Boise, Idaho, and its neighboring cities—Garden City, Meridian, Eagle, Nampa, Caldwell, and Kuna—are home to a thriving events scene. Each year, residents and visitors gather to celebrate everything from local art and live music to food festivals, historical traditions, and seasonal attractions.
Whether you enjoy exploring farmers’ markets, attending concerts, or experiencing cultural festivals, the Treasure Valley offers a calendar full of memorable happenings. From spring’s Treefort Music Festival to the Idaho Potato Drop on New Year’s Eve, we’ve rounded up the most notable annual events shaping life in the area in 2026.
Spring Events and Activities
March
Treefort Music Festival
📍 Downtown Boise
March 25–29, 2026
Treefort returned for its 14th edition this March, taking over downtown Boise with more than 500 artists across five days. The five-venue-deep festival once again threaded indie touring acts together with Boise locals, plus the usual stack of comedy, art installations, food, speakers, and yoga “forts” that make Treefort feel less like a music fest and more like the city’s annual coming-out party for spring.
Speed through Spring at Firebird Raceway and Meridian Speedway
📍 Firebird Raceway (Eagle) and Meridian Speedway (Meridian)
Firebird Season Opener: April 18–19, 2026 | Meridian Speedway Opener: April 4, 2026 (weekly through season)
When the snow finally clears off the foothills, Treasure Valley motorheads have two homes. Firebird Raceway in Eagle kicked off its 2026 racing season with the Stinker Stores Season Opener April 18–19, with the marquee 55th Annual NAPA Ignitor Nitro Opener running May 14–17. Meridian Speedway’s quarter-mile asphalt oval fired up Saturday, April 4 and runs weekly Saturday nights through the summer.
Idaho Sportsman Show
📍 Expo Idaho, Garden City
March 5–8, 2026
The 56th edition of Spectra Productions’ regional outdoor-gear gathering filled Expo Idaho’s halls for four days in early March with boats, RVs, fishing tackle, hunting outfitters, and pretty much anything else you’d strap to a truck or trailer. It’s the unofficial kickoff for Idahoans plotting their summer on the water or in the backcountry.
Boise Roadster Show
📍 Expo Idaho, Garden City
March 13–15, 2026
The 53rd Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Boise Roadster Show by Les Schwab Tires rolled into Expo Idaho for its usual three-day chrome-and-horsepower weekend, with hot rods, customs, muscle, and motorcycles packing the buildings. The 2026 edition brought Chip Foose in for a Saturday meet-and-greet — the kind of moment that turns even a casual passerby into a fan for life.
Boise Spring Home and Garden Show
📍 Expo Idaho, Garden City
March 20–22, 2026
Spectra Productions’ 55th annual home-improvement showcase brought contractors, remodelers, landscapers, and product reps under one roof at Expo Idaho for the weekend. If you’re staring down a kitchen redo, a yard overhaul, or a window replacement, this is the one weekend where you can comparison-shop a hundred local vendors in an afternoon.
Idaho Artistry in Wood Show
📍 JUMP Boise
March 21–22, 2026
A two-day showcase of carvers, turners, pyrographers, and gourd artists from across Idaho and the Northwest, packed into the airy event space at JUMP. Whether you’re shopping handcrafted bowls and sculptures or just watching a chisel work, it’s a quiet, low-key Saturday-Sunday alternative to the bigger downtown crowds.
Boise Flower and Garden Show
📍 Boise Centre, Downtown Boise
March 27–29, 2026
The 29th Annual Boise Flower & Garden Show transformed Boise Centre into a downtown greenhouse for the weekend, with more than 100 exhibits of plants, blooms, outdoor furniture, landscaping ideas, and garden tools. General admission was $10 a day or $15 for a three-day pass — a cheap way to shake the last of winter off your boots and start sketching the summer yard.
Seven Arrows Powwow
📍 Jordan Ballroom, Student Union Building, Boise State University
March 28, 2026
The Intertribal Native Council of Boise State’s annual social powwow filled the Jordan Ballroom with drum groups, regalia, and intertribal dancing across men’s traditional, women’s fancy, grass, jingle, and tiny-tots categories. Frybread, Indian tacos, Native jewelry vendors, and free parking — a generous, family-friendly celebration of Indigenous culture and one of the warmest events on the BSU calendar.
Caldwell Cars & Coffee
📍 Indian Creek Plaza, Caldwell
Saturday, March 28, 2026 (9 AM – noon)
The 2026 season of Cars & Coffee returned to Indian Creek Plaza on Saturday morning, with classic muscle, modern supercars, and one-of-one custom builds parked around the plaza. Grab a cup from Flying M, Java Station, or Bond & Bevel, wander the rows, and chat with owners — it’s free, family-friendly, and one of the most laid-back ways to start a Caldwell Saturday.
Zoo Boise’s Spring Break Up-Close Animal Encounters
📍 Zoo Boise, Julia Davis Park
Late March 2026
When the school week empties out, Zoo Boise keeps Treasure Valley kids occupied with up-close animal encounters, zookeeper presentations, and behind-the-scenes peeks at residents from giraffes to red pandas. Camps run for ages 4–6 (9 AM–noon) and 7–10 (9 AM–4 PM), with reduced rates for annual passholders.
April
Race to Robie Creek
📍 Fort Boise Park, Boise
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Often called “the toughest half marathon in the Northwest,” this iconic 13.1-mile climb up Aldape Summit and down into Robie Creek sells out within minutes every year. The noon start from Fort Boise Park draws costumed runners, bagpipers, and a famously rowdy finish-line party in the foothills.
Boise Farmers Market
📍 1500 Shoreline Drive, Boise
Saturdays, April 4 – late October 2026, 9 AM – 1 PM
The 2026 season kicked off Saturday, April 4 and runs every Saturday through October at 1500 Shoreline Drive. Important note for longtime market-goers: this is the market’s final season at the Shoreline location before it moves to a new permanent home at the Idaho Botanical Garden in late 2026, so it’s worth a goodbye visit for the local produce, pastries, and live music.
