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.
City Peanut Shop
803 W Bannock St • (208) 433-3931
Shop Food & Beverage
Seltzi will be in-house for our Nuts+Cocktail pairings tonight. Come try the combinations we chose and sample other treats. City Peanut will also be hanging out at KIN for their Thursday Night Market. Wander around downtown and discover some new things.
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.
Eureka!
800 W Idaho St • (208) 286-4410
Food & Beverage
All can enjoy this delicious deal every First Thursday of the month from 5pm - close
$14 Single Smash Burger served with signature fries & any beer from our permanent tap list.
Additionally, every Thursday we are pouring $10 Buffalo Trace Old Fashioneds, all day long!
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.
Ochos Craft Cocktail Bar
515 W Idaho St • (208)209-5522
Music Food & Beverage
Join us for First Thursday Flamenco. Performance starts at 8pm.
Matador Boise
215 N 8th St • 208-342-9988
Food & Beverage
HOURS OF OPERATION
Sun-Thurs 11:00am-11:00pm
Fri & Sat 11:00am-Midnight
HAPPY HOUR 4pm-6pm & 10pm-CLOSE (daily)
Come in and be enveloped by our passion for the most daring of spirits. For brave, fresh Mexican flavors, and beautiful scratch-made cocktails. For the people and the culture of Mexico, where we forge friendships with tequila makers, listen to their stories, and bring them home to share with you, as we guide you through your tequila experience.
The Matador uses all-natural ingredients only, and that includes our carne, pollo, carnitas and seafood. We source the freshest, in-season vegetables and fruits available. Then we take those ingredients and cook them up into creative dishes that taste a bit like Mexico, a bit like the local area, and a bit like nothing you’ve ever tasted before.
Our newest Seasonal Menu was just released and features the following items:
* MEXICAN STREET CORN (gf/veg) - Fried corn cob, chipotle mayonnaise, cotija, cilantro, Chile-garlic salt, lime
* WATERMELON SALAD (gf) - Cucumber, queso fresco, mixed greens, Tajin, agave vinaigrette with watermelon
* STEAK & ELOTE TACOS - Served on flour tortillas with Mexican rice and beans. Chile-seasoned sirloin, flame-roasted corn esquites, French fried onions, garlic crema, cotija, cilantro
* GRILLED SHRIMP TACOS - Served on corn tortillas with Mexican rice and beans. Charbroiled shrimp, red cabbage curtido, guacamole, chipotle crema, queso fresco, cilantro
* WATERMELON MARGARITA - Milagro reposado, watermelon, lime, agave, Tajin
* WATERMELON COSMO - Weber Ranch Agave vodka, Grand Marnier, watermelon, lime
* WATERMELON GIN MOJITO - Las Californias Nativo gin, lime, watermelon, mint, soda water
* WATERMELON-LIME AGUA FRESCA - Watermelon, lime, agave, soda water
Situated on historic 8th St in energetic downtown Boise, the Matador has been a part of the city’s restaurant and happy hour scene since 2010. Within easy walking or biking distance from all downtown shops and sights, as well as the Greenbelt and the scenic Treasure Valley foothills, the Matador offers adventures in Mexican-inspired food and tequila when you need a retreat from your adventures outdoors or in town.
Saltbrush
506 W. Grove • 208-717-2588
Food & Beverage
Curated list of a $10 First Thursday cocktails! Let our mixologist wow your pallet
Trillium Restaurant
245 S Capitol Blvd • 208-333-8002
Food & Beverage
Join us every First Thursday in Downtown Boise to experience Live Jazz performed by The Ohadi Trio inside the lobby of The Grove Hotel from 6pm-8pm!
Voodoo Cellar Boise
200 N Capitol Blvd • 2089180881
Food & Beverage
$5 Craft Beer Flights Every First Thursday!
Prost! Boise
274 N 8th St • (208) 336.9395
Music Food & Beverage
Prost! will be offering $1 off Liters and providing live music on the patio between 5pm-8pm
Cactus Bar
517 W Main St • (208) 342-9732
Food & Beverage Activity
Bingo Nights every First Thursday and every 3rd Thursday of every month. Free to play. Multiple games played in a night. Starts at 7 and ends roughly around 9 pm. Prizes to be won.
