Boise Labor Day Weekend Events, September 4 to 6
This is one of the busiest weekends on the Boise calendar all year. The Balloon Classic wraps up its 35th year, Bogus Basin runs its last weekend of summer operations before Labor Day closes things out, and there's a BBQ fest, a wine festival, and enough else going on that picking just one plan feels almost impossible.
Boise Labor Day weekend events, day by day
Friday, September 4
🎈 The Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic kicks off its final stretch with a Morning Flight at 7:20am, balloons lifting off over Ann Morrison Park.
Later that evening, the Nite Glow Spectacular takes over, gates open at 4pm with a new Inflatable Fun Zone, slides, obstacle courses, and a mechanical bull, before the balloons inflate and glow after dark starting at 8:45pm.
🎪 Green Acres Food Truck Park opens early too, 11am to 9:30pm, an easy stop for dinner before heading over to watch the glow.
🧘 Up at Bogus Basin, an evening Yoga on the Mountain session kicks off what's actually the mountain's last weekend of summer operations before it closes for the season on Labor Day.
Saturday, September 5
🎈 Balloons take off together for the Mass Ascension at 7:20am, the single most dramatic morning of the whole event.
🧘 Bogus Basin follows with a morning yoga session, and 🎿 Higher Ground Mountain Adventures runs its second day of adaptive outdoor programming on the mountain starting at 9:45am.
Out in Meridian, 🍖 the Meat & Tater BBQ Fest & Car Show takes over Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park from 10am to 3pm, a KCBS-sanctioned BBQ competition alongside a classic car show, kids zone, and beer garden, hosted by the Meridian Lions Club.
Downtown, 📚 the Boise Comic Arts Festival opens its two day run at Boise Centre, free and family friendly, with an artist alley, cosplay contest, and workshops.
Out toward Caldwell, 🌻 Lovely Hollow Farm opens its fields for flower picking, 9am to 3pm.
The evening brings a full slate of sports and theater.
- ⚾ The Boise Hawks play Idaho Falls the night before their season finale.
- 🏐 Boise State Women's Volleyball takes on Idaho State at ExtraMile Arena.
- 🎭 The Heart of Robin Hood opens its run at Idaho Shakespeare Festival.
🎉 Green Acres Food Truck Park also kicks off a three day Labor Day Weekend celebration starting at 10:30am, running straight through Monday.
And if you're an early riser, 🏃 both The BAR and Boise Galloway hold their regular Saturday morning group runs across the Treasure Valley.
Sunday, September 6
🎈 The Balloon Classic closes out with Dawn Patrol and a final launch, 5:15 to 7:20am, the last chance to catch balloons in the sky before sunrise this year.
🧘 Bogus Basin's Sunday session swaps yoga for a sound bath, still part of the mountain's final summer weekend.
Out in Caldwell, 🍷 the Sunnyslope Wine Festival runs 12 to 5pm at Ste. Chapelle Winery, pours from 20 wineries along the Sunnyslope Wine Trail alongside food trucks and local artisan vendors.
Back in Boise, 📚 the Comic Arts Festival continues, 🦓 Zoo Boise runs its Preschool Zoo program, and 🎭 The Heart of Robin Hood and Mamma Mia both have performances, at Idaho Shakespeare Festival and the Morrison Center respectively.
🎶 Girl In The Garden plays a free outdoor set at Bogus Basin as part of their summer concert series.
🍕 House of the Little Pig hosts a pizza pop up with Bentham's Table starting at 4pm, until they sell out.
And the weekend closes the way it started, with ⚾ the Boise Hawks season finale against Idaho Falls at 7:05pm, the last regular season home game of the year.
