5 things to do this weekend: Soul Food Fest returns to Boise, Horror Con terrorizes hotel
The weekend is here. Looking for fun events? Things to do?
Prepare to fill your calendar.
1. Devour soul food
After a detour in Meridian last year, the Boise Soul Food Festival returns to the City of Trees this Saturday. Featuring tons of food vendors, the vibrant event will fill Julia Davis Park, 700 S. Capitol Blvd., with ravenous Idahoans from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. You’ll find Southern-style menus packed with rib tips, chicken, fried catfish, collard greens, hot links, sweet tea and — oh yeah — those giant smoked turkey legs. There’s vegan soul food, too. Expect lots of festive live music, plus a kids zone. It’s free to enter; just head down to the park with an appetite. Online: boisesoulfood.org.
2. Go to a concert
Live music highlights:
▪ Hooveriii — “A Round of Applause” record release show: 8 p.m. Friday, Neurolux, 111 N. 11th St., Boise. $10. TicketWeb. $15 at the door. Special guests: Monde UFO, Moon Owl’s Mages.
▪ Buckcherry: 6 p.m. Aug. 13 (doors; band goes on later), Stoney’s Road House, 1050 Cascade Road, Emmett. $32.50-$52.50. Opening: Bad Marriage. stoneysroadhouse.com.
▪ Petite Amie: 8 p.m. Aug. 13, Neurolux, 111 N. 11th St., Boise. $10. TicketWeb. $12 at the door. Opening: Endless Atlas.
▪ Smells Live Nirvana: 8 p.m. Aug. 13, Knitting Factory, 416 S. 9th St., Boise. $13 general, $35-$45 reserved balcony. Ticketmaster.
▪ Bonnie Raitt: 7 p.m. Aug. 14, Outlaw Field, Idaho Botanical Garden, 2355 N. Penitentiary Road, Boise. $75. Mavis Staples opens. Ticketmaster.
▪ Lukas Nelson & Promise of The Real: 8 p.m. Aug. 14, Knitting Factory, 416 S. 9th St., Boise. $27.50. Ticketmaster.
▪ Red Fang: 8 p.m. Aug. 14, The Olympic, 1009 W. Main St., Boise. $20. TicketWeb. $25 at the door. Special guests: Bell Witch and Aerial Ruin: Stygian Bough and HELP.
3. Meet Leatherface
Halloween isn’t that far away. Get an early scare at Idaho Halloween and Horror Con. This all-weekend convention “features over 100 hours of programming and embraces all of the best parts of Halloween: costumes, haunted houses, scary movies, paranormal investigations ... you name it, it’s represented,” according to its Facebook page. Other highlights include actor Brett Wagner (the “Lost Leatherface,” who will appear in full costume for photo ops), artists, Q&As, an Undead Buffet, a cash costume contest and more. It runs Friday through Sunday at the Red Lion Hotel Boise Downtowner, 1800 W. Fairview Ave. Get more information at idahohorror.com.
4. Hit a baseball game
The Boise Hawks are in town facing the Missoula Paddleheads (yes, Paddleheads!) all weekend. Games start at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, at Memorial Stadium, 5600 N. Glenwood St., in Garden City. The price is right for Hawks games: $9-$15. Call (208) 322-5000 or visit boisehawks.com for tickets.
5. Do Shakespeare
Speaking of horror, Idaho Shakespeare Festival is putting on “Little Shop of Horrors” during August. It’s the penultimate play being presented by the company this summer. Show time is 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and at 7 p.m. Sunday (no mini-concert). The ISF Amphitheater is at 5657 Warm Springs Ave. in Boise. Tickets are $40-$61 Fridays-Saturdays, $34-$49 Sundays. Any night, it’s $25 for students with valid ID. To check for ticket availability, call (208) 336-9221 or visit idahoshakespeare.org.
