Happy Friday, Boise. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Boise Brief serve up everything you need to know for the weekend ahead.

📰 In the news

Local happenings: Boise venues serve women owned 12 percent alcohol cocktails, a Las Vegas inspired jazz club debuts, and a 700 million dollar airport expansion looms — catch up here.

State-level stories: Proposed Costco warehouse near Eagle, ongoing shortage of foster families in southwest Idaho, and Idaho City’s water declared safe again after flooding — see what else is brewing.

National headlines: Mortgage rates are trending down, investors catapult gold above 3500 an ounce, and a tropical wave eyes the Antilles — peruse the best of the rest.

Highlights this week

• Practice English at Conversation Club
• Pet therapy mini-horses + free mental health screening
• Connect and thrive at Explorers’ Club
• Seniors build balance and prevent falls
• Serve your community at Sandy Point Beach
• Anxiety about debt? Get a free consultation

🫶 We got your back

Volunteer: Making an impact doesn’t mean losing every weekend. Boise’s 4,600+ nonprofits have simple ways to give that slot right into your routine.

Family: Planning an Idaho family vacation can feel like running an obstacle course on mountain roads while trying to find a spot for the kids to burn off energy. These family travel tips will help you hit the best spots, dodge budget blowouts and keep tantrums at bay.

Taqueria: From perfectly charred tortillas to fillings that demand a double order, Madre Boutique Taqueria brings the kind of flavor that requires extra napkins and zero regrets.

Bargain shopping: The best finds aren’t always on store shelves. Amazon’s Deals Page is like a never-ending treasure hunt where the good stuff costs less, with new discounts dropping daily.

Save: The average driver pays $175 a month for car insurance, but most of us are paying way more than we should. If it’s been a while since you shopped around, you’re likely part of that “most of us.” This comparison tool may save you hundreds.

👀 Why just read it when you could be in it?

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📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Have an event to share? Submit it here for free →

Today

🎸 Gregory Alan Isakov @ The Morrison Center for the Performing Arts | Friday (9/5) at 7:30pm – Boulder’s favorite songwriter‐farmer is rolling into downtown with a velvet baritone that glides over gently grand folk arrangements. Expect poetic Wild West mirages, and maybe a side of farm-fresh veggie vibes from the guy who literally grows his own props.

🏳️‍🌈 Boise Pride Launch Party @ Treefort Music Hall | Friday (9/5) at 8:00pm – If you need an excuse to dust off your boogie shoes, get ready for a retro disco funk dance party to kick off Pride weekend. The Knocks and Dragonette serve up earworms, Aquaria brings the sass, and locals will be sweeping the dance floor.

This weekend

🚗 Don’s Supreme 6th Annual Show and Shine @ Westside Drive-In | Saturday (9/6) at 9:00am – Grease monkeys and curb cruising aficionados, it’s time to polish your pride and joy for Don’s 6th annual Show and Shine. Expect drool-worthy engines, mouthwatering bites, local makers, and raffle loot that’ll actually excite you, all for Camp Rainbow Gold.

🧔 Beard Battle @ Boise Brewing | Saturday (9/6) at 6:00pm – Whether you’ve been shaving for decades or let your whiskers run wild, swing by Boise Brewing’s Beard Battle and watch locals vie for grooming glory. Pair hoppy pints with endless dad jokes, judge epic mustaches, and enjoy free-roaming banter among familiar faces.

😂 Chris D’Elia: Straight Outta The Multiverse @ The Egyptian Theatre | Saturday (9/6) at 7:00pm – Chris D’Elia is crashing the Egyptian Theatre with his multiverse-mashing stand-up, unloading jokes we didn’t even know we needed. Just an FYI, it’s strictly 18+, because who needs maturity anyway.

🎨 Art in the Park @ Julia Davis Park | Sunday (9/7) at 10:00am – Art in the Park is turning the museum lawn into Northwest culture central, with more than 240 artists hawking everything from avant-garde ceramics to fridge-magnet masterpieces. Expect live tunes, solid grub, and enough kid-friendly crafts to distract your little art critics.

🍅 Something Rotten! @ Boise Little Theater | Sunday (9/7) at 2:00pm – The Renaissance called, it wants its musical back. Two down-on-their-luck brothers try to out-Bard Shakespeare with song, dance, and more puns than a soothsayer can handle. Spoiler alert: Broadway crowds gave it standing ovations before intermission.

💊 Nahko and Medicine for the People – Take Your Power Back 2025 @ Knitting Factory | Sunday (9/7) at 7:00pm – Grab your favorite flannel and get ready to reclaim your power with every chorus you’ve belted in the car. Nahko’s finally brings “Take Your Power Back” live, in full glory. Think big drums, soul-stirring vocals, and post-show high vibes.

Next week

📚 Books and Brews @ Push & Pour | Monday (9/8) at 6:30pm – Tired of lecturing your houseplants about the latest thriller? Swing by Push & Pour every second Monday for Books and Brews, a sesh where library staff spark up relaxed book chats over a pint or two, with new recommendations, good banter, and zero judgy looks.

🏘️ Tour Tuesday @ The WaterShed | Tuesday (9/9) at 9:00am – West Boise’s Water Renewal Facility has a free, behind-the-scenes tour showing exactly what happens after you flush. You’ll be stunned by gleaming tanks, giant pumps, and the odd thrill of uncovering the city’s best-kept waste secrets.

🏝️ Coyote Island + Cherokee Social @ Shrine Social Club | Tuesday (9/9) at 7:00pm – Shrine Basement comes alive when Coyote Island and Cherokee Social team up to deliver dusty riffs and whiskey-soaked harmonies right under our feet. It’s an intimate, all-ages roots-rock gathering with more story than our next-door neighbor’s barbecue war tales, so maybe pack earplugs.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 9/5 Art in the Park @ Julia Davis Park – 10 am
• 9/5 Bleary Eyed and more @ Neurolux – 8 pm
• 9/6 Anthony Green and more @ Neurolux – 7 pm
• 9/6 Sunny Day Real Estate @ Knitting Factory – 8 pm
• 9/7 Johnny Rawls @ The Egyptian Theatre – 6 pm
• 9/7 The Stargazer Lillies and more @ Neurolux – 8 pm
• 9/7 Wyatt Flores @ Revolution Concert House – 8 pm
• 9/8 Handel’s Water Music @ Idaho Shakespeare Festival – 7:30 pm
• 9/9 Taste of Idaho @ Idaho Center Plaza – 5 pm

🏠️ Price is right – Boise edition

How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).

Listed by: Lisa Dunn (RE/MAX Capital City)

A study in contrasts, this modern masterpiece pairs crisp lines and glassy expanses with cozy nooks and clever touches. The multi-level layout keeps things interesting, shifting from sun-drenched gathering zones to tucked-away corners perfect for plotting your next adventure. Sunrise brings Table Rock into full view, while evenings sparkle with city lights from decks that blur the line between indoors and out.

Perched on Superior Ridge, the address scores high on both privacy and proximity. Downtown Boise, the airport, Micron, Lucky Peak, and miles of foothill trails are all just minutes away—no compromises required.

Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →