Ice skating coming to downtown Boise

Exciting news: Downtown Boise is getting an ice skating rink! Woo!

Downtown Boise Association announced Glide on the Grove yesterday. It's a winter ice skating rink that will go around the holiday tree on the Grove Plaza. It will be open the weekend after Thanksgiving through the end of January. And the best part: it's completely free!

They are still raising a bit of money to complete the project and ensure it will be free to use. Please consider donating if you are able!

Rendering for Downtown Boise's new ice skating rink, credit DBA

Funnn festivals

TONIGHT: The 9th annual Salsa Fest is happening at North End Organic Nursery tonight from 5-8pm. You can sample locally made salsas from producers and restaurants, professionals, and amateurs. There’s also live music from Tropico FM, food, drinks, activities, and a bounce house. It’s all ages and free!

Fri-Sat Sept 15-16: Eagle Jazz Festival is happening in multiple venues around Eagle this weekend. On Friday, there's a kick-off concert from 6-8pm at Heritage Park Gazebo in Eagle and it's free! Also Friday is Club Night, with artists playing from 8-10:30pm at JoVinos, Old State Saloon (21+), Rembrandts, and The Vault Cigar Lounge (21+). Tix for Club Night are $15 and gets you into all 4 venues. Saturday, there's free jazz music during the Eagle Saturday Market from 10am-2pm. On Saturday night, five artists are playing the Main Stage from 5-10pm at Eagle 1st Miracle Event Center (3705 Highway 16 Eagle). Tix for the Main Stage shows are $45 for GA (byo lawn chairs for GA) or you can purchase a table for 4 which is $375. You can also add on a BBQ plate for an additional $25. Kids age 14 and under are free!

Fri-Sun Sept 15-17: Hyde Park Street Fair is happening at Camel’s Back Park all weekend! There’s tons of vendors, live music, workshops and entertainment each day on three different stages: the Main Stage, the Community Stage, and in the Geodesic Dome. Parking is super limited here, so ride/walk/get dropped off.

Sat Sept 16: Boise Koi & Bonsai Show is happening at Edward’s Greenhouse from 9am-3pm. Go see & learn about koi and bonsai, enjoy Edward's, and enjoy a performance by the Kawa Taiko Japanese drummers at noon. It's free! Read more about the koi show & Boise's koi community here.

Sat Sept 16: Bug Day at Idaho Botanical Garden! There’s a bunch of bug-themed booths, activities, workshops, live music, food trucks and a VW bug car show. The event goes from 10am-4pm (last entry is at 3pm). It’s $9 for garden members, $13 for non garden members, $9 for kids age 4-12, free for kids age 3 and under.

Sun Sept 17: Fiestas Patrias Meridian, a Mexican Independence Day celebration, is happening at 12pm at Kleiner Park in Meridian. There's will be food, Mexican folk dancers, live music and more. It's free & fam-friendly!

Meridian Art Week

Sat-Sat Sept 16-23: Meridian Art Week is happening in downtown Meridian! There’s a ton of free/low cost events happening all week. Here's the schedule:

Sat Sept 16: Community Art Party in downtown Meridian from 5-8pm. There will be hands on activities including two contests, Buskerfest & Sidewalk Chalk Art contest.
Sat Sept 16: guided Historic Walking Tour of Downtown Meridian. That is $3 and you need to register in advance.
Mon Sept 18: There’s a class about an How To Be an Artrepreneur from 1:30-3:30pm, free. Also on Monday there’s a Trail Map to Starting your Book class from 6:30-7:30, free. Both of those are at unBound in Meridian.
Wed Sept 20: Join the art panel discussion about How To Create a Stellar Application, geared toward artists who are applying for projects or grants or gallery space. It's happening from 12-1pm in the Initial Point Gallery on the 3rd floor of Meridian City Hall. It's free!
Th Sept 21: Take a Plein Air Painting class at Generations Plaza from 7:30-8:30pm. It's free.
Fri Sept 22: Take an improv comedy class at the Meridian Community Center from 6-8pm. This class has a $5 registration fee and you need to sign up in advance.
Sat Sept 23: Summer Groove Party Band will play a free & fun show at 7pm on the outdoor plaza at Meridian City Hall. You can byo lawn blanket or chairs, and you can also byo food and drink, there’s also some food and drink available for purchase.

More info here!

Meridian Art Week, credit City of Meridian

Oktoberfests

Tis Oktoberfest time. Yay! Here's some celebrations happening this weekend and in the coming weeks:

Fri-Sun Sept 15-17: Payette Brewing Company is kicking off the Oktoberfest celebrations with a weekend-long event! There's tonssss of events happening - live music, food, costume contest, games and more. It's free to enter and all ages!

Fri-Sat Sept 15-16: Sawtooth Brewery in Ketchum is celebrating Oktoberfest with beer, music, food, contests and more.

Fri-Sat Sept 22-23: Das Alpenhaus Deli is hosting its annual Oktoberfest celebration from 3-10pm both days. Beer, food, music & more in the parking lot of the one and only German deli in the Treasure Valley!

Fri-Sat Sept 22-23: Fly Boise is hosting Wunderbar! A High-Flying Oktoberfest. There's trapeze artists, a beer garden, German food and more. Sounds epic!

Fri-Sat Sept 22-23: Powderhaus Brewing is hosting a two-day Oktoberfest celebration with beer, food, music, events and German lagers.

Sat Sept 23: Old Boise Oktoberfest is happening on 6th & Main area in downtown Boise.