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
Green Acres Food Truck Park
1401 West Shoreline Drive • 208-856-6157
Music Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly Activity
Karaoke Night @ Green Acres
Timeframe: 6-9pm
Time to Karaoke with Boise Rockeoke! Sing with a LIVE rock band to accompany your vocals! Choose from over 200 songs! It’s your time to shine on the Green Acres stage. Sign up the night of. Instead of instrumentals, the live band will play the song so you’ll really feel like a lead singer :) This is one our most favorite things to host at Green Acres.
Food truck lineup for the day:
Kanak Attack
Darjeeling Momo
Basilios Tacos
Sear + Savor: Craft smash burgers
The Fizzy Cow Ice Cream & Soda Shop
The Green Acres Bar
No cover or charges, Karaoke and Green Acres is free to the public
Find us off the Greenbelt at the intersection of 14th street and Shoreline Drive
We are dog and kid-friendly!
1401 Shoreline Drive Boise ID 83702
Barbarian Downtown Beer Bar
1022 W Main St • 208-387-2739
Music Food & Beverage Activity
Kick off your First Thor's Day with fresh new beers, Bingo, and Downtown Boise First Thursday!
ROCK'N BINGO starts at 7pm. Free to play for paying customers.
Prizes for the winners, including Jurassic Park Idaho Lottery scratchers!
Must be 21+ to enter Barbarian Downtown.
__________________________
New Beers:
~ SALUTE YOUR SCHWARZ ~
Traditional German style Schwarzbier dark lager.
5% abv.
Draft and 16oz cans.
~ MR. BOB MANALITA ~
West coast pale made with experimental Manalita and Southern Cross hops from Freestyle Hops in New Zealand, and a touch of Simcoe Abstrax hop oil added in the brite. Collaboration brew with The Handlebar Boise. Manalita hops have notes of gummy candy, red grapefruit and red berries.
5.5% abv.
Draft and 16oz cans.
Acero Boards and Bottles
801 West Main Street • 208-801-6896
Food & Beverage
Board & Bottle is making its First Thursday debut! Join us at Acero from 5-9 PM for our Board & Bottle special: enjoy a bottle of wine from our curated selection and a delicious bruschetta board of your choice for just $35. Sip, snack, and celebrate the night with us!
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!
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.
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.
The Lively
505 W Bannock St • 208.209.5503
Music Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly
Kick off your summer with First Thursdays at The Lively—where the drinks are fabulous, the food hits all the right notes and the music sets the mood. We’re turning up the energy with live music and an extended happy hour to make your Thursdays anything but ordinary. Come early, stay late, and let the good times flow!
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...
Fred Astaire Dance Studios Boise
1511 W Main Street • 208-514-0440
Music Food & Beverage Activity
"Swing" in for First Thursday and find out how much fun date night or a night out on the town can be!
7:00pm—7:45pm
Free Dance Demos & Newcomer Group Class
7:45pm—8:30pm
Free Guided Social Dancing
No partner required — or bring your friends. We love to see couples who want to dance together, too.
Everyone is welcome, no experience required!
Chandlers Prime Steaks | Fine Seafood
981 W Grove St • (208) 383-4300
Food & Beverage
Gather. Sip. Socialize.
Join us at Chandlers for Social Hour.
Monday through Friday at the bar/lounge from 4-6pm.
Gather and relax with handcrafted cocktails like
our Cosmo or Champagne Cocktail and savor with a
selection of sociable dishes, all offered at $10.
The Nook Lounge
206 N 9th St • 208-577-0537
Food & Beverage
🎶 LIVE MUSIC 5-8pm 🎶
🍋🟩Ranch Water Drink Special 🍋🟩
House of Wine
1008 W Main St • 208-297-9463
Shop Food & Beverage
Come join us at House of Wine for our exciting “First Thursday” event in August!
For this night we’ll put aside our regular wine by the glass options and offer selections for a free three wine tasting from Proletariat Wine Company!
The festivities begin at 5pm and last until 8pm. This is a free event and no registration is required. We look forward to welcoming you!
Hemlock
500 S Capitol Blvd •
Food & Beverage
Join us at Hemlock for Happy Hour, every day from 3 to 6 PM! Pull up a seat at the bar and enjoy $7 drafts, $9 wines, and $10 classic cocktails. Hungry? Go for the Hemlock Happy Meal, featuring Boise’s Best Burger and a cold beer for just $20. Prefer something else? We’ve got plenty more snackable bites and small plates on the full happy hour menu.
Plus, free valet parking for all guests!