Capital City Public Market
📍 The Grove Plaza, Downtown Boise
Saturdays, April 11 – December 19, 2026, 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Downtown Boise’s beloved Saturday market returns to the Grove Plaza with over 100 vendors slinging Idaho-grown produce, baked goods, flowers, handmade crafts, and prepared bites. The pedestrian-only setup wraps around the fountain on 8th Street, making for an easy, walkable Saturday-morning routine that’s become a downtown tradition.
Zoo Boise Easter EGGstravaganza
📍 Zoo Boise, 355 Julia Davis Drive
Saturday, April 4, 2026, 10 AM – 5 PM
Zoo Boise’s family-favorite Easter event shifted earlier this year to match the April 5 holiday, with last admission at 4 PM. Kids hunted for eggs, met the Easter Bunny, and visited the animals — a charmingly low-key alternative to the usual community egg hunts.
Treasure Valley Flea Market
📍 Expo Idaho, Garden City
April 24–25, 2026 (Friday 12–7:30 PM, Saturday 10 AM – 7 PM)
The indoor flea market runs five weekends a year at Expo Idaho, with the April edition drawing treasure hunters digging through antiques, collectibles, vintage finds, and the occasional oddity. Admission is just $3 ($2 seniors, kids under 12 free), making it one of the better-value weekend rabbit holes in the valley.
May
Idaho Outdoor Expo (formerly Experience Idaho)
📍 Expo Idaho, Garden City
May 2–3, 2026, 10 AM – 4 PM
Heads up — IBL Events rebranded the former Experience Idaho expo as the Idaho Outdoor Expo, sharpening its focus on fishing, hiking, hunting, paddling, and Idaho-made outdoor goods. Admission was free with registration, and the weekend featured live music, a kids’ rock-climbing wall, and axe throwing alongside booths from 100+ local outdoor brands.
Idaho Pet Expo
📍 Expo Idaho, Garden City
Saturday, May 9, 2026, 10 AM – 4 PM
Calendar change to flag: the Pet Expo shifted from mid-June to early May for 2026. Animal expert and TV personality Corbin Maxey headlined with appearances at noon and 2 PM, joined by local and national vendors hawking food, toys, gear, microchipping, grooming, and rescue-org tables. Leashed pets welcome.
Boise Greenbelt Relays & 50-Mile Ultra
📍 Ann Morrison Park, Boise
Saturday, May 9, 2026
Solo runners and teams of two to seven take on a 45-mile loop along the entire Boise River Greenbelt, with transitions in parks all over the Treasure Valley. It’s still one of Boise’s youngest annual events but has already raised over $43,000 for groups like Ridge to Rivers and the Bogus Basin Nordic team.
Boise Music Week
📍 Various venues across Boise
May 1–11, 2026
Now well into its second century (the tradition dates to 1919), Boise Music Week packed 11 days of free musical entertainment into venues across town — Jazz Night and Music in the Park kicked things off May 1–2, with the Morrison Center production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying running May 7–10. School nights, youth musicals, organ recitals, and a silent movie at The Egyptian rounded out one of the country’s longest-running free community arts festivals.
Laura Moore Cunningham City Arboretum Tour
📍 City Nursery, 1149 E. Lewis St., Boise
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 6–8 PM
Part of the city’s Tree Care Series, this $5 guided evening tour walks visitors through the working municipal nursery and on to mature specimens in Kristin Armstrong Municipal Park. It’s a quietly delightful insider look at how Boise grows the trees that line its streets — dress for dust or mud.
Gem State Comic Con
📍 Expo Idaho, Garden City
May 15–17, 2026
Idaho’s pop-culture weekend returns to Expo Idaho with celebrity guests, cosplay contests, artist alley, panels, and fan-driven community programming. It’s grown into a legit regional con while keeping the friendly, family-friendly vibe that sets it apart from the bigger coastal events.
YMCA Famous Idaho Potato Marathon & Fun Runs
📍 Start/finish: Morrison Center, Boise
Saturday, May 16, 2026
Boise’s flagship spring run took over the Greenbelt with a marathon (7 AM), half marathon (9 AM), 10K (10 AM), and 5K Spud Run (10:30 AM) all starting and finishing at the Morrison Center. The flat, river-hugging course is famously fast and pancake-friendly, with proceeds supporting the Treasure Valley Family YMCA.
Boise Hawks Home Opener
📍 Memorial Stadium, Garden City
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 7:05 PM
The Pioneer League Hawks open the 2026 season at home against the Ogden Raptors. The home schedule runs through Sunday, September 6, when the Hawks close out the regular season against the in-state rival Idaho Falls Chukars — plenty of summer nights to grab a $5 ticket, a beer, and watch baseball at Memorial.
Fairy & Gnome Home Exhibit
📍 Idaho Botanical Garden, Boise
May 2026 (exact dates pending)
The Garden has confirmed the whimsical community exhibit is returning this May, but specific opening and closing dates haven’t been published as of press time. Local artists and families build tiny handcrafted dwellings tucked among the blooms, transforming a regular garden stroll into a low-key scavenger hunt for kids and grownups alike.
Idaho Shakespeare Festival
📍 5657 E. Warm Springs Ave., Boise
Late May – September 2026 (50th Anniversary Season)
The Festival’s milestone 50th season opens with Sara Bruner’s Macbeth (first public performance June 12), followed by Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B by Kate Hamill (June 19 – July 11) and Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd later in the summer. The outdoor amphitheater along the Boise River remains one of the most beloved summer rituals in town — bring a picnic, a sweater, and tickets booked well in advance.
Cycle for Independence
📍 Riverglen Junior High, Boise
Saturday, May 30, 2026
The 28th annual charity ride benefiting the National Federation of the Blind of Idaho’s Treasure Valley Chapter offers metric century (7:30 AM), 25-mile (8:30 AM), and 10-mile (9:30 AM) routes from Riverglen Junior High. Registration includes lunch, socks, and on-course mechanical support; proceeds fund independence training and scholarships for blind Idahoans.
