October in Boise and the Treasure Valley is all about corn mazes, haunted houses and trunk-or-treats, with Boise State Homecoming, Meridian Oktoberfest, the City of Trees Marathon, Broadway’s & Juliet, Boo at the Zoo and season openers from Ballet Idaho, Opera Idaho and the Boise Phil, plus much, much more!
Here is everything happening across Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell, Eagle, Garden City, Kuna, and Star this October. Events are listed in chronological order.
Venardos Circus
The Village at Meridian, Meridian
October 1st – 4th, 2026
The Broadway-style circus wraps up its Meridian run under the big top with acrobats, aerialists and clowns, with shows Thursday through Sunday.
Scarecrow Stroll
Idaho Botanical Garden, Boise
October 1st – November 2nd, 2026 | 9am – 5pm daily
Handmade scarecrows from local families, schools and businesses line the garden paths, and you get to vote for your favorite. It’s included with admission, and since the Garden’s lot is temporarily closed, park at the Table Rock Trailhead.
Photo: Boise State University
Boise State Homecoming
Boise State University, Boise
October 2nd – 3rd, 2026
Homecoming weekend kicks off with the parade down Friendship Lane on Friday from 6pm – 7pm, and the Broncos host Utah State at Albertsons Stadium on Saturday at 5:30pm.
Potato Days
Idaho Botanical Garden, Boise
October 2nd – 4th, 2026
The second weekend of Idaho’s potato party brings loaded fries, tots, baked potatoes, live music, a beer garden and vendors, and the Ford Maverick raffle winner is drawn Sunday.
College of Idaho Homecoming & Family Weekend
College of Idaho, Caldwell
October 2nd – 4th, 2026
A Friday night bonfire in the Quad, pop-up Yotechella music stages and a noon kickoff against Simpson on Saturday at Simplot Stadium, plus a celebration of Strahorn Hall’s 100th year.
Canyon County Fall Home Show
Ford Idaho Center, Nampa
October 2nd – 4th, 2026
Remodeling, landscaping and home project vendors all under one roof. Hours are Friday 5pm – 9pm, Saturday 11am – 6pm and Sunday 11am – 4pm, and admission is $3 for adults, $2 for seniors and free for kids 12 and under.
Requiem Haunted House
810 Main St, Caldwell
Opens October 2nd, 2026 | Thursdays 7:30pm – 10pm, Fridays & Saturdays 7:30pm – 12:30am
Three floors of a century-old downtown building make up about 13,000 square feet of haunt. Timed tickets are $25, and it’s not recommended for young kids.
Meridian Oktoberfest
Downtown Meridian, Meridian
October 3rd, 2026 | 10am – 9pm
Downtown Meridian turns into a free German street party with about 70 vendors, a kids’ craft area, stein-holding and brat-eating contests, Boise Edelweiss all day and Soul Patch headlining the evening.
Photo: Indian Creek Plaza
Hay Day
Indian Creek Plaza, Caldwell
October 3rd, 2026 | 1pm – 5pm
A new fall festival celebrating Caldwell’s farming roots, with the grape harvest, hops, pumpkins, antique tractors, local vendors and hands-on farm activities for kids.
Eagle Plein Air Festival
Downtown Eagle, Eagle
October 3rd – 10th, 2026
More than 80 artists spend the week painting outdoors around the valley, starting with Saturday’s Quick Draw on State Street from 10am – noon and wrapping up with a show and sale on October 10th. Free to watch.
Last Splash: Free Paddle Boat Rides
Discovery Center of Idaho, Boise
October 4th, 2026 | 10am – 5pm
Free paddle boat rides on the last day of the season, with the Dinosaurs on the Move exhibit open inside.
English at Boise Contemporary Theater
Boise Contemporary Theater, Boise
October 7th – 24th, 2026
BCT opens its season with Sanaz Toossi’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play about four Iranian adults preparing for an English exam. Shows are Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30pm with 2pm Saturday matinees, and October 7th and 21st are pay what you want.
Let’s Talk About Rothko with the National Gallery of Art
Boise Art Museum, Boise
October 8th, 2026 | 5:30pm – 7pm
National Gallery of Art curator Adam Greenhalgh talks Rothko alongside BAM’s Four Masterworks from the National Gallery exhibit. Advance tickets are required.
Photo: The Village at Meridian
Witches’ Night Out
The Village at Meridian, Meridian
October 8th, 2026 | 6pm – 9pm
A free Halloween night out at The Village benefiting Faces of Hope, with Corbin Maxey’s animals making an appearance.
The 39 Steps
Boise Little Theater, Boise
October 9th – 24th, 2026
Four actors play more than 150 characters in this comic spin on Hitchcock’s spy thriller. Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm, and it’s best for ages 10 and up.
Dogtoberfest
Indian Creek Plaza, Caldwell
October 9th, 2026 | 5pm – 9pm
Caldwell’s party for dogs and their people, headlined by the always-popular wiener dog races.
