With its chilly mornings and frosty landscapes, the month of December brings a sense of joy and magic. The holiday season is upon us, and there are a plethora of events and festivities to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year! With the Nutcracker Ballet, Winter Garden-a-Glow, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and the new ice-skating rink on The Grove Plaza, Glide on Grove– the Treasure Valley is the perfect place to spend the holidays!
Christmas
Celebrate the joy of the season in glittering fashion with the beloved holiday classic, the Nutcracker, or spread the holiday cheer at the ultimate Boise Santa Bar Crawl!
- A Charlie Brown Christmas: November 16-December 3
- Christmas in Color: November 17-January 1
- Winter Garden aGlow: November 23-December 31
- Winter Wonderland at Indian Creek Plaza: Thanksgiving until the first week of January
- Vintage Market Days presents “A Merry Little Christmas”: December 1-2
- Dance Allegro Academy – The Nutcracker: December 1,15,16,17
- Boise Christmas Show: December 1-3
- A Twisted Christmas Carol: December 1-23
- Elijah Rock – White Christmas: December 1-2
- Hip Holiday Craft Market: December 2, 9am
- Boise Holiday Parade: December 2, 10am
- Eguberriko Azoka – Basque Christmas Market: December 3, 11am – 4pm
- Gentri Christmas: December 5, 7pm
- Jeremy McComb Christmas Cowboy Style: December 5, 7pm
- Boise State University Annual Holiday Concert: December 7, 7:30pm
- Boise SantaCon 2023: December 9
- Pictures with Krampus!: December 9, 3pm-5pm
- Boise Santa Bar Crawl: December 9, 4pm
- Pub Pioneers Santa Stumble Pub Crawl: December 9, 5pm-11pm
- West Abbey Road – A Beatles Christmas: December 9-10
- Christmas with Elvis: December 15-16, 7:30pm
- The Nutcracker: December 15-24
- Christmas Craft Fair: December 16, 9am -3pm
- Sagebrush Collaborative’s Holiday Market: December 17, 9am-5pm
- It’s a Frim Fram 4 Christmas: December 17, 7pm
- Christmas with Elvis: December 17, 7:30pm
- Sisters in Songwriting – A Holiday Duet Showcase: December 19, 7pm
- A Very JCDC Christmas: December 21, 7pm
New Year’s
Whether you’re counting down the seconds with friends and family, watching fireworks light up the sky, or simply savoring a quiet moment of introspection, celebrating New Year’s in 2023 offers an opportunity for collective joy and community experiences.
From Idaho’s signature holiday event, The Idaho Potato Drop, with live music and an Urban Air exhibition, to enjoying a jam session brought to you by Grateful, the popular Grateful Dead tribute band– Boise offers a memorable line-up of events!
- Idaho Potato Drop: December 31, 6pm
- Dark Desert Highway: December 31, 6pm
- Rabbit Rager! New Years Eve Party: December 31, 6pm
- New Year’s Eve Dueling Pianos!: December 31, 6pm
- Micky & the Motorcars: December 31, 8pm
- Grateful: December 31, 8pm
- The Last Call New Year’s Eve Ball: December 31, 8:30pm
- New Year’s Eve Party with The Saloonatics: December 31, 9pm
- New Years Day Run: Jan 1, 10am
Family
Just because the temperatures have dropped doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a day at Zoo Boise! Or, if you prefer to stay inside, walk among the dinosaurs at the Jurassic Quest!
- $3 Thursdays at Zoo Boise: Thursdays in December 1-3pm
- Jurassic Quest: December 8-10
Stay Active
Walk, trot, dash, prance, or ramble at the Star Riverhouse for the SW Idaho Business Alliance Reindeer Ramble!
- Reindeer Ramble: December 2, 10am
- YMCA Christmas Run: December 23, 10am
Festivals & Events
Football and potatoes! The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl is the longest-running cold-weather bowl game in college football. It has hosted 28 different universities and has seen 21 first-round NFL Draft picks come through. The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl is a celebration of the spirit of winter in the beautiful Idaho mountains!
- AMA Arenacross Championship: December 1-3pm
- Idaho Potato Bowl: December: December 23, 1:30pm
Arts & Music
Celebrate the magic of the holiday season with a night of festive music at the Boise Philharmonic at the Morrison Center.
In the spirit of Christmas, help kids at the Toys for Tots Fundraiser! The Riverside’s annual night of fun, food and drinks, and above all making a difference in the lives of children in need.
- Ishi: December 1, 7pm
- Living Legends & Brother Ali: December 2, 8pm
- Emo Nite: December 2, 9pm
- DJ RAFA: December 2, 10pm
- Hiss Golden Messenger: December 5, 8pm
- The Mystics: December 7, 7pm
- Boise State University Annual Holiday Concert: December 7, 7:30pm
- Must Die!, Tisoki, Doctor Chubs: December 7, 8pm
- Hair – The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical: December 8-23
- Jeff Rosenstock: December 8, 7pm
- Essential Jazz: December 8, 7pm
- Anuhea: December 10, 7pm
- Southall: December 10, 8pm
- Highly Suspect: December 11, 8pm
- Guilty Pleasure: December 12, 7pm
- Toys for Tots Fundraiser – with Brooke Nicole and the Jake Leg Band: December 13, 7pm
- Rae Gordon Band “Blues will Be Ringing”: December 14, 7pm
- Concert for Cause – Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness: December 14, 7pm
- Sidepiece: December 15, 7pm
- Zakk Sabbath: December 15, 8pm
- Tanner Usrey: December 17, 8pm
- Gill Landry: December 20, 7pm
- Marcus Eaton: December 22, 7pm
- Joshy Soul: December 22, 7pm
- The Blues Addicts with special guests The Brass Tacks Horns: December 23, 7pm
- Nightmare Christmas: December 23, 7pm
- Broadway in Boise – Six the Musical: December 27-31
- The Notables and Push2Play: December 28, 7pm
- Smooth Avenue: December 29, 7pm
- Afrosonics: December 29, 7pm
- Reggaeton Night: December 29, 9pm
- Corey James Grubb Band: December 30, 7pm
- Pixie and the Partygrass Boys and Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs: December 30, 8pm
- Zoso – The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience: December 30, 8pm
December truly shines as a month filled with experiences, a deep sense of community spirit, and the joy of the season. Immerse yourself in the glowing holiday lights, indulge in the local delicacies at festive markets, or explore the breathtaking winter landscapes. As you bid farewell to 2023 and welcome 2024, there are adventures to experience and lifelong memories to be made!
“December, being the last month of the year, cannot help but make us think of what is to come.” — Fennel Hudson