Fall is officially here (even though it's still hot) and the weekend calendar is stuffed like a bratwurst at Oktoberfest. We've got beer drinkin', wellness festivals, a car-free street festival, a new board game pub, and so much more.
Also, you have 6 days left to refer friends & win a Lost Grove Brewing gift card! Here's your referral code: [RH_REFLINK_2 GOES HERE]
Ok here's what's going on in Boise this weekend:
Open Streets Boise
Sunday, September 28
​Open Streets Boise is happening from 12–5pm, taking over Ustick Road between Cole Rd and Mountain View Dr. 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.
credit Boise Bicycle Project
New Board Game Pub
Have you heard of Chits & Chats? It’s a new Board Game Pub/Bar/Cafe on the Boise Bench and it’s super cute! It’s a place where people can gather to play the latest board games and enjoy food, drinks, and good company without needing to host or own hundreds of board games. They have a food & drink menu and tons of games to play. You can also reserve a table and game ahead of time!
credit Chits & Chats
SPONSORED BY MCCALL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Take a trip to McCall… for free!
The McCall Chamber is launching a new program – and all it’s missing is you.
They are selecting families and couples for a free 3-night adventure in McCall. The Chamber will build your custom itinerary, book your lodging, plan your meals and activities, and tag along to capture your real experience.
​Clubhound Anniversary Party is happening 4-8pm. Celebrate their 1 year anniversary with a free pup day pass, dog & pet vendors, food trucks, and live music from Red Light Challenge on the patio from 5-7pm. Family & dog friendly (of course!)
Friday, September 26 – Saturday, September 27
​Barbarian Brewing’s 10-Year Anniversary Oktoberfest is happening at Barbarian Brewing in Garden City. Celebrate a decade of Barbarian with live music, commemorative mugs, Oktoberfest and Festbier on draft, food trucks, and more. Friday features Joker’s BBQ, Nomadic Oven, Cloud Cakes Bakery, plus music from Ryan Curtis Band, Sheep Bridge Jumpers, and Hillfolk Noir. Saturday brings Joker’s BBQ, Crisp, Cloud Cakes Bakery, with music from Wes Schlag and The Bad Quitters, Floating Witches Head, and Jay William Miller Band. All ages welcome (kids with an adult). Dogs must be on-leash and well-behaved. So fun!
credit Barbarian Brewing
Things to do
Thursday, September 25
​Night Market at the Vista Plaza is happening from 4-8pm at 514 S. Vista Ave. Expect art, vintage finds, aura photos, one-of-a-kind ceramics, food, and drinks from Here’s How Pub. Free to attend, all ages.
Friday, September 26
​Race Club Boise Launch Party and Car Show is happening from 6-9pm. It’s a new racecar simulation studio at 3131 E Lanark St in Meridian. Celebrate the grand opening of Race Club with a car show featuring everything from classics to exotics, plus music, food, and an exclusive 25% off memberships purchased on launch day. Free to attend.
​Adult Night: Murder Mystery is happening 6-10pm at the Discovery Center. This 21+ evening takes you on an interactive journey through history and transportation by land, sea, and sky as you gather clues from quirky witnesses to solve the case. It’s a lil mix of science, storytelling, and intrigue. Tix are $34.
Saturday, September 27
​Boise “Rocks!” Meet-up is happening 9am-2pm at Cassia Park. Bring the family for a day of painting and sharing rocks. Supplies are provided if you don’t have your own, and the shelter at the park has tables, seating, shade, and restrooms nearby. Kids are welcome, but leave pets at home. It’s free!
​Fall Into Fiction is happening from 10am-4pm at Shared Stories (701 Main St, Caldwell). It’s a full day of bookish fun with over 30 authors, book-themed vendors, food trucks, coffee, flash tattoos, a themed photo booth, and more. It’s free!
​National Public Lands Day Celebration is happening 10am-4pm at Bogus Basin. Start the day with a volunteer seed collection project from 10-11:30am, then explore booths from 20+ conservation groups, enjoy nature-based activities from 12-4pm, and catch the Public Lands 101 Panel from 1–2pm. It’s free!
​Tattoo at the Zoo is happening from 12–6pm at Zoo Boise. Resurrected Tattoo is offering flash tattoos for $80, with 50% of proceeds going to Friends of Zoo Boise. Get inked, support the zoo, and say hi to the animals while you’re at it.
​Thrive: Community Wellness Festival is happening at JUMP from 10am-4pm. This free celebration of wellness includes nearly 30 classes (yoga, dance, breathwork, functional medicine, financial literacy, and more), plus 50+ local vendors, food trucks, community art projects, a kids corner, and the JUMP slides open all day. All proceeds support Upward Inertia, a local nonprofit improving health and wellness for Idaho’s most marginalized communities. It’s free!
​L.I.F.T. Health and Fitness Event is happening at Achilles Fitness Institute in Eagle. Learn, Inspire, Focus, and Transform with local fitness pros at this free event co-hosted with Eagle Ultimate Fitness. Explore vendor booths, join workshops and classes, and connect with the community. It’s free!
​Public Safety Day is happening 10am-1pm at 1223 E Watertower St in Meridian. This free, family-friendly event is hosted by the Meridian Fire and Police Departments. Explore emergency vehicles up close, watch live police and fire demos, visit resource tables, and enjoy food trucks and activities. Fun!
​James Castle Community Celebration is happening from 2-6pm at the James Castle House with artmaking, storytelling, games, and more in honor of Castle’s birthday and Deaf Awareness Month. Food and drinks available. It’s free!
