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.
Idaho State Museum
610 N Julia Davis Dr • (208) 334-2120
Shop Music Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly Activity
Ring in the Holidays at the Idaho State Museum!
Join us for our 4th Annual Holiday Fest during Downtown Boise’s First Thursday on December 4, 2025, from 5–8 PM.
Celebrate the season with a vendor fair featuring local Idaho artists, makers, and organizations. Enjoy festive music, crafts, wine and tea tastings, and free hot cocoa as you explore unique, handmade gifts and enjoy hands-on fun for all ages.
While you’re here, experience the wonder of Idaho’s history with access to our galleries, including our newest exhibits, Sage Brush and Brushstrokes and Hidden in Plain Sight.
Don’t forget to stop by the M Store, our destination retail gift shop—open seven days a week—for even more Idaho-inspired treasures.
Admission is free! Last admission is at 7:15PM.
Ink Spa
404 S 8th St • (208)315-6664
Art Shop Activity
Boise First Thursday: A Magical Night at Ink Spa Tattoo
Wintry Flash Tattoo Event
December 4th, 2025
4–9 PM
❄ Walk-ins Only
❄ $50–$100 Flash Tattoos
❄ 3 Artists Participating
❄ 50+ Festive Designs
Can’t make it Thursday? No stress ~ you can book these flash designs all month long, through December 31st! Hurry, sessions are very limited!
JD's Bodega
161 N Capitol Blvd • (208)519-5516
Shop Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly Activity
Stop by for your Holiday First Thursday and grab a free popcorn and free game of pinball. While you are out, feel the holiday magic with all the amazing window decorations and check out our selection of local vendors.
Art Source Gallery
1516 Grove St • 208-331-3374
Art Shop Music Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly Activity
Holiday Market at Art Source Gallery. Skip the crowds and shop with heart this holiday season! Meet some of the artists, sip delicious wines, enjoy tasty treats, and soak in live music and holiday atmosphere, December 4th from 5-9 pm.
Ditch the big box stores and discover meaningful, locally made gifts at the Holiday Market hosted by Art Source Gallery. This festive marketplace showcases not only the stunning works of our resident gallery artists but also features unique creations from talented makers across the community. From handcrafted pottery and apothecary goods to gourmet dog treats and whimsical holiday ornaments and wall pieces. You will find one-of-a-kind treasures that add a personal touch to your gift-giving.
Holiday market highlights
Art Source Gallery is located at 1516 W. Grove Street, downtown Boise. Open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm with extended Sunday hours in December 12-4 pm.
Rediscovered Books - Boise
1576 W Grove • (208) 376-4229
Shop
Join us for some holiday shopping and to support our Idaho Neighbors! Bring food donation to support the food bank for the families of Giraffe Laugh Day Care and Pre-School. Come and find out more about The Community Center, another Idaho non-profit that makes Boise a better place from 5 - 6:30 p.m..
Lenses & Brushes
404 S 8TH ST, L100 • 2085902612
Art Shop
Lenses & Brushes Holiday Makers Market
Join us to shop small and local with ten local artists and makers to find unique gifts for this holiday season.
Re-POP Gifts
210 N 10th St • 208-991-6112
Shop Activity
We can't contain our excitement, because we have a special seasonal guest. Mark your calendars for our upcoming Krampus photo-ops during First Thursday!
A word of caution, Krampus can be a bit scary for some of the smaller littles, so parental discretion is advised.
We'll have our annual tradition of mystery white elephant gifts, and free gift wrapping for most purchases.
Is your Birthday in December or January? Well, December 4th, First Thursday is your lucky day! We're celebrating December and January Birthdays in one evening, since we'll be closed the beginning of January. If your birthday is December or January enjoy 15% off your entire purchase* for you AND a friend! What a great time to take care of your holiday shopping!
BANANA ink
214 N 9th St • (208) 345-1288
Art Shop Activity
🎄 First Thursday Holiday Scavenger Hunt at BANANA ink! 🎁
What’s Happening:
🎅 Holiday-Themed Scavenger Hunt — find hidden clues, and win Christmas prizes!
🎨 Live Painting by Toponaut Designs — He will be creating something magical right here in the shop and have all his amazing art as well!
🎁 FREE Gift Wrapping All Day! — you support local, we wrap your thoughtful gifts.
🎄 Mystery White Elephant Presents — surprise your friends with these pre-wrapped goodies!
🎉 Giveaways & More! — festive treats, local love, and holiday vibes all around.
Come celebrate local art, shop small, and kick off the holidays with us! ❤️🎁
Liquid Lounge
405 S 8th St • (208) 287-5379
Art Shop Music Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly Activity
FREE WINE TASING & ART SHOW BY THE AMAZING NORMAN NELSON! Amazing paintings! Great wine!
Solid also has 1/2 off well drinks, draft beers, $2 off all wines by the glass and $1 off appetizers from 4pm-6pm & 10pm-midnight
Toy POP!
780 W Main St • 2088590095
Shop Kid-Friendly
Toy POP will be open until 8:00 for First Thursday.
We have the best stocking stuffers for all ages!
Take 10% off* when you spend $50 or more (*excludes LEGO).
Holiday cards and gift wrap are 20% off.
The Record Exchange
1105 W Idaho St • (208) 344-8010
Shop Kid-Friendly
For one day only on First Thursday, December 4, you can save money on Record Exchange gift cards!
Snag $50 gift cards for $40* and $25 gift cards for $20* – no limit! This offer is available in person and via phone by calling (208) 344-8010. In-store pickup or shipping available with phone orders.
*Gift cards are not redeemable for merchandise on the day of purchase.
