Ok, deep breath, because this weekend is absolutely packed. We've got Hyde Park Street Fair, Old Boise Oktoberfest, art fests in Garden City, Kuna, and Meridian, the annual koi show, free theater, and so. much. more. Also there's an unusually large amount of comedy shows. Here’s what’s going on:
Locals only
Friday, September 12
​Treefort Music Fest Locals Only Sale is happening at The Record Exchange (10am–8pm) and Prefunk Beer Bar in Nampa (12–8pm). This is your one & only chance to snag the lowest price 5-day passes for Treefort 2026 (March 25–29). In-person only, limit 4 per person.
credit Treefort Music Fest
The festivals continue
Friday, September 12 – Sunday, September 14
​Hyde Park Street Fair is happening at Camel’s Back Park. Since 1979, this funky, family-friendly fest has filled the North End with vendors, live music, food, drinks, and plenty of people-watching. I can already smell the pachouli.
Saturday, September 13
​​Old Boise Oktoberfest is happening in the street near 6th & Grove in downtown Boise. The block party has lots of beir, German food, live music, and stein-hoisting contests. Bavarian attire encouraged. Tix are $13.26 for GA (doesn't include beer or food) or $7.61 for kids 12 and under.
​Kuna’s Art Attack Festival is happening from 11am-3pm on the Kuna Greenbelt behind City Hall. Celebrate art in all forms with live music, artisan vendors, food trucks, interactive booths, and a kids art tent. It’s free!
​The 3rd Annual Clothesline Art Sale is happening at The Commonwell starting at noon. Shop over 400 original works of art priced $10–$50, including paintings, drawings, collages, prints, ceramics & more. Affordable, small works from local artists!
​The 31st Annual Koi Show is happening at Edwards Greenhouse from 10am-4pm. See koi display tanks, bonsai exhibits, food trucks, raffles, and Taiko drummers at noon. It’s free! Read my story about koi in Boise here and my story about the Taiko drummers here. Two of my fave stories!
Sunday, September 14
​Fiestas Patrias Meridian is happening at Kleiner Park in Meridian from 12-8pm. Celebrate Mexican Independence Day with food, folk dancers, live music, and family activities.
credit The Commonwell
SPONSORED BY MCCALL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Wanna go to McCall… for free?
The McCall Chamber is choosing real couples and families for a fully hosted 3-night, 4-day getaway to McCall, Idaho.
Free lodging. Free meals. Free activities. All you have to do is show up and explore. In return, the McCall Chamber will follow along (with cameras!) to capture your real experience. No influencers, no scripts – just a mountain-town adventure starring your family.
​Apply now by submitting a quick video and sharing what makes your crew the perfect fit.
​Barbarians Give a Damn is happening from 4–8pm at Barbarian Brewing. $1 from every draft pour will be donated to The Cont;nuation Project, a local nonprofit supporting teen mental health through sports and community initiatives.
Friday, September 12
​Boise Bard Players are performing Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour Lost at Indian Creek Plaza. This is a free outdoor performance! Starts at 7pm.
​TimberJam is happening at 8pm at Starlight Mountain Theatre in Garden Valley. This outdoor concert features Idaho’s own Northwest Stories from Meridian, plus opening sets by Harrison Boe, Dallin Hatch, and Zach Moss. Bring a blanket and settle in under the stars for this once-a-year show. Pro tip: camp out Friday night and make a weekend of it.
​Skate Back to the 80s is happening at Treasure Valley Skate from 8:30–10:30pm. Casio Dreams is bringing the throwback jams for a night of roller skating, neon, and nonstop 80s hits. 18+
Friday, September 12-Saturday, September 13
​Lala’s Jazz Gala at Coiled Wines kicks off a new tradition of Friday Night Jazz at Coiled. Enjoy an elegant evening of live jazz with Shirley & Quinn Van Paepeghem, Gene Harris All-Star Students, and the Alex Sjobek Quartet featuring Jenna McLean. Tix are $85 and include a welcome drink, hors d’oeuvres, cheese table & dessert. Cocktail attire encouraged.
Saturday, September 13
​City Steps: History & Public Art of Grove Street Tour is happening at 9am & 11am, starting at C.W. Moore Park and ending at the Linen Building. This 90-minute guided walking tour covers 1.5 miles and digs into the layered stories of Boise’s Grove Street, where history and public art meet. Tix $10 for residents, $15 for non-residents.
​Nature Journaling Workshop is happening at the Idaho Botanical Garden from 10am–1pm. Explore the gardens, practice observational drawing and watercolor painting, and leave with your own journal and supplies. $65.
​Woodcut Printmaking Workshop is happening from 11am–1pm at James Castle House. Learn the basics of black-and-white woodcut printmaking in this hands-on workshop with resident artist Janhavi Khemka. No experience needed, all materials provided. Tix are $15.
​Northwest Submission Challenge 7 is happening at 6pm at The Egyptian Theatre. This submission grappling superfight series is the only one of its kind in Idaho, featuring high-flying action, intense matchups, and some of the best grapplers in the Pacific Northwest. Tix start at $30.
​Community Art Party is happening from 9am–3pm at Meridian City Hall Plaza. Celebrate local art and artisans with live performances, chalk art, hands-on activities, and booths from art groups across the valley. It’s the kick off of Meridian Art Week which is happening Sept 13-19 across Meridian.