Boise Greek Food Festival
📍 Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 2618 W. Bannock St., Boise
Friday, May 29 – Saturday, May 30, 2026, 11 AM – 9 PM
Boise’s tastiest two days of gyros, souvlaki, pastitsio, spanakopita, and baklava take over the church parking lot, with live Greek music, dancing, and tours of the sanctuary. Admission and parking are free, and the festival has become a generational tradition for Treasure Valley families. New for 2026: it’s a Friday–Saturday rather than Saturday–Sunday.
Outlaw Field Summer Concert Series
📍 Idaho Botanical Garden, Boise
June 12 – September 10, 2026
The 2026 series at the intimate 4,000-capacity field opens with Iration & Tribal Seeds on June 12 and currently includes KALEO (July 10), Rainbow Kitten Surprise with Spacey Jane (July 14), Alabama Shakes (July 28), Slightly Stoopid (July 30), Australian Pink Floyd (July 31), and Bonnie Raitt (September 10). Organizers are still adding shows, so check back — the 2025 series eventually grew to 17 dates.
Summer Events and Activities
June
Alive After Five
📍 The Grove Plaza, Downtown Boise
Wednesdays in June and July 2026 (5 – 8 PM)
The Downtown Boise Foundation’s beloved free summer concert series returns to The Grove Plaza on Wednesday evenings, pairing nationally touring acts with Treasure Valley favorites. Bring a lawn chair, grab a bite from the food trucks, and let downtown do what it does best. Full 2026 lineup announcements are rolling out — check Downtown Boise for the schedule.
Snake River Raptor Fest
📍 Boise (Peregrine Fund / Celebration Park area)
Main event Saturday, June 6, 2026
A family-friendly festival celebrating Idaho’s status as one of the great raptor capitals of North America, with live birds, music, food, kids’ activities, and presentations from the Peregrine Fund, Intermountain Bird Observatory, and Boise State. A pre-festival field trip heads to Celebration Park inside the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area.
Treasure Valley Triathlon
📍 Esther Simplot Park & Quinn’s Pond, Boise
Saturday, June 6, 2026
The YMCA’s flat, fast circuit-style tri puts you in Quinn’s Pond for the swim, on a closed Garden City course for the bike, and back along the Greenbelt to finish at Esther Simplot Park. Super Sprint, Sprint, Olympic, relay, and adaptive divisions plus a Youth Splash and Dash make it welcoming whether you’re chasing a PR or your first finish line. Proceeds support adaptive sports across southern Idaho; field is capped at 400 racers.
Savor Idaho
📍 Idaho Botanical Garden, Boise
Sunday, June 7, 2026 (2 – 5 PM, VIP at 1 PM)
Idaho’s premier wine and cider event pours samples from dozens of the state’s best producers across the Botanical Garden’s terraced grounds during Idaho Wine and Cider Month. Pair the glassware with bites from local restaurants and live music — it’s the most concentrated taste of Idaho’s wine country you’ll get without driving to Sunnyslope.
Eagle PRCA Rodeo
📍 Eagle Rodeo Grounds, 6500 W. Chapparel Rd., Eagle
June 10–13, 2026
Eagle’s “best small-town throw-down” lights up the foothills the second weekend of June with four nights of PRCA-sanctioned bull riding, saddle bronc, barrel racing, and tie-down roping. Family-friendly, walking-distance from downtown Eagle, and one of the most picturesque rodeo venues in the state.
Family Summer Palooza
📍 Expo Idaho, Garden City
June 13, 2026 (anticipated — confirm via IBL Events)
IBL Events kicks off summer with an all-day indoor-outdoor blowout — rock-climbing wall, tsunami wave ride, petting zoo, magic shows, princess sing-alongs, jump houses, and 80-plus exhibitors stacked with family resources. One ticket buys unlimited access from 10 AM to 4 PM.
Snake River Stampede
📍 Ford Idaho Center, Nampa
June 16–20, 2026
One of ProRodeo’s top-10 regular-season events brings the country’s best cowboys and cowgirls to the Ford Idaho Center for five nights of bareback, saddle bronc, bull riding, and barrel racing. Performances run 7:30 PM Tuesday through Friday, with a 12 PM Saturday matinee to close it out.
Emmett Cherry Festival
📍 Emmett City Park, Emmett
June 17–20, 2026 (Wednesday–Saturday, 11 AM – 10 PM)
A Gem County tradition since 1936, the Cherry Festival fills Emmett City Park with a carnival midway, parade, live music, a cherry pit-spitting contest, and — naturally — buckets of fresh-picked Idaho cherries. It’s the kind of small-town festival weekend the Treasure Valley shows up for.
Onward Shay! Boise Marathon
📍 Boise
Saturday, June 20, 2026
A full marathon, half, 10K, and 5K founded in memory of Shay Brimacomb, with a fast Greenbelt-adjacent course and a strong community charity tie-in. June makes for warm but spectacular early-morning miles along the river.
Meridian Dairy Days
📍 Storey Park, Meridian
June 25–27, 2026
Meridian’s 96th annual celebration of its dairy roots packs Storey Park with a parade, carnival, fireworks, stock show, and Meridian Speedway races — pure small-city Idaho charm during the third full weekend of June.
Boise Mountain Bike Festival
📍 Eagle Bike Park & Bogus Basin
June 26–27, 2026
A two-day celebration of Treasure Valley riding that kicks off at Eagle Bike Park on Friday and finishes on the chairlift-served slopes of Bogus Basin Saturday. Expect skills clinics, group rides, and 30+ brand booths — all ages welcome and kids under eight are free.
Eagle Fun Days
📍 Heritage Park & State Street, Eagle
June 27–28, 2026
Eagle’s signature community weekend lands on the last weekend of June this year (a slight date shift to watch). The parade rolls at 1 PM Saturday with an “America 250”-themed twist, and Heritage Park and State Street fill 11 AM – 9 PM with live local music, a vendor market, and family activities.
