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Boises entertainment matches its landscape?colorful and expansive. Enormous hot-air balloons fill the summer sky during the Boise River Festival. Rodeo clowns, clad in red-and-white-striped long johns, entertain audiences at the Snake River Stampede. Music vibrates off downtown buildings during Alive After Five. Actors recite Shakespeare, surrounded by Boises rolling mountains. National acts hit the Idaho Center and Bank of America Centre. Boise might surprise visitors with the breadth of its entertainment offerings. Below are some of the highlights, but always check the local newspapers, the Idaho Statesmen and the Boise Weekly, for updates. Honoring the Cowboy The Snake River Stampede blows into the Boise Valley every July. Reminding Idahoans of their cowboy roots, "the wildest, fastest show on earth" is a colorful collection of cowboy and cowgirl events, including rodeo clowns and bull-riding. The Caldwell Night Rodeo, also considered to be one of the top rodeos in the nation, offers its nightly boot-stomping entertainment during August. Sagebrush Sports Until recently the annual rodeos were the only professional sport that Boise offered. Today, sports lovers can enjoy baseball with the Anaheim Angels affiliate, the Boise Hawks, or catch a game of hoops with the Continental Basketball Associations Idaho Stampede. Fast-paced arena football, featuring the Idaho Stallions, can be found at the Bank of America Centre. Rounding out Boises professional sports offerings are minor league ice hockeys Idaho Steelheads, perhaps the most popular professional team in the area. For a town that loves its outdoors, its not surprising that Boise hosts several annual sporting events. Cyclists fly past admiring crowds at the Twilight Criterium, and the worlds longest women-only cycling event, the HP Laserjet Womens Challenge, takes place on some of Boises backroads. Golfers can catch a glimpse of legend Arnold Palmer at the Buy.com Boise Open.
Shakespeare to Soul Sports are not the only annual events that Boise has to offer. There is a festival for every interest, particularly during the summer. If traveling and eating go hand-in-hand for you, then plan a trip to include the Boise Soul Food Extravaganza or Greek Food Festival. Colorful dancers highlight the San Inazio Basque Festival while hot-air balloons have come to represent the Boise River Festival. For eclectic shopping in a funky neighborhood, head to the Hyde Park Street Fair. If you would rather hear classic fiddle tunes, then check out the National Old Time Fiddlers Contest and Festival. The annual Gene Harris Jazz Festival, honoring the late jazz pianist, brings international jazz musicians to Boise. Another annual event, the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, attracts crowds from June through September for its outdoor productions of Shakespeare, other classic playwrights and even some contemporary works. Uncovering the Arts While musical and theatrical festivals are common during the summer, there are several venues that offer the arts all year. The Morrison Center for the Performing Arts hosts the Boise Philharmonic Orchestra, Opera Idaho and Ballet Idaho. The angelic voices of the Boise Master Chorale can often be heard accompanying the Boise Philharmonic Orchestra. Theatergoers won't find the bright lights of Broadway burning in Boise, but there are two local companies that offer entertaining community theater. The Boise Little Theater, celebrating its 51st year, performs at a distinctive dome-shaped theater located at Fort Boise Park. Contemporary theater is also offered by the Stage Coach Theatre. In addition, the Morrison Center often hosts national touring companies. The Boise Art Museum is also a cultural focal point. The museum is not only home to a variety of art exhibits and programs, it also participates in downtown Boises First Thursday, and hosts BAM After Hours and the annual Art in the Park. Located near the museum is the Log Cabin Literary Center, offering author readings and writing workshops. Boises diverse history has resulted in an originial museum mixture, including the Idaho Black History Museum, Basque Museum and Cultural Center, and Idaho Historical Museum. History buffs won't want to miss the Idaho Military History Museum, Old Idaho Penintentiary, Fort Boise Park and Old Fort Boise. Children will also enjoy exploring the old forts and the Pioneer Village, located adjacent to the Idaho Historical Museum. Science Lessons The Idaho Discovery Center and Morrison-Knudsen Nature Center, with its underwater views of the Boise River, will fascinate young scientists. Scientists of all ages will enjoy the World Center for Birds of Prey, featuring more than 200 birds, and Zoo Boise, located in Julia Davis Park. Wild-life viewing is also possible along the Boise River Greenbelt and at the Snake River Birds of Prey Conservation Area, south of Boise. Wannabe firefighters will be intrigued with the National Interagency Fire Center, featuring the newest in fire-fighting technology. Downtown Action Eventually, all night-loving visitors and residents alike find themselves in downtown Boise, searching for a cold beverage or toe-tapping tunes. On Wednesday evenings during the summer, stroll over to the Grove for people watching and live music at Alive After Five. There are also bars and clubs where you can dance until the wee hours of the morning. For a truly late night marathon, check out Sixth & Main at Joes. The House of Hoi Polloi and Rebecca Scott Decision, two favorite Boise bands, can sometimes be caught at Tom Graineys. Longtime nightspot, Hannahs, can be relied on for solid musical entertainment and dancing while the alternative dance club scene is found at the Emerald Club and the Neurolux. Blues fans will fit right in at the Blues Bouquet. If you're looking for swing-dancing then hop a cab to Shortys in Garden City. Finally, if you just want to escape into the night, retire to the Gamekeeper Lounge or Pengillys Saloon. Boise is home to folk musician, Rosalie Sorrels, so its not surprising that folk music is offered at different venues including the Kulture Klatsch near the Eighth Street Marketplace. The marketplace is also home to the Funny Bone Comedy Club, where you can catch local and national comedians trying to hit the big time. Flicks The Eighth Street Marketplace also offers first-run independent films at the Flicks. You can find first-run mainstream movies at the Egyptian Theatre, however, the theater itself is anything but mainstream. More mainstream fare is available at the Edwards 21 Cinema, home to the Edwards Boise Imax. Boise will leave its mark on your memory, long after you've packed your bags and hopped on the plane for home. Maybe it will be a local comedian at the Funny Bone Comedy Club, the architecture of the Egyptian Theatre or a barrel racer at the Snake River Stampede that will stay with you the longest. Whatever that memory is, Boise will probably be the only place you visit where you can go from world-class rodeo to Shakespeare in the same weekend. |
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