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Our local merchants plan exciting, engaging in-store events including food and beverage tastings, local art exhibits, retail trunk shows, live music, family activities, and entertainment in a special and unique way you'll only find in Downtown Boise. Stop into your favorite establishment or check out someplace new!

Events typically run from 5–9pm, but each merchant creatively plans their own event so check each listing below for individual hours and details. 

SUPERSIZED First Thursday's are back!
What does that mean? More free activation throughout your downtown area! We'll have roving artist performing & engaging with the public for free fun during select months! Keep an eye out for the signs for where they'll pop-up next!
 


Interested in being a performing artist for our SUPERSIZED First Thursdays?

Submit ARTIsT Information Here

 




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A Year of Plein Air Oil Paintings!

1020 Main St • 208-440-2107

Art   Shop  

Oil paintings from Idaho and Utah. Larger studio paintings on aluminum and canvas. Art by Chi E Shenan.

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Dragon Dreamzzz Art Pop-Up Gallery

Downtown Boise •

Art   Shop   Food & Beverage  

Dragon Dreamzzz Art Pop-up Gallery

Grab a Kanak Attack snack; sip wines from Potter Wines and check out our pop-up
gallery featuring Carol Hackney’s digital art and Patrick Cavanaugh’s photography. It’s
time to shop for the holidays, so come in and discover amazing photos and beautiful
digital prints. Carol’s prints often become unique pieces of clothing or yoga mats,
ceramic blocks and….
Come see for yourselves what our Pop-Up gallery is all about. Check out our website
for more: www.dragondreamzzz.com.

Located on the corner of 5th and Bannock. 5:30-9:00 November and December First
Thursdays.

Check out our website for more information: www.dragondreamzzz.com.

located at 500 Bannock on the corner of 5th and Bannock
5:30-8:30 October, November, & December First Thursdays

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Ink Spa

404 S 8th St • (208)315-6664

Art   Shop   Activity  

$50 piercings - including jewelry - September - December First Thursdays at Ink Spa! Bring a friend and walk in between 4 and 9 PM to get that piercing you've been wanting. Not enough needles? Get a tattoo while you're in too! What better art experience than new ink!

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Capitol Contemporary Gallery

451 S Capitol Blvd • 208-384-9159

Art  

Capitol Contemporary Gallery is excited to present two new exhibitions this November, River by Rachel Teannalach and to be continued… by Randy Van Dyck. Teannalach will be presenting a large mixed media collage of paintings of the Boise River she created over the span of a year, and Van Dyck will be showing new paintings from his Transposed series, which marks the conclusion of this phase in this body of work.

We invite you to join us for the opening reception on First Thursday, November 7th from 5:00 to 9:00 PM. We will be serving wine by Vizcaya winery. The exhibition is free and open to the public, running through November 30th.

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Leap Photography

1020 W Main St • 208-703-7360

Art   Shop  

The Leap Photography studio will be open to the public on Thursday, November 7, 2024, from 5:00-7:00pm in participation with other First Thursday events.

Stop in, tour the studio, and browse through Leap Photography's portrait, and fine art work. Fine art photography will include encaustic photography, greeting cards, magnets, and prints ... all available for purchase.  We'll also have many examples of our portrait work in the form of large prints and albums available for review.

If you've never been in a working photographer's studio, this is a great opportunity to not only view artwork but to check out the workspace.  Photographer, Brenda Leap will be on hand to answer any questions you may have.

We're located in the historic Alaska building. Take the elevator to the 2nd floor and follow the signs.  We can't wait to meet you!

Date:  November 7, 2024
Time:  5:00 pm- 7 pm
Address:  1020 W. Main Street #200, Boise, ID  83702  (located in the historic Alaska Building in downtown Boise)

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Delia Dante Gallery & Fire Fusion Studio

1322 W Main St • 208-810-6240

Art   Shop   Food & Beverage   Kid-Friendly   Activity  

Nigerian Artist Tunde Odunlade
Opening Reception & Artist Talk
​First Thursday, November 7, 5:00 - 9:00 pm

Exhibition runs November 7 - December 31
​This exhibition was organized by Boise Curator John LaBry.

About the Artist | Tunde Odunlade is a print and textile artist who has exhibited, taught, lectured, studied and traveled extensively within Nigeria and throughout Africa, North America, and Europe. In addition, he has performed as an actor with the Nigerian National Troop and various other theatrical organizations, and has recorded several CDs that integrate poetry and music. He lives in Ibadan, in the southwestern part of Nigeria.