Photo: Spooky Light Show
Spooky Light Show
Roaring Springs, Meridian
October 9th – 30th, 2026 | 7pm – 9:30pm nightly
A drive-through Halloween light show of ghosts, skeletons and spiders synced to music on your car radio. It’s spooky, not scary, so it works for the whole family.
Eagle Harvest Fest
Heritage Park, Eagle
October 10th, 2026 | 10am – 4pm
Eagle’s free fall festival gives away 1,500 pumpkins for kids to decorate, plus library crafts, fiddle music, blacksmith demos, food and vendors.
Huston Vineyards Harvest Party
Huston Vineyards, Caldwell
October 10th, 2026 | Noon – 5pm
Pick Cabernet grapes, tour the crush pad with the winemaker and stomp grapes barefoot, with Papa Bear’s BBQ on site. General admission is $25 and includes a glass of wine.
Photo: Boise Card Show
Boise Card & Collectible Show
Nampa Civic Center, Nampa
October 10th, 2026 | 10:30am – 5pm
A one-day show for buying, selling and trading sports cards, Pokémon and other collectibles.
Reptiles in the Cornfield
Ten Mile Farms, Meridian
October 10th, 2026 | 4pm – 6pm
Corbin Maxey brings his reptiles out to the farm for an up-close animal show between trips through the corn maze.
Boise Phil: Beethoven’s 7th
Morrison Center, Boise
October 10th – 11th, 2026
The Boise Philharmonic opens its season with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, Smetana’s The Moldau and Sibelius’ Violin Concerto with violinist Timothy Chooi. Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2pm.
Photo: World’s Marathons
City of Trees Marathon
Albertsons Stadium, Boise
October 11th, 2026
Boise’s fall road race has a distance for everyone, with the marathon at 8am, the half marathon at 8:30am, and the 10K and 5K at 9am. Registration for the 5K and 10K closes October 10th.
Saddle Up, Idaho!
Idaho State Museum, Boise
October 11th, 2026 | 10am – 5pm
A day at the museum celebrating Idaho’s horse culture and heritage.
Bluey’s Big Play
Morrison Center, Boise
October 14th – 15th, 2026 | 6pm
The kids’ TV favorite comes to the stage with puppets, and tickets start at $32.25.
Kuna Scarecrow Contest
Businesses across Kuna
October 14th – 30th, 2026
Follow the map to scarecrows set up at Kuna businesses, snap a selfie and vote for your favorite. Winners are announced October 31st.
The Addams Family
Nampa Civic Center, Nampa
October 15th – 17th, 2026
Music Theatre of Idaho stages the comedy musical where Wednesday Addams brings her very normal boyfriend home for dinner. Thursday and Friday at 7:30pm, Saturday at 1:30pm and 7:30pm.
Viva Nampa Festival
Downtown Nampa, Nampa
October 16th, 2026 | 6pm – 10pm
A free downtown festival put on together with the 208 Night Market.
Opera Idaho: Abduction
Egyptian Theatre, Boise
October 16th & 18th, 2026
Opera Idaho opens its season with Mozart’s comic opera about a daring palace rescue, sung in German with English captions. Friday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm.
Photo: P. Hughes / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Idaho Horror 48-Hour Film Festival
Egyptian Theatre, Boise
October 17th, 2026 | 4pm
Local filmmakers screen the horror shorts they made in just 48 hours. All ages, and tickets are $10.
AMA EnduroCross
Ford Idaho Center Arena, Nampa
October 17th, 2026 | 7pm
Indoor off-road motorcycle racing over logs, rocks and water obstacles, with an early-entry option to watch practice and walk the track.
Trunk or Treat with Track Shark
Indian Creek Plaza, Caldwell
October 17th, 2026 | 5pm – 7pm
A free trunk-or-treat on the Plaza.
Mother-Son Monster Mash
Eagle City Hall, Eagle
October 17th, 2026 | 6pm – 8pm
A costume dance for moms and sons ages 4 to 11 with a DJ, monster crafts, games and snacks. Pre-registration is required.
& Juliet
Morrison Center, Boise
October 20th – 25th, 2026
Broadway in Boise brings the pop musical that imagines Juliet’s life after Romeo, set to Max Martin hits. Recommended for ages 8 and up, and the Saturday 1pm show includes ASL and audio description.
Swan Lake: Symphony of Lights
Nampa Civic Center, Nampa
October 20th, 2026 | 7pm
Grand Kyiv Ballet’s take on Tchaikovsky’s classic, with illuminated costumes and bold light design.
Meridian Trunk or Treat
Meridian City Hall Plaza, Meridian
October 22nd, 2026 | 6pm – 9pm
More than 90 businesses deck out their cars and hand out candy, with music, a dance floor and food trucks. Free, with a suggested $1 per child for the Meridian Food Bank Backpack Program.
Photo: Idaho Steelheads
Idaho Steelheads Home Opener
Idaho Central Arena, Boise
October 23rd, 2026 | 7:10pm
Hockey is back downtown as the Steelheads open their home schedule against the Allen Americans.