Meridian Fine Art Festival
📍 Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park, Meridian
June 27–28, 2026 (Sat 9 AM – 5 PM, Sun 10 AM – 4 PM)
The festival’s third year brings 125 painters, jewelers, leatherworkers, woodburners, and stained-glass artists from across the Pacific Northwest to Kleiner Park’s Shelter A. Admission is free, parking is easy, and the water fountain is open for refills — a relaxed Saturday-Sunday browse under the trees.
Great Garden Escape Concert Series
📍 Idaho Botanical Garden, Boise
Thursday evenings in June 2026 (final season)
Idaho Botanical Garden and Duck Club close out the Great Garden Escape with one last lineup of Thursday-evening shows beneath the cottonwoods. Doors at 5:30, music at 6, picnics and low-back chairs welcome — golden hour turning into warm summer night, easy and unhurried. Note: 2026 is officially the final chapter for this series, with the run condensed from 16 weeks in 2025 to just four nights in June.
Boise Music Festival (15th Anniversary)
📍 Expo Idaho, Garden City
Saturday, June 27, 2026 (10 AM – 10 PM)
Idaho’s largest music festival hits its 15th anniversary with a mainstage built around EDM superstar Marshmello, dancehall icon Sean Paul, alternative-rock mainstays Everclear and Eve 6, and pop duo MKTO. Add dozens of regional artists, a carnival, food and drink vendors, and community activities, and it’s a full day of summer the whole family can plan around.
Eagle Saturday Market
📍 Heritage Park, Downtown Eagle
Saturdays, May 2 – September 26, 2026, 9 AM – 1 PM (no market June 27 or July 4)
Established in 2002, the Eagle Saturday Market runs every Saturday from early May through late September with local arts and crafts, produce, flowers, and specialty food. The pairing of Capital City Public Market in Boise and Eagle Saturday Market in Eagle makes for one of the best “shop local on a Saturday” routines in the valley.
July
4th of July Events and Fireworks (America 250 Edition)
The Fourth in 2026 is supersized — it’s America’s 250th birthday (the Semiquincentennial), and Treasure Valley cities are leaning into it with parades, drone shows, and the usual fireworks. Friday, July 4, 2026 is the holiday, with several “early” shows the days before.
- 📍 Boise — Ann Morrison Park (Sat, July 4): “America 250 Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration.” Festivities start at 6 PM with a free Boise Philharmonic patriotic performance, followed by a drone show and the annual fireworks at dusk. Park is closed to vehicles; walk, bike, or rideshare in. cityofboise.org/America250
- 📍 Boise — Downtown Parade (Sat, July 4): The Idaho America 250 4th of July Parade steps off at 10 AM from Boise State to the Capitol, traveling Jefferson and Bannock; live broadcast on CBS2/Fox9, KLEW-TV, and Idaho Public TV. Pancake breakfast in Cecil D. Andrus Park at 7 AM. boise4th.com
- 📍 McCall — Lakeside Liberty Fest (July 4–6): Lakeside Liberty Fest with a downtown parade, live music, artisan markets, and fireworks over Payette Lake at dusk on July 4. visitmccall.org
- 📍 Nampa — God & Country Festival (Wed, July 1): 60th anniversary of the Treasure Valley’s largest fireworks show at the Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater. Gates 5:30 PM, fireworks at 10 PM, free admission. godandcountryfestival.com
- 📍 Nampa — Parade America (Sat, July 4): 59th annual Parade America at 11 AM, kicking off with a T-6 flyover at 12th Avenue Road and Lake Lowell.
- 📍 Caldwell — Brothers Park (Sat, July 4): 5K/1K at 7 AM, parade at 9 AM, Memorial Park festivities 11 AM – 2 PM, community food fest at Brothers Park, fireworks at 10:15 PM. cityofcaldwell.org
- 📍 Meridian — Storey Park (Fri, July 4): 4 – 10:30 PM with food trucks, kettle corn, live music from Poverty Flats (6 PM) and Guilty Pleasure (8 PM); fireworks at 10:20 PM east of Meridian Speedway. meridiancity.org
- 📍 Eagle: Eagle Fun Days lands June 25–27 this year (the weekend before the 4th).
Bogus Basin Music on the Mountain
📍 Bogus Basin, Boise National Forest
Saturdays beginning July 5, 2026
Free summer concert series at 7,000 feet, curated for the second year by Duck Club (the team behind Treefort). Pair it with the Glade Runner mountain coaster, Mineshaft Challenge ropes course, or lift-assisted downhill at the Basin Gravity Park.
KALEO at Outlaw Field
📍 Outlaw Field at Idaho Botanical Garden, Boise
Friday, July 10, 2026
The Icelandic rock band brings the “Way Down We Go Tour” to the Old Pen’s grass-and-sandstone amphitheater — one of the marquee bookings in a 2026 Outlaw Field season that also includes Iration (June 12), Slightly Stoopid (July 30), Australian Pink Floyd (July 31), and Bonnie Raitt (September 10).
Boise Twilight Criterium (39th Annual)
📍 Downtown Boise (Idaho State Capitol — 6th & Bannock)
Saturday, July 11, 2026
The Bailey Glasser Boise Twilight Criterium returns for its 39th year, sending the country’s top pro men and women ripping through downtown for American Criterium Cup points and a share of a $500,000 purse. Plan to grab a curbside spot near the Capitol; the night also features a kids ride with three-time Olympic gold medalist Kristin Armstrong, a fan expo, and a 1-mile run with Girls on the Run.
Muddy Dash Boise
📍 Expo Idaho, Garden City
Mid-July 2026 (date TBA)
The mud-soaked 5K that turns Expo Idaho into one big slop fest hasn’t posted a Boise date for 2026 yet, though the national tour is rolling out city by city through spring and summer. The 2025 edition landed on July 12 — expect waist-deep mud pits, an obstacle course, and an after-party with music, food trucks, and drinks whenever the Boise stop is confirmed.
Canyon County Fair
📍 Canyon County Fairgrounds, Caldwell
July 23–26, 2026 (Thursday–Sunday)
Caldwell’s hometown summer fair returns with livestock shows, 4-H exhibits, carnival rides, fair food, and a grandstand concert lineup that already includes Jo Dee Messina (July 23) and Kansas (July 24). It’s the small-town fair that locals plan their week around — funnel cakes, lemon shake-ups, and the smell of the barns included.
