Events & Community Calendars
Last updated: 2026-06-17
The Treasure Valley packs a real urban event calendar into a small metro footprint. Downtown Boise anchors the year with First Thursday's art-and-shopping walk, Treefort Music Fest in March, Alive After Five concerts in The Grove all summer, and the Idaho Botanical Garden's Outlander concert series at the Old Penitentiary site. Nampa hosts the Western Idaho Fair and the Snake River Stampede rodeo. Caldwell's Indian Creek Plaza runs free events almost weekly. Meridian's Saturday Market and the Meridian Dairy Days round out the calendar. And every weekend from late spring through fall, the Capital City Public Market on 8th Street and farmers markets in Eagle, Meridian, Nampa, and Caldwell fill town squares with vendors.
For live music, the headline venues are the Ford Idaho Center (Nampa, large arena), ExtraMile Arena and Morrison Center (Boise State campus), Revolution Concert House (Garden City), Idaho Botanical Garden Outlander (outdoor summer), Knitting Factory (downtown Boise), and the Egyptian Theatre (historic downtown Boise). Sports calendars include Boise State athletics — football at Albertsons Stadium, basketball at ExtraMile Arena — and the Idaho Steelheads (ECHL hockey) at Idaho Central Arena.
Most city governments publish an official events calendar that is more comprehensive than any third-party site for that town's parks-and-rec, council meetings, and library programming. The links below combine city calendars, venue calendars, and the best aggregator sites so you can find the official source quickly. And for the recurring signature events — Treefort, the fairs, the rodeos, the Balloon Classic — see our Big Annual Events guide.
The event calendar, season by season
Spring kicks off the year with Treefort Music Fest in March — a multi-day, multi-venue takeover of downtown Boise that's become the valley's signature cultural event — followed by the farmers markets opening in April and May. Summer is the busy season: Alive After Five concerts in The Grove, the Idaho Botanical Garden's Outlander outdoor concerts, the Western Idaho Fair and Snake River Stampede rodeo in Nampa, and the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic filling the late-summer sky. Fall brings Boise State football Saturdays and harvest festivals; winter shifts indoors to the Steelheads, holiday lights, and the theater and arena calendars.
Where to look for what's happening
No single calendar has everything, so locals triangulate. For community and family events, the official city parks-and-rec and library calendars are more complete than any aggregator for that town. For concerts and shows, go straight to the venue calendars. For free downtown happenings, watch the Downtown Boise and Caldwell's Indian Creek Plaza calendars. And for the recurring signature events — Treefort, the fairs, the rodeos, the Balloon Classic — see our Big Annual Events guide, which lays them out month by month.
The main venues
The valley's headline rooms: the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa (the big arena for touring acts and rodeo), the Morrison Center for Broadway and symphony and ExtraMile Arena for larger shows (both on the Boise State campus), Revolution Concert House in Garden City, the intimate Knitting Factory and the historic Egyptian Theatre downtown, and the open-air Idaho Botanical Garden Outlander series in summer. On the sports side, Boise State plays football on the famous blue turf at Albertsons Stadium, and the Idaho Steelheads (ECHL hockey) skate at Idaho Central Arena downtown.
Events & calendars — FAQ
- What's the best way to find out what's happening this weekend?
- Start with the official city calendars for parks-and-rec and library events, then check the venue calendars (Ford Idaho Center, Morrison Center, Knitting Factory, Revolution) for concerts and the downtown Boise and Indian Creek Plaza calendars for free community events. Local alt-weekly and TV-station event listings aggregate the rest. From late spring through fall, the farmers markets run most Saturdays.
- When do the Treasure Valley farmers markets run?
- Generally Saturdays (some midweek) from roughly April or May through October. The Capital City Public Market on 8th Street in downtown Boise is the largest, with additional markets in Eagle, Meridian, Nampa, and Caldwell. Hours are usually mid-morning to early afternoon; check each market's page for opening dates and vendor lineups.
- What are the biggest annual events?
- Treefort Music Fest (March), Alive After Five summer concerts in The Grove, the Western Idaho Fair and Snake River Stampede rodeo (summer, Nampa), the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic (late summer), and First Thursday art walks year-round. See our Big Annual Events guide for the month-by-month rundown.
- Where are the main concert and sports venues?