OTHER FIRST THURSDAY DEALS:
– $9.99 Give the Gift of Music CDs and select $9.99 new vinyl
– Select sale-priced top sellers and staff picks on vinyl and CD
– Up to 50% off select new vinyl titles
FIRST THURSDAY HOURS:
Gift shop/espresso opens at 8:30am, music side opens at 10am. We close both sides of the store at 7pm.
Lee's Candies
805 w Bannock •
Shop Kid-Friendly Activity
You do not want to miss out on this unforgettable first Thursday! For first Thursday we will be having the one and only Santa Clause coming to our candy store from 6-7:30! That's not all we will also be having a special deal, 25% off of gift boxes with the purchase of 2 or more! We will also have a prize wheel that you can spin with every purchase, win up to 15% off of your purchase or win up to 4 pieces of chocolate for FREE! Along with free samples for anyone! Hope to see you there!
Solid Grill & Bar
405 S 8th St • (208) 345-6620
Art Shop Music Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly Activity
FREE WINE TASING & ART SHOW BY THE AMAZING NORMAN NELSON! Fantastic paintings! Great wine!
Solid also has 1/2 off well drinks, draft beers, $2 off all wines by the glass and $1 off appetizers from 4pm-6pm & 10pm-midnight
Title Nine
170 N 8th St • (208) 342-1493
Shop
Shop Local/Shop Women owned/ Shop our event 1st Thursday 20 % off your purchase. In store Gift with purchase
(while supplies last). Raffle for Torque Body Shop
We will have some of our LOCAL Fearless Unstoppable women with us;
Wild Hearts Idaho
Emerge Author Angie Lion
Flexologists from StretchLab.
Stop in and grab gifts for all of the Unstoppable Women in your life !
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.
🎨 Drop in from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. and get creative in our FREE Studio Art Exploration program in BAM’s Education Studios. Make an abstract landscape painting, inspired by the current exhibition “Myths, Fables, and Fortunes: Our Place Within the Landscape.”
Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
🎁Stop by the BAM STORE to find holiday cards and creative gifts for everyone on your list—from puzzles and books, to home décor, jewelry, toys, and more! The BAM Members’ Appreciation 💥SALE💥 starts TODAY. BAM Members receive 20% off regularly priced items, December 4-7, 2025. Join Today!
Idaho Art Gallery
702 W Idaho St • (208) 733-4134
Art Shop
Artist Reception | First Impressions: Cody White Solo Exhibition
Celebrate the beauty of the West at the opening reception for Cody White’s solo exhibition 'First Impressions' at IAG Boise! Experience the majesty of the Rocky Mountains brought to life in Cody’s richly textured, large-scale oil paintings.
This exhibition runs alongside our ongoing Open Theme Exhibition, showcasing over 25 local and nationally acclaimed artists. Meet Cody, enjoy lively art conversation, and discover stunning works—all available for purchase. Bring a friend and join us for an evening of inspiration, creativity, and community!
Boise Contemporary Theater
854 Fulton St • (208) 331-9224
Art Shop Music Food & Beverage
Join us for discounted drinks and tickets only available during our First Thursday Happy Hour: 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Tickets to ALL IS CALM are $20 for preview nights and/or 20% off other performances (excluding opening and closing nights) when you buy directly from our box office during this event. Enjoy complimentary charcuterie while you browse selected works by local artist Garth Claassen, who will be on hand, including a new piece made especially for this show! Take advantage of our discounted drinks and then head to our pub at 6 pm to enjoy Carolers provided by Opera Idaho! Festivities end at 6:30 pm, just as the theater house opens, so you can get a ticket to that night’s show for only $20 and relax in the theater with your discounted drink, you clever thing!
Events:
5:30-6:30 pm Happy Hour in the BCT Lobby
6:00-6:30 pm Carolers provided by Opera Idaho in BCT's Ghost Light Pub
6:30 pm Seating begins for that night's performance of ALL IS CALM
7:00 pm Performance of ALL IS CALM begins
Mixed Greens
213 N 9th St • (208) 344-1605
Shop Music Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly
Mixed Greens invites you to join us for December's First Thursday from 5 pm to 8 pm
The store and the staff are filled with holiday spirit! We will have live music by Eric Henderson, beer sips from Payette Brewing and the Idaho Botanical Garden will be here promoting Winter Garden Aglow! We are also supporting the Idaho Foodbank with a December food drive, drop off 2 cans of food, or make at least a $5.00 donation and we will enter you in our drawing for a $100.00 store gift card!
Leap Photography
106 N 6th St • 208-703-7360
Art Shop
The Leap Photography studio will be open to the public on Thursday, December 4th, 2025. We've just moved into a new space, and we'd love for you to check it out. The studio doors will be open to the public from 5-8pm
Stop in, tour the studio and browse through Leap Photography's portrait work or purchase one of our speciality items. Greeting cards, prints and magnets from our fine art projects will be available for purchase.
Take the steps to the 2nd floor, take a left, and find our studio around the corner.
We'd love it if you stopped in to say hello!
Date: December 4, 2025
Time: 5 pm- 8 pm
Address: 106 N 6th St #M5, Boise, ID 83702 (located in the historic Pioneer Tent Building)
ART HAUS BAR by KIN
999 W Main St •
Art Shop Music Food & Beverage Kid-Friendly Activity
The Holiday season is here! Come on in to ART HAUS BAR for HOT NOODZ, games, Burger, music, fried chicken, fun, cocktails, NA cocktails, and EGG NOG FLIGHTS!
Grab a gift certificate for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, anything you want to celebrate!