Ballet Idaho: Westward
Boise State Special Events Center, Boise
October 23rd – 25th, 2026
Ballet Idaho opens its season with four ballets inspired by the American West, including Balanchine’s Square Dance, Appalachian Spring and The Man in Black, set to Johnny Cash. Friday at 7:30pm, Saturday at 2pm and 7:30pm, and Sunday at 2pm.
YMCA Halloween Run
Ann Morrison Park, Boise
October 24th, 2026
Costumed runners take on a new half marathon at 9am, the Freaky 5K at 10am and the Monster Mile at 10:15am, followed by the Micron Trunk or Treat.
Photo: Zoo Boise
Boo at the Zoo
Zoo Boise, Boise
October 24th – 25th, 2026 | 10am – 5pm
Trick-or-treat stations, costume contests for all ages, face painting and Halloween treats for the animals, all included with regular admission.
JUMP-or-Treat
JUMP, Boise
October 24th, 2026 | 5pm – 8pm
A free Halloween night with an inflatable forest and local nonprofits handing out treats.
Kuna Trunk or Treat & Fall Festival
Kuna
October 24th, 2026 | 3pm – 7pm
The Kuna Chamber’s trunk-or-treat teams up with the City of Kuna Fall Festival for an afternoon of candy and fall fun.
Boise State Symphony Halloween Spook-tacular
Morrison Center, Boise
October 28th, 2026 | 7:30pm
The Boise State Symphony Orchestra’s Halloween concert, themed Of Stage and Screen. Tickets are $15.
Downtown Nampa Trick-or-Treat
Downtown Nampa, Nampa
October 29th, 2026 | 4pm – 7pm
The 39th annual trick-or-treat sends kids door to door through downtown Nampa’s shops. Free.
Fright Nights at the Old Idaho Penitentiary
Old Idaho Penitentiary, Boise
October 30th – 31st, 2026 | 7pm – 11pm
Haunted cell blocks and prison history after dark. Friday is all ages and Saturday is 18 and up.
Photo: Negley Stockman / Unsplash
Ski Swap
Expo Idaho, Garden City
October 30th – November 1st, 2026
The 75th annual Ski Swap is the valley’s big used winter gear sale, benefiting the Bogus Basin youth ski foundation. Admission is $5, kids 12 and under are free, and Sunday is free with two canned food items.
Star Trunk-or-Treat
Riverhouse Pasture, Star
October 31st, 2026 | 3pm – 5pm
Star’s community trunk-or-treat, with decorated trunks from local businesses, groups and residents.
Halloween Disc Golf Tournament
Kleiner Park, Meridian
October 31st, 2026 | 10am
An 18-hole costume-season tournament with men’s, women’s and youth divisions. Entry is $10 for residents and $20 for non-residents.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Egyptian Theatre, Boise
October 31st, 2026 | 9pm
The Egyptian’s annual interactive Halloween screening. It’s 18 and up, and prop bags are available.
Fall Flights at the World Center for Birds of Prey
World Center for Birds of Prey, Boise
Fridays – Sundays through October 31st, 2026 | 11am
Falcons, hawks, owls and vultures fly over an outdoor amphitheater in a 45-minute narrated show. Tickets are online only, and it’s not recommended for kids under 4.
Photo: Lowe Family Farmstead
Lowe Family Farmstead Corn Maze
Lowe Family Farmstead, Kuna
Through October 31st, 2026
Idaho’s original corn maze celebrates its 30th year with a pumpkin patch, tractor hayrides, a flower field and farm food. Open Monday through Thursday 4pm – 9pm and Friday and Saturday 10am – 9pm.
Ten Mile Farms Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch
Ten Mile Farms, Meridian
Through October 31st, 2026
A bigger corn maze for 2026, plus hayrides, barrel trains, straw slides and a corn pit. Open weekdays 4pm – 9pm and Saturdays 10am – 9pm.
Pumpkin Palooza
1133 W Chinden Blvd, Meridian
Through October 31st, 2026
Five dollars gets you into inflatables, the Big Blue Slide, a mechanical bull, a hay maze, a corn pit and a petting zoo, with food trucks on weekends.
Shindig Farms Straw Maze & Pumpkin Patch
Shindig Farms, Nampa
Through October 31st, 2026
Billed as Idaho’s largest straw maze, with a wagon ride out to the pumpkin patch, ziplines and giant slides. Closed Sundays.
Shindig Farms Haunted Straw Maze
Shindig Farms, Nampa
Fridays & Saturdays in October, 2026 | 8pm – 10:30pm
The straw maze goes dark with fog and live actors on 10 October nights. Tickets are $25, and it’s recommended for ages 12 and up.
Cherry Hill Farms Fall Festival & Corn Maze
Cherry Hill Farms, Caldwell
Wednesdays – Saturdays through October 31st, 2026
An 8-acre corn maze, a hay bale maze for little ones, a jumping pillow, barrel cart rides and a pumpkin patch.
The Haunted World
20031 Northside Blvd, Caldwell
Nightly except Sundays through October 31st, 2026
Idaho’s largest indoor and outdoor haunt covers 40 acres and adds La Llorona for its 27th season. Ticket booths open at 7pm.
See you out there!