​Puppy Yoga with Upward Inertia + PAWS Rescue is happening from 2–3pm. Stretch, snuggle, and smile with adoptable pups while flowing through an all-levels yoga class. Sliding scale donation $35–50, with proceeds supporting PAWS Rescue. Kids welcome with an adult.
​Space Day is happening at the Nampa Civic Center. Meet astronaut Steve Swanson, chat with JPL scientists, catch planetarium shows, and do hands-on STEM activities, 10am–2pm. Admission by donation. Fun for kiddos!
​The Dahlia Show is happening at JUMP, hosted by the Southwest Idaho Dahlia Society. See stunning dahlia blooms and floral arrangements on display, 10am–5pm. It’s free!
​Speed Dating with Age Groups is happening from 2–5pm at Talon Tap & Spirits in Meridian. Meet other singles in quick rounds by age group (20s, 30s, 40s, 50+), then mix it up in crossover conversations. Stick around after for live music by the Leisure Brothers Band from 6–9pm.
Sunday, September 14
​SHE Moves Mountains is happening at 10am at Harrison Hollow Trailhead. It’s a community hike that supports SHE’s Back to School Campaign, helping send 2,000 girls in Togo, West Africa back to school with everything they need. The 2.5-mile hike is family and dog-friendly. Suggested $20 donation = one new school uniform for a student in Togo.
​Stitch & Sip with Thread Honey is happening at Split Rail Winery. Learn embroidery techniques from Jennifer of Thread Honey while upcycling an item from your closet into a new statement piece. No experience needed, all levels welcome. Tix are $50.
Sunday, September 14
Join the End of Float Season Cleanup hosted by Idaho Rivers United, 94.9 The River, and Idaho River Sports. Volunteer to help clean the Boise River from Barber Park to Garden City, 10am–2pm. Stick around after for food trucks, live music, games, drinks, and a raffle for volunteers.
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SPONSORED BY ST. LUKE'S FITONE
FitOne is next weekend!
​FitOne is next Saturday, September 20 and there’s still time to sign up!
Choose the 5K, 10K, or Half Marathon and hit the streets of downtown Boise with hundreds of participants from all over the Treasure Valley. Whether you’re walking, running, or stroller-ing, you’ll celebrate the distance with a big party in Ann Morrison Park. It’s a very scenic course and all ages are welcome. Kids under 12 even race free with a registered adult!
House of Wine is doing a $20 Wine Tasting: We Like Big Reds (and we cannot lie) from 6–7:30pm tonight. You can taste four bold red wines with guided pours and stories for just $20. It’s casual, come-and-go style – perfect pre-dinner stop downtown!
Friday, September 12
​Roars & Pours at Zoo Boise is happening from 6–9pm. The zoo opens after hours for adults only with live music, a giraffe encounter, animal chats, free carousel rides, plus beer, wine, cider & food for purchase. 21+
Saturday, September 13
St Paddy’s in Sept? Kinda! SpudFest is happening at Bear Island Brewing Co. to celebrate National Potato Month and Saint Patrick’s Day with Guinness, Irish food, spud games, and prizes. Plus Boise Fire Pipes & Drums at 4:30pm, firefighter calendar release, and Guinness raffles. Kiddos and pups welcome. 2pm–close.
Comedy & storytelling
Friday, September 12
​Uproar, a one-night-only improv comedy show, is happening at Liquid. Headlining is DNA (Daniel Maggard + Andrew Lyman), a high-energy local duo who turn everyday jobs into chaotic, hilarious scenes. Opening is Off The Rails with Matt Meyer + Parley Dufort, a quick-change duo packed with wild characters and no brakes in sight. Doors 7pm, show 8pm.
​City of Trees Comedy Showcase is happening at 8pm at Lounge at the End of the Universe. Hosted by Holly King and featuring comedians Mundek Clement-Stein, Nick Daniels, Jack Wheeler, and Matthew Vorhies. Tix $10 online or $15 at the door. 21+
Saturday, September 13
​A Very Modern Bing Comedy Hour is happening at 6pm on the patio at the Modern Hotel. There will be live jazz, followed by a PG-13 comedy show at 7pm. Hosted by Leslie Bing with comedians Nick Daniels, Reese Samuels, and Eric Cole. Tix are $30, $113 for a 4 top table, or $23.18 for lawn chair seating.
​Campfire Comedy is happening at 8pm at Recycled Minds Comedy. A cozy night of stories, improv, and laughs that feels like sitting around a fire with friends. Expect true tales, hilarious banter, and surprise twists. Tix are $16 for adults or $6 for kids.
​Tales of Vicious Mockery is happening at 7pm at Mad Swede Brew Hall. A group of comedians and improv performers will roll dice, face danger, and play out a hilarious game of the world’s most popular RPG made by the audience. Tix are $15.45 and it’s 21+.
​Nerdy & Dirty is happening at 9pm at Mad Swede Brew Hall. It’s a comedy show made for the geeks. Expect plenty of sci-fi, fantasy, and pop culture jokes, plus all the dirty laughs you’d never hear at Comic-Con. Tix are $17.85 and it’s 21+.
​Femme Fatale is happening at 8pm at Liquid. This is a feminist comedy show, hosted by Krystal Moore, featuring a rotating lineup of comedians.
​Dave Attell is doing a set at the Revolution Center at 7pm. Tix are $48-$74.
Sunday, September 14
​Campfire Stories is happening from 7–9pm at The Modern Bar Patio. Hosted by Tomás Baiza with artists Eric Amador, Daphne Stanford, and Maylene Cavazos, this month’s theme is Latin@s in America.
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