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.
Radio Boise
1020 W Main St • 208-258-2072
Art Shop Music Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly
Radio Boise is having an "Open Station" in the basement of the Alaska Center on Main St. between 10th and 11th St where we will give guided tours, have live DJs Wendy Fox and Jason D on the air, share snacks and generally chat about the station and community radio from 5pm-8pm. It is hosted by Nichole Marie of The Rapture and Geek Goddess from the Rebel Alliance. This month we are joined by Leap Housing who believe that everyone should have an opportunity to access safe, stable and affordable housing.
Lenses & Brushes
404 S 8TH ST, L100 • 2085902612
Art Shop Kid-Friendly Activity
The Found Camera Project – First Thursday Gallery Showing
Date: August 7, 2025
Time: 5:00 PM- 8:00 PM
Location: Lenses & Brushes
Discover the results of a community-wide photography experiment!
Over fourteen days, black-and-white disposable cameras were hidden throughout downtown Boise—each one waiting to be found, used, and returned. Participants captured moments, scenes, and surprises from their unique perspectives, creating a spontaneous visual diary of our city.
Join us for First Thursday to view the developed photos, and see how a simple camera can connect strangers and spark creativity.
Come celebrate curiosity, connection, and the unexpected beauty in everyday life.
JUMP (Jack's Urban Meeting Place)
1000 Myrtle St • (208) 639-6610
Art Music Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly Activity
THURSDAY AUGUST 7TH | 5-8PM | JUMP BUILDING | ALL AGES | FREE
This month, we've got a sneak peek into our Local Artist Showcase happening on August 16th, as well as tons of fun, educational, interactive, and family-friendly activities! Plus, the official LAUNCH party for Boise Design Week will be happening from 5:00 - 10:30 PM in the sixth floor PIONEER Room!
JUMP Room:
Local Artist Showcase Preview: Artist Talks & Activities | 5:00 - 8:00 PM
• ANA ROBINS | Activity: Custom Tarot Card | Participants will paint on small card-sized canvases following writing and painting prompts geared towards a few selected tarot cards to create their very own tarot card.
• DAMON & MICHAEL BRADSHAW | Explore the world of mythical water creatures through three creative stations
- Station 1: Color-a-Creature (Ages 3+)
Activity: Pre-drawn sea monster coloring pages
- Station 2: Fold-a-Serpent (Ages 7+)
Activity: Origami sea serpent folding
- Station 3: Blank Page Challenge (All Ages)
Activity: Design your very own river monster from scratch
• DAVID COWAN | Through Space & Science
Participants will receive paper, coloring materials and craft supplies to design their own space habitat or closed system while learning about the four basic elements of an Environmental Control and Life Support System, the critical systems of a spacecraft that allow the astronauts to live to on board.
THE LOFT & 5th Level Lobby:
Sticker Making Contest | 5:00 - 8:00 PM
Local Dance Performance
• Watch performers from Starbelly Dancing
THE DECK
HAPPY[ness] Hour | 5:00 - 8:00 PM
• Live DJ: TENN∀NT (5:00 - 7:00 PM)
• BOGO Drinks (per person)
• $5 Bites by Chef Anna
• Trivia Challenge (start: 6:00 PM)
• Music Bingo (start: 7:00 PM)
• Slide Rides (5:30 - 7:30 PM)
MOVE STUDIO
Open Mic by Nick Badasci (Studio Community Project)
• A family-friendly open mic stand-up comedy event where aspiring comedians can perform 2-7 minute sets at a microphone as an accessible means of training/trying out comedy/storytelling in front of a live audience.
LOBBY (ALL MONTH):
Jaialdi Decor & Activities | 5:00 - 8:00 PM
• Basque Craft at the craft table
• Sheep Wagon from the Basque Museum
PIONEER Room:
Boise Design Week: LAUNCH | 5:00 - 10:30 PM
Join newly established Boise Design Week for the LAUNCH party of the future week-long inspirational, networking, and community-building event. With the goal to become a five-day event in 2026, Boise Design Week: LAUNCH brings together designers covering all industries and aspects of design, with the goal of bringing together the community in creativity, innovation, and design.
The LAUNCH party will feature local speakers, community exhibitors, refreshments, and more. Stick around after the lectures for and after party where we open the stage for creative leaders, play backyard games, sing karaoke, and more!