Jason Aldean at Ford Idaho Center
📍 Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater, Nampa
Friday, July 31, 2026
Country headliner Jason Aldean rolls into Nampa as one of the highest-wattage shows in a busy Ford Idaho Center summer that also includes Bailey Zimmerman (June 5), Parker McCollum (June 25), Machine Gun Kelly (June 27), AJR (July 10), Simple Plan (August 2), Lindsey Stirling (August 4), and The Black Crowes & Whiskey Myers (August 12).
San Inazio Basque Festival
📍 Basque Block, Downtown Boise
July 31 – August 2, 2026
The annual celebration of St. Ignatius of Loyola transforms the Basque Block into a sidewalk-spilling party of food, drink, music, dance, and Basque sports — and with no Jaialdi in 2026 (the next is 2030), this is your best shot at Basque culture this summer. It’s free, all ages, and the kalimotxos and croquetas come highly recommended.
August
Kuna Days
📍 Bernie Fisher Park / Downtown Kuna
First weekend of August 2026 (Friday, July 31 – Sunday, August 2)
Kuna’s hometown blowout returns for its annual first-weekend-of-August run with a parade, live music, food vendors, a mullet contest, the Down N’ Dirty Mud Run, a cornhole tournament, Friday Night Movie, and a closing fireworks display. It draws upwards of 30,000 people to a town of around 30,000 — so it really is the whole place plus all their cousins. Heads up: Don’t confuse Kuna Days with the Kuna Hometown Fair, a separate Chamber event at Bernie Fisher Park (May 8–10, 2026).
Boise Soul Food Festival
📍 Julia Davis Park, Boise
Saturday, August 8, 2026 (11 AM – 8 PM)
A vibrant, free one-day celebration of Black and African-American culture in Idaho, anchored by a smoky lineup of soul food vendors, live music, dance, and local Black-owned businesses. It’s grown into one of downtown Boise’s most joyful summer gatherings and remains family-friendly all day in the heart of Julia Davis.
Nampa Festival of the Arts
📍 Lakeview Park, Nampa
Saturday, August 8 (9 AM – 6 PM) and Sunday, August 9, 2026 (10 AM – 3 PM)
Now in its 38th year (started 1986), this free festival fills Lakeview Park with juried artists, hand-thrown pottery, painters, jewelers, live music on multiple stages, and food vendors. Parking is free and the shade trees of Lakeview keep it comfortable even on a hot August afternoon.
Caldwell Night Rodeo (102nd Edition)
📍 Caldwell Night Rodeo Grounds, Caldwell
Tuesday, August 18 – Saturday, August 22, 2026
The 102nd running of one of the top-ranked PRCA rodeos in the country, with five nights of bull riding, barrel racing, bareback, and tie-down action under the lights. Tuesday kicks off at 6 PM and Wednesday through Saturday performances start at 7:45 PM; the Saturday finals will be broadcast nationally on The Cowboy Channel. Free daytime “slack” rounds let you catch the competition without a ticket.
Western Idaho Fair
📍 Expo Idaho, Garden City
Friday, August 21 – Sunday, August 30, 2026 (10 days)
A Treasure Valley tradition since 1897, the fair brings the full late-summer experience: midway rides, FFA livestock barns, fried-everything food booths, a Grandstand concert series, and the annual rodeo. Ten full days this year means more time to wander, eat, and ride.
Boise Baroque Summer Concerts
📍 Chateau des Fleurs, Eagle
Select Sundays in August 2026 (including August 9 “A Night in Spain” and August 24 “French Masters”)
Sundays on the Chateau lawn are about as Eagle-summer as it gets: gates open at 6 PM so you can spread a blanket, uncork a bottle, picnic in the gardens, and let the Boise Baroque Orchestra take you across centuries and continents under Artistic Director Robert Franz. 2026 is billed as “A Musical Passport” — the series has been trimmed to roughly three Chateau Sundays, with a companion indoor concert at the Cathedral of the Rockies on Saturday, August 22.
Autumn / Fall Events and Activities
September
Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic (35th Anniversary)
📍 Ann Morrison Park, Boise
Wednesday, September 2 – Sunday, September 6, 2026
The 35th anniversary edition of the Treasure Valley’s signature sunrise spectacle. Free morning launches start around 7:15 AM (weather permitting), with free tethered rides for kids, the chance to meet pilots up close, and the can’t-miss Nite Glow on Friday evening when balloons inflate and pulse with light after dark. Bring a coffee and a lawn chair.
Sunnyslope Wine Festival
📍 Huston Vineyards Event Center, Caldwell
Sunday, September 6, 2026
Idaho wine country gathers for one of the easiest crash courses you can get in Snake River AVA varietals — 15 Sunnyslope Wine Trail producers pouring side-by-side on Chicken Dinner Road, with live music, food trucks, and artisans. A Winemaker’s Dinner the night before makes it a full weekend.
Art in the Park
📍 Julia Davis Park, Boise
September 11–13, 2026
The Boise Art Museum’s 71st annual open-air festival sprawls across Julia Davis Park with 240+ juried artists, live music, food, and hands-on kids’ activities — and it’s free. Held the weekend after Labor Day, the show runs Friday and Saturday 10 AM – 8 PM and Sunday 10 AM – 5 PM, and remains one of the Northwest’s premier cultural gatherings.
Boise State Football Home Opener vs. Memphis
📍 Albertsons Stadium, Boise
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Memphis comes to The Blue for the first time ever, and Boise State is marking the 40th anniversary of the iconic blue turf at this home opener. The Broncos open the season at Oregon on September 5, so this is the first chance to see them at home in their inaugural Pac-12 campaign.
Hyde Park Street Fair
📍 Camel’s Back Park, Boise (North End)
September 18–20, 2026
Boise’s funkiest, free-to-attend block party returns to the North End for its 47th year, taking over the leafy lawns of Camel’s Back Park with two stages of live music, roughly 140 local craft and food vendors, and an unmistakably homegrown vibe. Hosted by the North End Neighborhood Association, it has been a Boise tradition since 1979 and stays focused on local artists, makers, and nonprofits.