Oct 5-6: Prost is also having an Oktoberfest on the first weekend in October. I'll let ya know more details when I find out.

Sponsored by The Boise Phil

Phil the magic...

...it’s literally in the air — stringed-instrument style — on September 18th, when The Boise Phil celebrates the rich tradition of Basque chamber music and dance.

Join the Boise Philharmonic on the beautiful Shakespeare Festival stage for a special pre-season Twilight Concert on Monday, September 18 at 7:30pm. Get your tickets now!

Tunes & shows

TONIGHT: Frankie Tillo + Okapi + Kayce Guthmiller at Shrine Basement
TONIGHT: Little Stranger + Calimossa at Neurolux
Fri Sept 15: Cigs Inside + jovani at Neurolux
Fri Sept 15: mindFULL w/ Magic Sword (dj set) + Deeveaux + Legz at Treefort Music Hall
Fri Sept 15: Foy Vance + Bonnie Bishop at Knitting Factory
Fri Sept 15: Cowgirl Clue + Kumo 99 + Glixen at Shrine Basement
Fri Sept 15: The American Humor + ECS at CRLB
Fri Sept 15: Petty Theft Tom Petty Tribute Band at Ste. Chapelle Winery
Sat Sept 16: Ashley Young + Strangelily + Zane Penny + Husse at Shrine Basement
Sat Sept 16: Punk Night at New Colony Brewing Co
Sat Sept 16: So Pitted + Miscoming + Trauma Kit at CRLB
Sun Sept 17: The Kindness at Shrine Basement
Sun Sept 17: Public Memory + Scry + Causeway at Neurolux
Sun Sept 17: Pony Bradshaw + Grayson Jenkins at 9th Street Parallel
Tue Sept 19: Lobo Lara + Mariachi Sol De Acapulco at Indian Creek Plaza
Wed Sept 20: Folk Hogan + Baby Gurl + Toarn + Instead of One at Shrine Basement

Comedy & storytelling

Fri Sept 15: Comedian Reena Calm is at Mad Swede Brew Hall from 7-9pm. Tix are $20.
Sat Sept 16: Don't Tell Comedy Show is happening at 8pm somewhere in downtown Boise. Tix are $25 and it's byob!
Sat Sept 16: Comedians Nate Ford + T illy the Comic + Montana Burke + Tyler Wolf + Sophie Hughes are at Mad Swede Brew Hall (downtown) at 9pm. Tix are $20.
Sat Sept 16: Comedian Kermet Apio is at Lounge at the End of the Universe at 7pm. Tix are $25. 21+
Weekly comedy open mics: Mondays at Mad Swede (Cole Road), sign ups 7:30pm/start 8pm. Tuesdays at Hops & Bottles at 6:30pm. Thursdays at Mad Swede (Downtown), online sign ups, starts at 8pm. Saturday at Mad Swede (Downtown), sign ups 10:30pm, start 11pm.
Also heads up: Adam Sandler is doing a comedy show on Oct 15 at Idaho Center & tix go on sale tomorrow (Friday Sept 15). Tix are $40-$170.

Food finds & things to drink

Sat Sept 16: Food Truck Fiesta happening at Jordan's Garden Center & Seasonal Market. There will be Hispanic and Latin owned food trucks, a full bar with margarita specials, live music, roasted green chiles to purchase, and the pumpkin patch will be fully open with all regular kids activities. It's free!
Oldie but goodie: Stagecoach Inn is so bomb. The halibut chunks rule my world. So good for a cozy and filling meal.
Mocktail rec: The Peach Fizz at The Avery is also ruling my world right now. I crave it everyday haha.
Another rec: Mount Everest Momo Cafe is so good! It's super fresh, hot, flavorful and filling. I love to saag paneer and the dumplings!

Spread from Mount Everest Momo Cafe. Photo from Tom P on Yelp.

Things to do

Th-Sat Sept 14-16: 13 Stories Film Competition premiere is happening at the Old Idaho Pen. This is an annual contest where local filmmakers make short films inspired by true stories from the Old Penitentiary. This weekend you get to watch the final projects! Showings happening from 8-10pm. Tix are $12 and limited, so get yours asap!
Fri-Sat Sept 15-16: Go see Femme Von Follies' Tales From The Strip, a night filled with campy horror-inspired burlesque and cabaret. It's happening at VAC at 8pm. Tix are $20 online, $25 at the door. 21+
Sat Sept 16: Boise State Broncos play North Dakota at home this weekend. The game is at 10am and tix start at $45. You can ride the free game day shuttle from downtown to Albertson's Stadium. You could ride the shuttle around to tailgate/bar hop, too... just sayin lol.
Sat Sept 16: There's a Cornhole Tournament happening at Cactus Bar. Sign ups at 1pm then event starts after that. It's $25 for a team and includes 4 beers. There's prizes!
Sat Sept 16: It's Grandparents' Day at Lowe Family Farmstead in Kuna. Grandparents get free admission!
Sun Sept 17: Join the Autumn DIY Card Making Class at Potter Wines from 2-4pm. You get to make two different cards - fun! Tix are $10.
Sun Sept 17: Go check out the WWE Supershow happening at ExtraMile Arena. Tix start at $15 and the show starts at 5pm.
Tue Sept 19: Hap Hap Lounge has a new trivia night happening every Tuesday! There's a new theme every week. This week it's Friends (the show & in general). Sweet prizes too, including show tix, festival passes, bar tabs & more.