• 5:00 PM : DOORS OPEN
• 5:30 - 6:00 PM: OPENING REMARKS | Alex Caves | Boise Design Week Founder
• 6:00 - 9:00 PM: GUEST SPEAKERS | Hear from local experts in their industries
- Product Design & Development: Nate Pavitt | Product Developer / Entrepreneur | 6:00 - 6:30 PM
- Filmmaking: Greg Wilson | Director / Cinematographer / Photographer | 6:35 - 7:05 PM
- Environmental Graphic Design: John Yarnell | Creative Director / Public Artist / Placemaking Advocate | 7:10 - 7:40 PM
- Brand Design & Marketing | Jennie Meyers | Professor / Creative Strategist / Designer | 7:45 - 8:45 PM
• 9:00 - 10:30 PM: AFTER PARTY | After the Main Event the room will transition into a fun, game filled experience, designed to create the perfect networking atmosphere.
- Musical Performance by Tree City Soul | 9:00 - 9:30 PM
- Karaoke with DJ Pho-Tato (Viet Tran) | 9:30 - 10:30 PM
- Games
ART HAUS BAR by KIN
999 W Main St •
Art Shop Music Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly Activity
NIGHT MARKET!
*State Fair Edition*
Come enjoy food, drinks, music, and over 20 vendors.
Featuring…
HOT ERIC HONEY
BANANA INK
FREE SPIRITS
FLYNN DAY POTTERY
CITY PEANUT
SHIFT BOUTIQUE
REDISCOVERED BOOKS
MAPS COFFEE
METAL & MALLET
CITY OF TREES REIKI & TAROT
SATORI SAKE
NOBLE HARDESTY
CITY OF GOOD
RACHEL TEANNALACH ART
AND MORE...
Leap Photography
1020 W Main St • 208-703-7360
Art Shop
Life Changes - so should your HEADSHOT. Update Yours On First Thursday!
Leap Photography’s Headshot Special – August 7, 2025
Is your headshot outdated… or do you just dread being in front of the camera? We get it. That’s why Leap Photography is offering a quick and stress-free headshot special during Boise’s First Thursday event.
-15-minute session
-Multiple angles
-Choose your favorite image on the spot
-Just $120 (+tax)
Schedule your appointment today and get a fresh, professional headshot without the hassle.
Spots are limited! Book your session now.
Art Source Gallery
1516 W Grove St • 208-331-3374
Art Shop Music Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly Activity
First Thursday opening reception of "Think Outside the Jewelry Box - Wearable Art", August 7, 2025 from 5:00 - 9:00 PM at Art Source Gallery, 1516 W Grove St. in Boise, in downtown Linen District. . Meet the artists and enjoy live music, snacks and great art. The exhibit will be open throughout the month of August.
“Think Outside the Jewelry Box - Wearable Art”, features six of the gallery’s jewelry artists. There will be a wide diversity of work showcasing individual styles. For this show each artist has created a completely unique and individual Jewelry Box that will be displayed along with displays of their jewelry.
Capitol Contemporary Gallery
451 S Capitol Blvd • 208-384-9159
Art
Capitol Contemporary Gallery is pleased to present Free Range, a new exhibition for the month of August featuring work by Jan Freeman Long and Linda Williams.
Jan Freeman Long’s mixed media abstractions offer a meditative sense of calm through layered textures and composition. In contrast, Linda Williams’ detailed oil paintings explore a variety of subjects with precision and sensitivity. Together, their work offers a vibrant and engaging visual dialogue.
Please join us for the opening reception on First Thursday, August 7, from 5:00 to 9:00 PM. Meet the artists, enjoy a glass of wine courtesy of Vizcaya, and experience this beautiful new exhibition.
This event is free and open to the public, and the exhibition will be on display through August 30.
Meriwether Cider House
224 N 9th St • (208)972-6725
Art Food & Beverage Activity
Let’s get crafty! Join us for First Thursday at Meriwether Cider House and unleash your inner artist at our Pet Rock Creation Station!
We’ll provide the rocks, paints, googly eyes, glue, glitter, pipe cleaners, and plenty of inspiration. You bring the creativity (and maybe a punny name or two). Whether you craft a rockstar, a punk pebble, or a moss-covered mystery, your pet rock is yours to take home and cherish.
Mixed Greens
213 N 9th St • (208) 344-1605
Art Shop Food & Beverage
Join us this week for 1st Thursday from 5-8 pm!