Eagle Jazz and Blues Fest
📍 Downtown Eagle (multiple venues)
September 18–19, 2026
Now in its fifth year, this two-day celebration of jazz and blues spreads across multiple downtown Eagle venues with a mix of free and ticketed shows featuring nationally touring acts alongside Idaho-rooted musicians. Founded by Stan Eisele and Justin Nielsen, the festival also funds youth music camps and scholarships in the area.
Boise Pride Festival (37th Annual)
📍 Ann Morrison Park, Boise
September 18–20, 2026
One of the largest LGBTQ+ celebrations in the Mountain West, drawing more than 80,000 people each year to Ann Morrison for three days of headliner concerts, a parade, drag, art, and family programming.
Potato Days
📍 Kleiner Memorial Park, Meridian
September 25–27, 2026
Idaho’s official potato celebration camps out at Kleiner Park for a free, family-friendly weekend of loaded baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, tots, fries, and potato soup — all paired with live music, a beer garden, lawn games, and a vendor village. New for 2026: the festival has expanded from a single day to a three-day run.
Fall Harvest and Pumpkin Farms
The Treasure Valley’s harvest season runs roughly mid-September through the end of October, with corn mazes, hayrides, and u-pick pumpkins at farms across the valley plus a downtown-adjacent harvest series at the Idaho Botanical Garden.
- 📍 Idaho Botanical Garden Fall Harvest Days — Every Saturday in October (Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31), 10 AM – 3 PM. Scarecrow Stroll, artisan vendors, food trucks, local beer and cider, and live music. idahobotanicalgarden.org
- 📍 Lowe Family Farmstead (Kuna) — 2500 S. Eagle Rd. Mid-September through October 30, 2026. Mon–Thu 4–9 PM, Fri–Sat 10 AM – 10 PM, closed Sun. Idaho’s original corn maze, u-pick pumpkins, hayrides, jumping pillow, flower field, and farm-fresh food. lowefamilyfarmstead.com
- 📍 Pumpkin Palooza (Boise) — The valley’s newest urban pumpkin patch, with rides, fall photo ops, and family-friendly weekend activities throughout October. pumpkinpaloozatv.com
- 📍 Jeremy’s Pumpkins — Long-running Treasure Valley patch with a loyal following, open daily October 1–31.
- 📍 Symms Fruit Ranch (Caldwell) — A working century-old fruit ranch in Sunnyslope wine country with seasonal u-pick peaches (August) and apples (September–October). symmsfruit.com
Editor’s note: Linder Farms (Meridian) is permanently closed as of 2024 and has been removed from this year’s list. The Farmstead Corn Maze of Meridian fame is now Lowe Family Farmstead in Kuna — same operation, permanent home since 2019.
October
Old Boise Oktoberfest
📍 Old Boise Historic District, Downtown Boise
October 2–4, 2026 (estimated — 2026 dates not yet officially announced)
A locals’ favorite that takes over 6th Street with steins of authentic German bier, brats, soft pretzels, and Reuben balls, plus polka dancing under the lights. Live music from Allegedly a Band, Wolfie and the Bavarians, and Pilot Error keeps the energy up all weekend, and best of all, it’s free to wander in.
Dog-Tober Festival
📍 Indian Creek Plaza, Caldwell
Saturday, October 3, 2026 (estimated — 2026 date not yet officially announced)
Caldwell’s Indian Creek Plaza puts a Bavarian twist on man’s best friend with a full afternoon of seasonal brews, polka music, and the famously chaotic “Running of the Wieners” dachshund dash. Bring a leashed, vaccinated, four-months-or-older pup, grab a stein, and let the splash pad do the rest.
Witches Night Out
📍 The Village at Meridian
Wednesday, October 7, 2026, 6 – 9 PM (estimated — 2026 date not yet officially announced)
Treasure Valley witches and warlocks descend on The Village in their best black-hat regalia for an evening of dancing in the streets, a costume parade around the fountain, live DJs on the Village Green, and shop-by-shop sips and treats. It’s also a fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting Faces of Hope.
Trailing of the Sheep Festival (30th Anniversary)
📍 Ketchum, Hailey & Sun Valley
October 7–11, 2026
Worth the drive — this 30th-anniversary edition of the festival named one of the world’s Top Ten Fall Festivals honors the 150-year tradition of moving sheep down from Idaho’s mountain pastures. Expect the Big Sheep Parade with 1,200 sheep streaming down Ketchum’s Main Street, national-qualifying sheepdog trials, Basque/Scottish/Peruvian folklife performances, and lamb dinners.
Boise Entrepreneur Week
📍 Jack’s Urban Meeting Place (JUMP), Downtown Boise
September 28 – October 2, 2026
A week of conversations, pitch competitions, and connection points for Idaho’s founders, creatives, and curious newcomers, anchored at JUMP downtown. Expect keynotes, hands-on workshops, and the signature BEW Pitch Competition, all built around making the Boise startup scene feel like a small town with big ideas.
Idaho Horror Film Festival
📍 The Egyptian Theatre, Downtown Boise
Mid-to-late October 2026
For three nights every October, the haunted Egyptian Theatre becomes the regional hub for genre cinema, with 60+ shorts and features, filmmaker Q&As, and the always-unhinged h48 horror short-film competition. It’s the kind of event where the popcorn line doubles as a costume contest and nobody minds.
Taste of Downtown Boise (15th Year)
📍 Various restaurants throughout Downtown Boise
October 17–26, 2026
For ten delicious days, downtown’s best restaurants roll out prix-fixe menus, chef specials, and one-of-a-kind tasting flights — a chance to finally try that spot you’ve been walking past for years. Now in its 15th year and formally presented by the Idaho Community Foundation, the event also funnels proceeds back to local nonprofits.