His art has been displayed in dozens of one-man and group shows. His work is in the collections of institutions including the Smithsonian Museum of African Art and the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, D.C., the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the MacArthur Foundation Collection in Chicago, and the State House in Lagos, Nigeria.

Wine by Rollinghills Vineyard and light Hors d’Oeuvres

​Delia Dante Gallery hours:
Tuesday-Wednesday from 10am - 3pm
Thursday-Saturday from 10am - 6pm

All gallery exhibitions are always free and open to the public

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View Free Public Art at Freak Alley Gallery

Alley: 8th & 9th and Bannock & Idaho St •

Art   Kid-Friendly   Activity  

Freak Alley Gallery is the Northwest's Largest Open-Air, Multi-artist Mural Gallery, located between 8th and 9th street and Bannock and Idaho in Downtown Boise.

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Meriwether Cider House

224 N 9th St • (208)972-6725

Art  

Join us for Downtown Boise Association's November 1st Thursday!
Our Boise famous Hot Mulled Cider will be back for the season and we will provide all the supplies you need to bring it back old school (kindergarten) to make your own fabulous hand turkey!

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JUMP (Jack's Urban Meeting Place)

1000 Myrtle St • (208) 639-6610

Art   Food & Beverage   Kid-Friendly   Activity  

NOVEMBER 7TH | 5-8PM | LOBBY, DECK, SHARE, PLAY JUMPOTRON
Every First Thursday downtown Boise comes alive to celebrate community!
This month at JUMP, we'll have fun and educational activities surrounding the holiday of Dia De Muertos occurring on November 2nd.

ACTIVITIES:
- Sugar Skull Decorating | Lobby | 5pm-8pm

- Lantern Making | Lobby | 5pm-8pm

- Family-friendly animated movie on the JUMPotron | SHARE/JUMP Park | 6:30-8pm
A young boy dreams about being a musician, but despite his talents, he is forbidden by his family. He inadvertently ends up on a journey through the Land of the Dead, meeting a man along the way who is desperate to not let his family forget him. The two embark to get the answers they are looking for, before it's too late.

- Open Arms Dance performance | Lobby | 6pm

- Candlelit Screening Room | PLAY Studio | 5pm-8pm
Marigolds and candles fill the play studio inviting all to view a collection of short films about Day of the Dead.

- Happy[ness] Hour | 5th Floor DECK | 5:30-7:30pm
Drinks, $5 Bites by Chef Anna, Live DJ Trentyn Tennant, Trivia Challenge

- Storytelling by Ben Kemper |The LOFT | 7-8pm

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Art Source Gallery

1516 W Grove St • 208-331-3374

Art   Shop   Music   Food & Beverage   Kid-Friendly   Activity  

“Unexpected Harmony” opens First Thursday, November 7, 2024 at Art source Gallery. Everyone is invited to view her innovative work in person at the opening reception from 5:00 - 9:00 p.m at Art Source Gallery, 1516 W Grove St., Boise, Idaho. The reception will feature a chance to meet the artist, enjoy live music and savor snacks and wine. The exhibit will be on display at Art source Gallery through November 27, 2024.

Betty Hayzlett is a local legend, an artist who effortlessly juggles multiple creative roles. Her unique felted bowls and orbs are abstract, yet lifelike, and seem to pulse with energy. Her vibrant, textural wall hangings become three- dimensional masterpieces, irresistibly inviting viewers to reach out and touch them. In her latest creative venture, Hayzlett masterfully blends two unlikely materials: clay and wool. This bold experiment results in ceramic pieces enhanced with felted elements, creating an “Unexpected Harmony.” Hayzlett aims to craft striking contrasts by merging felting with ceramics, preserving the vibrant colors and rich textures that define her work, while allowing patterns to play a more prominent role. “Unexpected Harmony” showcase’s Hayzlett’s ability to transform ordinary materials into extraordinary art.

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Treefort Music Hall

722 W Broad St. •

Art   Activity  

November, 7th @ Treefort Music Hall

We are the OS Crew, a Boise based ski crew that has created our 9th annual street and backcountry freeski film. This is an action-packed movie that will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time. You can expect a lot of high-speed big air, technical rail tricks, gnarly slams and a creative take on skiing that you may have never seen before. We have premiered absORB all around North America this fall but we've saved the best stop of our tour for last... Our hometown of Boise, ID!!

There will be tons of product being tossed out into the crowd, contests for prizes, and a raffle that consists of over $5,000 worth of ski merchandise. Skis, boots, goggles, outerwear, gloves and mittens, clothing, season passes, free lift tickets and more!

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