We will be sampling Noble Mick’s refreshing summer mocktails!
Flourish Bakery will be here sampling their delicious goodies, YUM!
Sublime Apothecary will be popping up with their tallow body products!
The Humane Society will be here promoting their “Toast for Tails” event!
And… with any terracotta pot and succulent purchase you can have one of our artists on staff personalize it for you at no extra charge!
Re-POP Gifts
210 N 10th St • 208-991-6112
Art Shop Kid-Friendly
Come celebrate your birthday with your friends at Re-POP! If your birthday is in August, or if you know someone who was born in August, bring them down to party it up this First Thursday!
If it's your birth month, you and your friend will receive a special treat - 15% off your entire purchase*!
And that's not all! As an extra bonus, if it's your birth month, you will also receive a birthday treat bag filled with surprises. So mark your calendars and get ready to celebrate your special day with us at Re-POP Gifts LLC!
*cannot be combined with other offers, some exclusions apply
Idaho Building
280 N 8th St •
Art Kid-Friendly Activity
Who: Third Shelf: A Placemakers’ Cooperative Library
What: Book Swap! Book swaps are opportunities for Third Shelf members to exchange books with each other, to browse some of our collecive placemaking library, and welcome new people to the community. All are welcome!
Where: Idaho Smart Growth 280 N 8th St. Suite #210
When: Every 1st Thursday starting March 6th 6-8pm
Why: Third Shelf was created as a resource sharing, agency building, and community networking infrastructure project for placemakers. Members use a booksharing app to connect and exchange their collective books becoming a physical library distributed on member bookshelves throughout the community.
Website: thirdshelf.org
Instagram: @third.shelf
Boise Brewing
521 W Broad St • (208) 342-7655
Art
Art Show at Boise Brewing – All August!
Boise Brewing is hosting an art show by local artist Zinnia Barnes all month long in August! Zinnia’s bold, playful artwork will be on display for everyone to enjoy. Her art brings good vibes, big energy, and a unique style that’s all her own.
Meet the Artist – August 7, 5–7 PM.
Come say hi to Zinnia in person on Thursday, August 7 from 5–7 PM at Boise Brewing! It’s a casual meet-and-greet where you can chat with the artist, check out her work up close, and maybe even grab a piece to take home.
Wassmuth Center for Human Rights
777 S 8th St • 208-345-0304
Art Shop Kid-Friendly
The Wassmuth Center will open its doors after hours to invite the public in to engage with the 28 pieces of our inspiring human rights art collection and catch our visiting exhibition, Speaking Volumes: Transforming Hate, on its LAST night in Boise.
Whether you’re seeking reflection, conversation, or inspiration this is your chance to immerse yourself in human rights education through art and connection with our knowledgeable docents.
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Boise Art Museum
670 Julia Davis Drive • (208) 345-8330
Art Shop Kid-Friendly Activity
Find inspiration and get creative at BAM during First Thursday! Admission is “pay what you can,” and the Museum is open late, until 7 p.m., to encourage Access for All. Experience BAM’s current exhibitions, including the recently opened “James Castle: Perspectives.”
🎨 Drop in from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. and get creative in our FREE Studio Art Exploration program in BAM’s Education Studios. Design an artwork that will help raise awareness about a cause that is important to you, inspired by “Julie Green: The Last Supper.”
Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
🎁Stop by the BAM STORE to find unique and creative gifts for all ages.
Gallery 601 on The Grove
8th & Front on The Grove Plaza • (208) 336-5899
Art Shop
Jaialdi Hangover? Not us we're still in a "Festa" mood. Stop by our gallery on the Grove Plaza for all your Basque needs. We still have Market Totes, Coffee Mugs (to hide your Kalimotxos) a few T-shirts, coasters and prints. Plus a plethora of other artsy items. From our African jewelry collection to originals by John Horejs, Shalece Fiack, Will Bullas and Cassandra Barney.
Chi E Shenam Westin Art
1020 Main St • 208-440-2107
Art Music Food & Beverage
We are excited to share three art collections including:
New! Plein Air paintings from Kathryn Albertson Park
And Oil paintings of the Sawtooth Mountains, one week before the 2024 fires.
Swing by and say hello and enjoy live music from John Ceccarelli!
Complimentary portraits downstairs with Allen Ansel.