Boo at the Zoo
📍 Zoo Boise, Boise
Daytime: October 24–25, 2026 (10 AM – 5 PM) | Boo at Night: Oct 14–17, 21–24, and 28–31, 2026 (6 – 9 PM)
Zoo Boise’s Halloween signature has grown into a two-part event: a daytime weekend with trick-or-treat stations, costume contests, face painting, and Halloween-themed enrichment treats for the animals, plus an after-hours “Boo at Night” run for older kids and grown-ups who like their zoo a little spookier. Presented by Delta Dental of Idaho; free for Zoo Boise members.
November
Boise Half Marathon
📍 Boise
Saturday, November 14, 2026
A flat, fast late-fall race that’s become a favorite for runners chasing a year-end PR before the cold settles in. Crisp morning miles, plenty of Greenbelt, and the kind of friendly small-race energy that keeps folks coming back.
Saint Alphonsus Festival of Trees (42nd Edition)
📍 Boise Centre, Downtown Boise
Wednesday, November 25 – Sunday, November 29, 2026 (estimated — 2026 dates not yet officially announced)
The 42nd edition of this Treasure Valley tradition turns the Boise Centre into a forest of designer-decorated trees, with a gift gallery, fashion show, gingerbread village, children’s scavenger hunt, and a black-tie Gala that auctions off the trees. Every dollar supports the Saint Alphonsus Heart Institute and cardiovascular care across the region.
Boise Holiday Parade (78th Annual)
📍 Downtown Boise — Jefferson and 10th
Saturday, November 28, 2026, 10 AM
The 78th annual edition fills downtown with marching bands, floats, historic vehicles, veterans, and Santa for a 90-minute morning of vintage small-town pageantry. Held the Saturday after Thanksgiving — free, family-friendly, and bring layers.
Small Business Saturday
📍 Various locations across Downtown Boise
Saturday, November 28, 2026
The Saturday after Thanksgiving belongs to the indie shops that give downtown its character — duck into independent boutiques, makers, and bookstores across the Grove District, BoDo, Linen District, and 8th Street. Downtown Boise traditionally hosts a passport-style stamp program through participating businesses, with shoppers entered to win Downtown Boise gift cards.
Canyon County Festival of Trees
📍 Ford Idaho Center Sports Complex, Nampa
Early December 2026 (estimated — 2026 dates not yet officially announced)
Canyon County’s answer to Festival of Trees brings a luminous forest of decorated trees to the Horse Park Arena, paired with a Breakfast with Santa, Cocktails & Canvas night, vendor marketplace, seated dinner, and a tree-auction gala. Every dollar goes to Nampa and Caldwell Meals on Wheels, so browsing the trees doubles as feeding neighbors.
Downtown Boise Holiday Tree Lighting
Important update: Glide on Grove, the free ice rink that paired with the tree lighting in 2023 and 2024, has been discontinued. The Downtown Boise Foundation confirmed in May 2025 that the rink will not return. Holiday skating fans should head to Indian Creek Plaza in Caldwell, the Village at Meridian, or Idaho IceWorld.
Winter Events and Activities
December
Winter Garden aGlow (30th Season)
📍 Idaho Botanical Garden, Boise
Late November – December 31, 2026
The 30th season of Boise’s biggest holiday-light tradition wraps the Garden’s paths in roughly 850,000+ lights, with fire pits, the Snow Globe Bar, and timed-entry slots every 30 minutes from 6 – 9 PM. The event is the Garden’s largest fundraiser and helps power its current 10-acre expansion. Presented by Blue Cross of Idaho — buy tickets early on cold-snap weekends, they sell out.
Winter Wonderland at Indian Creek
📍 Indian Creek Plaza, Downtown Caldwell
Late November 2026 through mid-January 2027
Over a million lights drape the trees, bridges, and storefronts along Indian Creek for Caldwell’s signature holiday transformation, anchored by the outdoor ice ribbon at Indian Creek Plaza. Skating typically runs November through February, and an opening-weekend festival lights the season with cocoa, fire pits, and live music. With Glide on Grove gone in Boise, this is the Treasure Valley’s go-to outdoor rink.
Christmas at the Village
📍 The Village at Meridian
November – December 2026
Fountain Square turns into a winter set piece with a towering tree, dancing-light shows on the hour, and a full evening’s worth of holiday entertainment at the annual Santa Arrival & Tree Lighting. Live music, roaming elves, and pet photos with Santa Paws on select Tuesdays in late November and December keep the celebrations rolling.
Scentsy Commons Holiday Lights (Point of Lights)
📍 Scentsy Commons, Meridian
Mid-November 2026 through mid-January 2027
Scentsy’s Meridian campus throws what is arguably the Treasure Valley’s most jaw-dropping free light display — more than 900,000 lights, a 75-foot Christmas tree, a 250-foot walk-through light tunnel, and the scent of Festive Fruit Punch wafting through the air. No tickets, no reservations; just bundle up and drive (or walk) the loop along Eagle Road. Open sunset to sunrise.
Eguberriko Azoka (Basque Christmas Market)
📍 The Basque Block, Boise
Early December 2026 (estimated — 2026 date not yet officially announced)
The Basque Museum & Cultural Center turns the Basque Block into an open-air market featuring Basque and Boise-local vendors — txotx-pours of cider, chorizo, croquetas, txapelas, artwork, books, and handmade goods. Live music, food, and a chance to chat with neighbors in Euskara make this Boise’s most distinctly local holiday market. Free to attend.
Breakfast with Santa at Zoo Boise
📍 Zoo Boise, Boise
Early December 2026 (two Saturdays at 8:30 AM, estimated — 2026 dates not yet officially announced)
Beat the zoo opening with a buffet breakfast, an animal encounter, a craft table, and one-on-one time and photos with Santa before exploring the rest of Zoo Boise on your admission. Tickets ran roughly $20–$25 for kids and $35–$40 for adults in 2025 (member discounts apply), and the early time slots typically sell out by mid-November.
