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.
Toy POP!
780 W Main St • 2088590095
Art Kid-Friendly Activity
Meet local author/illustrator Jen Zelinsky for a reading of her book Running Back To Me, a children's book that supports emotional wellness & self discovery. For every book sold, Toy Pop will donate a copy to a local Boise organization.
We will also have coloring pages for the kids, free fidget toys with minimum purchase, and free tote bags when you purchase $50 or more!
Flow Arts Spin Jam
1000 Myrtle St • (208) 639-6610
Art Kid-Friendly Activity
FREE Flow Arts Spin Jam - Raffle - Hula Hoop Contest - Prizes
Props Provided - All Ages
Instructor: Krissy Humphreys
Flow arts is a dynamic practice that blends elements of dance, skill-based object manipulation, and creative expression. It often incorporates props such as poi, hula hoops, staffs, fans, and juggling equipment, which are used in rhythmic, fluid movements to create visual artistry or tell a story.
Spin jams are social gatherings for flow artists and anyone curious about flow arts. They offer an inclusive, welcoming space where people of all skill levels can explore prop-based manipulation. These gatherings are the heart of the community—where we come together to share ideas, connect and become part of a community.
What are Spin Jams?
Spin jams are social gatherings for flow artists and anyone curious about flow arts. They offer an inclusive, welcoming space where people of all skill levels can explore prop-based manipulation. These gatherings are the heart of the community—where we come together to share ideas, connect and become part of a community.
Participants will learn:
Basic moves for poi, hoops, fans, flow wand, and other props
Introduction to timing, direction and planes (Fundamentals for learning flow arts)
How to share ideas, moves and connect with others through flow arts.
Overcoming the fear of "messing up"
How to move and dance with different props
The joy of inclusivity and connection
Spatial and body awareness
Lenses & Brushes
404 S 8TH ST, L100 • 2085902612
Art Shop Kid-Friendly Activity
First Thursday: The Found Camera Project
What happens when you hand a camera to a stranger and ask them to tell a story?
Join us at Lenses & Brushes for a First Thursday exhibition of The Found Camera Project—a community film photography experience where cameras were hidden throughout downtown Boise and discovered by curious explorers. Each person who found a camera captured their own moments before returning it to be developed and printed in our darkroom.
This showcase features a collection of those images—raw, honest, and beautifully unexpected—creating a shared visual story of Boise through many different perspectives.
Let’s make art together.
Art Source Gallery
1516 Grove St • 208-331-3374
Art Shop Music Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly Activity
Join us for the First Thursday opening reception of “Upon Closer Reflection”, a feature artist exhibition by Boise artist Beth Trott, May 7, 5–9 pm. The artist will be there, along with snacks, wine and live music.
Beth explores the natural world through a blend of observation and abstraction. Featuring both new and recent work from this series, the show runs May 5–30 at Art Source Gallery, in the Linen Arts District.
The Warehouse Food Hall
370 S 8th St • 986-999-4081
Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly
Dig into $5 small plates from every corner of the food hall, crafted by the vendors you know and love... plus a few you’ll be glad to meet. This is your chance to sample the goods, try something new, or build the ultimate dinner lineup. Your taste buds are in for a night.
Mixed Greens
213 N 9th St • (208) 344-1605
Art Shop Music Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly
Pop into Mixed Greens for the perfect Mother's Day gifts. Cinder Winery will be pouring wine, Poppyseed Bakery will have goodies for sample and sale, Bead-a-Bull Jewelry will have a selection of jewelry to pick from, and Eric Henderson will be singing all night in the shop. Come join us from 5PM-8PM.
Dawson Taylor Downtown Coffee House
219 N 8th St • (208) 336-5633
Art Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly
Come to Dawson Taylor Coffee on 8th St: open form 7am to 5pm.
-BOGO Free drinks from 3-5pm!
-New local artists featured in the gallery!
See you there!
WaFd Bank
1001 W Idaho St • (208) 338-7400
Art Music Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly
Stop by WaFd Bank and celebrate First Thursday with us!...Enjoy art from incredibly talented Boise High students, along with another local artist, Joelle Ater, plus live music, yummy snacks, drinks, and our nonprofit partner, the Girl Scouts sharing about some great programs that support and lift up young women in our community!
Wassmuth Center's Hansberger Art Awards
1000 Myrtle St • (208) 639-6610
Art Music Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly Activity
Experience the beauty and strength of American diversity through art on Thursday, May 7, 2026 at JUMP! The Wassmuth Center’s Hansberger Arts Awards Showcase highlights student performance, writing, and visual arts in response to Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Freedom from Discrimination. Don’t miss this community-wide celebration of kindergarten through 12th grade Idaho artists!
Located on the 6th floor in the Pioneer Room
Event Schedule
5:00 p.m. Student Arts Showcase, Idaho Gives Nonprofit Table Fair, Drinks & small bites available for purchase
6:30 p.m. Student Arts Awards
7:30 p.m. Boise Rock School Performance
For a full schedule of city-sponsored America 250 events, visit cityofboise.org/America250.
Parking
To access JUMP, we encourage you to use public transportation or carpool. Paid parking options are limited at JUMP and ParkBOI facilities. Plan ahead!
Accommodation
The City of Boise is committed to ensuring equal access to all public meetings, programs, and services. Reasonable accommodations and effective communication—such as ASL interpretation, materials in alternative formats and language access—are available at no cost to facilitate participation. To request an accommodation, please contact us at CommunityEngagement@cityofboise.org or call (208) 972-8500, TTY: 711.
The Record Exchange
1105 W Idaho St • (208) 344-8010
Shop Music Kid-Friendly
Join The Record Exchange at 5:30pm on First Thursday, May 7 for a vinyl release party and live performance celebrating Mylo Bybee’s new album “Revisions.” As always, this Record Exchange in-store event is free and all ages.
The vinyl will be available to purchase, and you can get your copy signed following the band’s performance!
ABOUT MYLO BYBEE AND ‘REVISIONS’:
Mylo Bybee is a high-energy rock band from Boise, turning raw emotion into tightly-wound songs fueled by restless rhythms, sharp guitars and vocals balancing grit and vulnerability. Since forming in 2020, they’ve carved out a reputation for music that doesn’t ask permission, it grabs you, shakes you and leaves you charged.
Known for high-octane live shows, the band has grown from local stages to major festivals, building a name as one of the Pacific Northwest’s most dynamic acts. With releases like “Revisions” and singles “Time Machine” and “I Wish You Well,” Mylo Bybee continues to evolve, pushing their sound forward while staying true to the raw spirit that defines them.
“The propulsive indie pop sound of the Pacific Northwest is alive and well and in the amplifiers of Mylo Bybee.” - Ron Hart SPIN Magazine