some love to one of our community’s favorite spots. 👉 Sign up here

Sept 4-6: World Village Festival

​World Village Festival is happening September 4–6 at JUMP in downtown Boise. This festival brings together and represents the many communities that call Boise home, including Mexican, Basque, Native American, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Indonesian, Bosnian, African, Lao, North and South American, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Greek communities. There’s tons of live music, dance performances, cooking demos, really yummy food, and more. You can see the schedule here.

It's free and very family friendly!

Sept 5: First BSU Home Football Game

The boys are back on the Blue. Boise State Football kicks off the 2025 season with their first home game on Friday, Sept 5 at Albertsons Stadium. If you’ve never been to a Bronco game, it’s a whole experience. Tailgating starts hours before kickoff, with the parking lots and streets around campus filling up with tents, beers, the smell of hot dogs, and lots of blue and orange, of course.

Kickoff times vary (check the schedule for updates), but if you’re going, plan ahead. Parking is available onsite for $20 or at St. Luke’s Plaza for $10. If you can, bike, walk, or Uber. Even if you’re not into football, going to at least one BSU game should be on your Boise bucket list.

Sept 5–7: Art in the Park

​Art in the Park is an open-air art festival has been going for over 70 years!

More than 200 artists have booths set up throughout Julia Davis Park. You'll find all kinds of art from painting to ceramics to textiles to jewelry and everything in between. The booths are set up in long rows, so you can kinda meander through the entire festival.

There's also a children’s art tent, live music and dance performances at the Gene Harris Bandshell, and lots of food trucks to fuel up (idk about you but shopping makes me thirsty and hungry).

One thing to note: there’s no parking in Julia Davis Park. Here's your options:

• Parking garages in downtown Boise or park in the Brady Garage on Boise State’s campus and then take the Friendship Bridge over to the park. There's multiple garages with special rates for Art in the Park.
• Park and take a shuttle running from the park to BoDo, throughout downtown Boise, to Boise State/Ann Morrison, and to Boise Towne Square Mall.
• Ride your bike. There's 2 bike parking stations in the park.
• More parking info here.

If you want to check out the participating artists and see the 2025 event layout, here’s a map and here's a map + artist list.

PS - if you are going to miss Art in the Park or if you want more art, Kuna’s Art Attack Festival is happening Sept 13! It’s like a mini version of Art in the Park.

Sept 6: Taste of Caldwell Harvest Festival

Take a lil drive out to Caldwell for the annual Taste of Caldwell Harvest Festival. It’s a celebration of the fall harvest season with food, wine, and live music. You’ll find local vendors, farmers, and wineries offering samples, plus family-friendly activities and entertainment.

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Sept 12–14: Hyde Park Street Fair

​Hyde Park Street Fair is happening Sept 12-14 in Camel’s Back Park in Boise’s North End.

Also known as the “Hyde Park Hippie Fair,” Hyde Park Street Fair is an arts & music festival that has been going on since 1979. It's a funky, family-friendly mix of art, music, food, and community. Expect vendor booths with everything from tie-dye and crystals to local art and jewelry, plus two stages and "the dome" where there is live music, dancing, and workshops going all weekend long. Food, beer, and wine are available for purchase, and Sockeye Brewing's limited-edition Hyde Park Streetfest Ale is available exclusively at two beer & wine tents during the Fair.

Hot tip: there's usually some good garage sales in the neighborhood this weekend. Speaking of the neighborhood, parking is kinda tricky so walk, bike, or carpool if you can. It’s free to attend, and it’s as much about the people-watching as it is the music and shopping.

Sept 13-20: Oktoberfest

Boise loves an excuse to drink some beer. This year there are three different Oktoberfests (possibly four, if Prost! has one). You can hit up one or all three. Here's the details:

​Old Boise Oktoberfest is happening Saturday, Sept 13 on 6th & Grove Streets in downtown Boise. The block party has beer tents, German food, live music, and stein-hoisting contests. It’s a one-day party in the heart of downtown. Bavarian attire encouraged. Tix are $13.26 for GA (doesn't include beer or food) and $7.61 for kids 12 and under.

​Payette Brewing Oktoberfest is Sept 19–20 at Payette’s brewery and beer garden. This one’s all-ages and free to attend, with polka music, costume contests, games, and of course, plenty of beer and pretzels.

Payette’s special Oktoberfest steins are available for $7 and tokens ($7 each) are good for beer fills, pretzels, or Bavarian peanuts. Bring cash for quicker lines. Parking is very limited so carpool, bike, or grab an uber if you can.

​Das Alpenhaus Oktoberfest is perhaps the most authentic of them all. It's happening Sept 19–20 at Das Alpenhaus Deli on the Boise Bench. It’s a smaller, more traditional-style Oktoberfest with authentic German food and imported beer.

Sept 19–20: Eagle Jazz & Blues Fest

​Eagle Jazz & Blues Fest is happening on Sept 19-20 at multiple locations in Eagle.The two-day event brings together local musicians for a variety of shows. It’s a fun way to explore the city of Eagle as well!

There's performances happening at different locations and different times throughout the two days. Tix are a la carte for each event, so you can plan your route accordingly.

Sept 19–20: Indian Creek Festival

​Indian Creek Festival is a two-day downtown Caldwell festival has a little bit of everything: a car show, chalk art competition, live music, vendors, and even the famous Cardboard Kayak Race down Indian Creek. It’s a quirky and fun community event that shows off Caldwell’s revitalized downtown.

Sept 19–21: Potato Days Festival

I know, I know, Idaho potatoes blah blah. But Potato Days is fun. It takes over Kleiner Park in Meridian with a three-day potato-themed celebrations. Expect live music, carnival rides, games, and (of course) a lot of potatoes. There are potato cooking contests, potato crafts, and even a “Mash Bash” beer garden.

Sept 20–21: Boise Scottish Heritage Festival

Bagpipes, Highland dancers, caber toss competitions, oh my. The Boise Scottish Heritage Festival brings Scottish culture to Expo Idaho where you can browse Scottish clan booths, shop for tartans and crafts, and watch traditional athletic games like hammer throw and tug-of-war. It’s family-friendly, with food vendors and performances running all weekend.

Sept 20: St. Luke’s FitOne

​St. Luke's FitOne is Boise’s biggest annual run/walk, with thousands of participants doing 5K, 10K, and half marathon routes. It’s family-friendly, stroller-friendly, and a great way to get outside and moving. After the race, stick around for the Finish Festival with food, booths, and live music. Proceeds support St. Luke’s health initiatives in the community. From Boise has a lil team this year! See ya out there.

Sept 28: Open Streets Boise

​Open Streets Boise is back on Sunday, Sept 28 from 12–5pm, taking over Ustick Road between Cole Rd and Mountain View Dr. This is the second annual festival – here's my story about the inaugural event.

For one afternoon, the street will be closed to cars and turned into a big community space where people can bike, walk, skate, and play. You’ll find local food, art, live music, and family-friendly activities along the route, all designed to highlight neighborhood businesses and show what our streets can look like when they’re built for people, not just cars. Hosted by Boise Bicycle Project, it’s a fun, free way to explore a local neighborhood and reimagine how we move through our city.

Ooook that's all I got for ya! Did I miss anything? Also:

Thanks for reading! Have a fun September!

With love from Boise,

Marissa

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