The Nutcracker
📍 Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts, Boise
Sunday, December 13 – Wednesday, December 23, 2026
Ballet Idaho returns to the Morrison Center stage with Idaho’s only Nutcracker performed live with the Boise Philharmonic in the pit — a Treasure Valley December rite. The 2026 run includes ten performances across two weekends, with audio-described shows on Dec 14 (12 PM) and Dec 20 (7 PM) for accessibility. Confirmed dates: Dec 13 (2 & 7 PM), Dec 14 (12 PM), Dec 19 (7 PM), Dec 20 (2 & 7 PM), Dec 21 (12 & 5 PM), Dec 22 (7 PM), Dec 23 (7 PM).
Idaho Potato Drop (14th Annual)
📍 Cecil D. Andrus Park (Capitol Park), Boise
Thursday, December 31, 2026, starting around 6 PM; GlowTato drops at midnight
Idaho’s free, family-friendly New Year’s Eve party returns to the Capitol steps for its 14th edition, ringing in 2027 with the iconic glowing GlowTato descent, fireworks, a snowboard/ski rail jam, live music on the main stage, food trucks, and a heated family tent. Take Valley Regional Transit’s shuttle from the Boise Towne Square Park & Ride to skip the parking scrum.
Looking Ahead: January and February 2027
The Treasure Valley doesn’t hibernate. Here’s what’s already on the calendar to kick off 2027 — bookmark these for when the days are short and the foothills are white.
January 2027
Gebert-Arbaugh Polar Bear Challenge (24th Annual)
📍 Lucky Peak State Park, Boise
First or second Saturday of January 2027 (estimated — 2027 date not yet announced)
The Treasure Valley’s most spirited winter fundraiser returns to Lucky Peak Reservoir for its 24th plunge, with hundreds of brave (and costumed) souls dipping into icy water to support Make-A-Wish Idaho. Founded by local broadcast legends Larry Gebert and Gary Arbaugh, the event consistently raises over $100,000 a year to grant wishes for Idaho kids facing critical illnesses. Register, fundraise, then take the (very brief) dip.
$3 Thursdays at Zoo Boise
📍 Zoo Boise, Julia Davis Park
Every Thursday, November 2026 – February 2027 (estimated — winter 2026-27 schedule typically posted in November)
Zoo Boise’s beloved winter tradition continues into 2027 with weekly $3 admission for all (free for EBT/SNAP cardholders), plus $3 hot dogs, popcorn, and fountain drinks. Bundle up — the animals are often more active in the chill, and the smaller crowds make for an unhurried walk through the exhibits.
6th Annual Country Music Roundup
📍 Visual Arts Collective, Garden City
Early-to-mid January 2027 (estimated — 2027 dates not yet announced; second weekend of January expected)
Garden City’s coziest dance hall becomes honky-tonk headquarters again for the 6th Annual Country Music Roundup — two nights of Idaho-rooted country, line dancing, and food-truck eats around the VaC dance floor. Past lineups have featured Buddy DeVore & the Faded Cowboys, Prairie Blue, Rancho Notorious, and Jay William Miller; 21+, valid ID required.
Idaho Remodeling & Design Show (27th Annual)
📍 Boise Centre, Downtown Boise
Saturday, January 16 – Sunday, January 17, 2027 (confirmed)
The Treasure Valley’s longest-running home-improvement showcase returns to the Boise Centre with 120+ exhibitors, two days of educational seminars, and the inspiration homeowners need to tackle that long-postponed kitchen, bath, or full-house remodel. Look for the scavenger hunt with a chance to spin a prize wheel and an entry for a $1,000 Grand Prize Giveaway. Tickets are $7; kids 16 and under get in free.
McCall Winter Carnival
📍 Downtown McCall, Idaho
Late January – early February 2027 (10 days; estimated — specific 2027 dates not yet announced, expected Jan 29 – Feb 7)
Worth the two-hour drive north, McCall’s 60+ year tradition transforms the lakeside town into a snow-sculpture wonderland for ten days of dazzling ice art, live music, fireworks over Payette Lake, the Mardi Gras Parade, Monster Dog Sled Pull, Children’s Torchlight Parade, and a vendor court full of local makers. Free to attend and family-friendly. Book lodging early — this one sells out months in advance.
February 2027
Savvy Women & Money Conference
📍 Boise Centre, Downtown Boise
Early-to-mid February 2027 (estimated — 2027 date not yet announced)
This free, full-day financial education conference for Idaho women regularly draws 750+ attendees to downtown Boise for breakout sessions on money management, investing, credit, and long-term security. Lunch and light refreshments are included with required registration — register early, as it consistently fills up.
Women’s Lifestyle Expo
📍 Expo Idaho, Garden City
Saturday, February 13, 2027, 10 AM – 4 PM (confirmed)
IBL Events’ winter wind-down brings 100+ indoor exhibits of hand-crafted jewelry, local sweets and savories, artisans, boutique businesses, home decor, apparel, wellness resources, and beauty products and services under one roof at Expo Idaho. Sip, shop, and learn — free admission and free parking make it an easy Saturday for friends or a girls’ day out.
Canyon County Spring Home Show (32nd Annual)
📍 Ford Idaho Center, Nampa
Mid-February 2027 (estimated — 2027 dates not yet announced, expected Feb 12–14)
Spectra Productions’ long-running spring kickoff brings 150+ displays of home improvement, landscape design, and outdoor living ideas to the Ford Idaho Center each February. The Canyon County Master Gardeners are on hand to answer lawn and garden questions, just in time for planning season. Admission is $5 ($4 seniors, free for kids 12 and under) with free parking all weekend.
Black History Month Speakeasy Social
📍 Venue TBA (2026 was at Kiln in Meridian)
Late February 2027 (estimated — 2027 date and venue not yet announced)
The Idaho Black Community Alliance’s annual Speakeasy Social closes out Black History Month with a themed, adults-only night celebrating Black art, poetry, music, and culture. Expect local Black-owned business showcases, live performances, art displays, and a no-host bar — a vibrant, intimate way to honor Black History Month in the Treasure Valley.
This guide will be updated throughout the year as additional dates are confirmed and new events are announced. Have an annual event we should add? Let us know — and tag @thisisboise with photos from your favorite local events!
