The heatwave has broken. The outdoor entertainment gods have spoken.
Here are entertaining things to do this weekend in Boise.
1. Enjoy outdoor art
Art in the Park is back for its bazillionth year. (OK, OK, this is the 68th annual.) Head down to Julia Davis Park, 700 S. Capitol Blvd., to shop for a wide array of contemporary arts and crafts. Art in the Park will feature about 240 artists, 30 food vendors, a children’s art tent, live music and more. It runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, and Saturday, Sept. 10, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11. Entry is free.
2. Concerts, concerts, concerts
Going to Morgan Wallen on Friday, Sept. 9? No, you’re not — unless you already have a ticket. That Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater show is sold out. Here are other live music options.
Kip Moore: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, Knitting Factory, 416 S. 9th St., Boise. $49.50 general. Ticketmaster. Opening: Boy Named Banjo.
Korn/Evanescence: 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater, 16200 N. Idaho Center Blvd., Nampa. $29.50-$99.50. fordidahocenter.com. Opening: Dana Denata.
Concerts on Broadway — Music by High Street Party Band: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, Meridian City Hall’s outdoor plaza, 33 E. Broadway Ave. meridiancity.org. Free.
Bear Grillz: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, Revolution Center, 4983 N. Glenwood St., Garden City. $23 general, $33 VIP. Ticketmaster.
Dave Ramirez: 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, Kin, 999 W. Main St., Boise. $20 advance, $25 at the door. kinboise.com/calendar.
3. Show some pride
Celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, this year’s three-day Boise Pride Festival at Cecil D. Andrus Park is gonna be huge. The third day, Sunday, will feature the largest parade in the event’s history. Other entertainment during the weekend includes pop sensation Slayyter, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Gottmik, Australian dance vocalist Vassy, singer-songwriter Greyson Chance and more. Pride Fest goes from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, (including a fireworks show), 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11. Launching at 10 a.m. Sunday at 9th and Jefferson streets, the parade will go west on Jefferson to 14th Street, south on 14th, then east on Bannock Street back to 8th. And remember: This festival is free. More details: boisepridefest.org.
The Boise Pride Festival is Sept. 9-11 at Cecil D. Andrus Park. Shawn Raecke Idaho Statesman file
4. Drink beer. Scarf bacon
What’s not to like? Sockeye Brewing’s annual Boise Bacon & Beer Festival will sizzle at Expo Idaho, 5610 N. Glenwood St., from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10. This year’s outdoor event is bigger than ever, with “nearly 1.5 pounds of bacon-inspired dishes for every festivalgoer,” according to organizers. They add, “can you handle it?” (Yes, hoss, we can.) With restaurants and food trucks churning out the bacon goodies, and local and regional breweries and cideries pouring drinks, it should essentially rule. Your $45 ticket (at Eventbrite) gets you a commemorative 5-ounce glass, 15 drink tokens and 10 bacon-food tickets. You must be 21 or older to attend.
5. Get scared
Can’t wait for Halloween? The Haunted World opens Friday. With “23 years of scarrorizing Idaho,” this Nampa nightmare knows what’s up: “Since the year 2000, we’ve perfected the art of fear. As the largest indoor and outdoor haunted attraction and haunted house in the state, we offer more frightening entertainment than anyone else. We offer a spooky experience that is guaranteed to scare the pants off you, your friends, or your family. Expect around 1½ hours on weekdays, and around 2 hours on weekends, to experience The Haunted World.” Starting at $29 plus tax, tickets will be sold from dusk until midnight this weekend: Friday, Sept. 9, and Saturday, Sept. 10. Or grab them in advance online at hauntedworld.org. The Haunted World is at 20031 Northside Blvd. in Namipa.
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An entertainment reporter and columnist, Michael Deeds chronicles the Boise good life: restaurants, concerts, culture, cool stuff. Deeds materialized at the Idaho Statesman as an intern in 1991 before taking on roles including sportswriter, features editor and music critic. Over the years, his freelance work has ranged from writing album reviews for The Washington Post to hyping Boise in that airline magazine you left on the plane. Deeds has a bachelor’s degree in news-editorial journalism from the University of Nebraska.
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