- Concerts: Ford Idaho Center (Nampa arena), Morrison Center and ExtraMile Arena (Boise State), Revolution Concert House (Garden City), Knitting Factory and the historic Egyptian Theatre (downtown Boise), and the outdoor Idaho Botanical Garden Outlander series in summer. Sports: Boise State football at Albertsons Stadium, Broncos basketball at ExtraMile Arena, and Idaho Steelheads hockey at Idaho Central Arena.
- Are there free things to do?
- Plenty. First Thursday downtown, Alive After Five concerts, Indian Creek Plaza's near-weekly Caldwell events, free days at some museums, the farmers markets, and Greenbelt walks along the Boise River are all free or low-cost. City parks-and-rec calendars list free programming year-round.
Calendars, venues & markets
Official city calendars, venue schedules, farmers markets, and event aggregators across the valley.
Community Calendars
This Is Boise — Events
Comprehensive Boise event calendar covering concerts, festivals, family activities, and community happenings.
Totally Boise Events
Local Boise event listings curated for residents — nightlife, arts, food, and family-friendly fun.
Meridian Community Calendar
Official City of Meridian calendar with city-sponsored events, parks programs, and community activities.
All Things Nampa — Events
Events, activities, and things to do in and around Nampa, Idaho's second-largest city.
Caldwell Events Calendar
Community event listings for Caldwell and western Canyon County.
City of Eagle Events Calendar
Official City of Eagle events calendar including parks, recreation, and city council meetings.
Visit Garden City — Events
Events and attractions in Garden City, home to the Boise River waterfront and the Barber Pool area.
City of Kuna Events Calendar
Official Kuna city event calendar covering local programs, city meetings, and community events.
City of Star Events Calendar
Official City of Star calendar with community events, city meetings, and local activities.
Boise State Public Radio Community Calendar
Searchable community events calendar maintained by Boise State Public Radio.
Concert & Theater Venues
Morrison Center for the Performing Arts
Broadway shows, symphony, ballet, and performing arts events at BSU's premier venue.
Knitting Factory Boise
Live music venue in downtown Boise with concerts spanning rock, country, hip-hop, and more.
Outlaw Field at Idaho Botanical Garden
The Outlaw Field Concert Series — the Botanical Garden's summer outdoor amphitheatre season, with the year's line-up and tickets.
Egyptian Theatre
Boise's historic 1927 theater featuring independent films, live performances, and community screenings.
Revolution Concert House & Event Center
Large ~2,200-cap concert hall in Garden City hosting rock, metal, EDM, and country tours — relocating to Meridian as Revolution 2.0.
Treefort Music Hall
Mid-size downtown Boise concert venue from the Treefort festival team — indie, rock, hip-hop, and genre-diverse touring acts.
Neurolux Lounge
Downtown Boise's ~300-cap indie institution — punk, experimental, and touring underground acts in a late-night bar setting.
The Olympic
Intimate 21+ club venue above Mulligan's on Main Street — smaller and mid-level bands, DJs, and Treefort-booked shows.
Shrine Social Club
Historic downtown ballroom and basement hosting rock, indie, jam bands, and local showcases in a former Shriners hall.
The Shredder
DIY-spirited small venue for hardcore, punk, metal, and underground local shows — a gritty, high-energy Boise staple.
Sapphire Room at The Riverside Hotel
150-seat listening room with pro sound at the Riverside Hotel — jazz, singer-songwriter, Americana, and tribute acts, fully seated.
Sandbar & BAR365 — Riverside Hotel
Outdoor riverside stage and hotel bar with local musicians most days and full weekends of live music in season (roughly April–October).
Lounge at the End of the Universe
Intimate community-arts venue on Bank Drive (now The Comedy Lounge) — comedy, niche music shows, and cabaret-style events.
Arenas & Pro Sports
Ford Idaho Center Events
Concert and event schedule for the Ford Idaho Center, the Treasure Valley's largest entertainment venue.
ExtraMile Arena
Boise State's 10,000+ seat arena for major headliner concerts and big country, pop, and rock tours plus Bronco sports.
Idaho Central Arena
Downtown multi-purpose arena (~5,000–6,800 for concerts) hosting larger touring acts, special events, and Steelheads hockey.
Boise State Athletics
Boise State Broncos tickets, schedules, and news for football, basketball, and all BSU sports.
Idaho Steelheads Hockey
Home schedule, tickets, and news for the Idaho Steelheads ECHL hockey team.
Boise Hawks Baseball
Schedule, tickets, and highlights for the Boise Hawks, the Valley's Minor League Baseball team.