Sunday, September 28
​Synths in the Park is happening 3-8pm at the Julia Davis Park Bandshell. The Boise Synth Society is hosting an afternoon of all live electronic music with performances by squaredave, RU57YRobot, 5QRL, Daniel Leone, Dead Sun Artifact, and Black Market Analog. Free and all ages!
​Build Your Own Bouquet Flower Pop-Up with Sundog & Fiddler Farms is happening during brunch service at House of the Little Pig. Fresh flowers + good eats is a perfect Sunday!
​The Boise Flea is happening 10am-4pm at the Boise State East Stadium Lot. Browse tons of vendors and treasure finds. Parking is $5 per car in the Stadium Lot, admission is free!
​Old Time Farm Day is happening 11am-4pm at the Schick-Ostolasa Farmstead (5006 W. Farm Ct in Hidden Springs). Hosted by the Dry Creek Historical Society, this annual event celebrates farming traditions with demonstrations, booths, and hands-on activities. It’s free!
​Be Well Fest 2025 is happening 10am-10pm at Ford Idaho Center. It’s a full-day wellness experience with meditation, breathwork, sound baths, cacao ceremony, drumming, fire performance, and live music. Tix are $45-$137.
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SPONSORED BY BOISE ENTREPRENEUR WEEK
Boise Entrepreneur Week is next week!
​Boise Entrepreneur Week is back Sept 29–Oct 3! This week-long celebration brings together founders, creatives, professionals, and anyone curious about building something new. Join networking events, mentorship opportunities, pitch competitions with cash prizes, and sessions on scaling, AI, work-life balance, marketing, finance, and so much more.
It’s free to attend and open to all. Come learn, connect, and cheer on Idaho’s entrepreneurs!
​Nampa Wine & Cider Festival is happening 6-9pm at Lloyd Square in downtown Nampa. Sip and savor wines and ciders from across the PNW, plus enjoy local food trucks, live music, and more.
Saturday, September 27
​Soil To Soul Pop-Up Picnic is happening at 34th Street Market in Garden City. This special picnic-style dinner includes a locally sourced lunchbox meal and one non-alcoholic beverage, plus live music and patio seating. Additional dishes and desserts will be available inside the market. Two seatings available: 5:30–7pm or 7–8:30pm. Tix are $46.
More Oktoberfests!
Friday, September 26
​House of the Little Pig Oktoberfest Patio Party is happening from 5-10pm at House of the Little Pig. Enjoy German-style beers, sausages made in-house, and live music from the Edelweiss Band 6-8pm.
Saturday, September 27
​Oktoberhaus at Powderhaus Brewing kicks off at 12pm in Garden City. Celebrate Oktoberfest with Powderhaus brews, German-style eats from Humble Food Truck, live music, and local vendors. It’s free!
​Oktoberfest at the Nampa Civic Center is back for its 18th year. Celebrate with authentic German eats, contests and games, plus live music from the Edelweiss Band and Black Dust Rodeo. Prost Packages include admission, a meal voucher, drink token, mug, and t-shirt. VIP tables available. All ages.
​Melba Chamber Oktoberfest is happening from 1-4pm at Danelion Brewery. It’s a small-town fall bash on a homestead featuring local beer, vendors, food trucks, live music, games, raffles, and prizes. It’s free and fam-friendly.
Comedy & storytelling
Comedy giveaway: I have two tickets to giveaway to the Adam Tiller comedy show on October 17 at Mad Swede Brew Hall. Just reply to this email with the word "comedy" and I'll randomly pick a winner!
Thursday, September 25
​Zoo Know It All? is happening at Zoo Boise from 6-8pm. This 21+ trivia night lets you explore the zoo with your team, then settle in for animal-themed trivia. Beer, cider, and wine available for purchase. Tix are $20 per person.
Thursday, September 25 - Friday, September 26
​Forrest Shaw is performing at 7pm at The Lounge at the End of the Universe. A former marine biologist turned comic, Shaw is known for his sharp, cynical takes on human behavior. Tix are $25.
Friday, September 26
​Chris Hudson is performing from 7-8:30pm at Mad Swede Downtown Brew Hall. The Portland-based comic has appeared on HBO’s Veep, been featured in The Washington Post and Funny Or Die, and opened for big names like Shane Gillis and Kyle Kinane. Tix are $25.
​Dan Clark, Nick Daniels and Holly Celeste are performing at Voodoo Cellar in downtown Boise. No topic is off-limits in this sharp, funny night of stand-up. Tix are $13. 21+
Friday, September 26 - Saturday, September 27
​Cowboy Room Comedy is back at Western Collective in Garden City with a stacked lineup of local comics including Andrew Kent, Matthew Vorhies, Val St. Clair, Tanner Tracht, Eric Cole, and Greg Sisco. Doors 6:30pm, show 7pm.Tix are $19-$27.
Saturday, September 27
​“It’s A Conspiracy!” Comedy Show is happening 8-9:30pm at Recycled Minds. Laugh, ponder, and question reality as improv comedians take you on a hilarious journey through conspiracy theories. This show sells out quickly, so get your tix before they're abducted by aliens. Tix are $16 for adults or $6 for kids.
​Leave Your Troubles at The Door comedy show is happening at Mad Swede Downtown Brew Hall. It’s a fully improvised comedy show that flips the script: instead of comics joking about their own problems, they joke about yours. Audience members anonymously submit their troubles before the show, and comedians riff on them live. Show at 9pm, tix $20-$70. 21+
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