5 Things to Do This Weekend in Boise: New karaoke chain, new restaurants, Darkest Night
1. Sing the hits
Practice your Justin Timberlake falsetto. Voicebox Karaoke, a Portland-based chain, debuts from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday at 781 W. Front St. The lounge features eight private suites, each equipped with TVs, two microphones and 71,000 songs that you choose via remote control. There’s also restaurant service — and a full bar to give you the confidence to aim for that Michael Jackson note. Voicebox Karaoke prices are $7/hour for regular hours, $11/hour for prime hours; groups are $60/hour for regular hours, $90 hour for prime hours; premier suites are $80/hour for regular hours, $140/hour for prime hours. Moonwalk into the place Saturday — when it’s first come, first served — or go to voiceboxkaraoke.com to make reservations for Sunday and beyond.
2. Visit the dark side
If you love savoring barrel-aged beers, The Darkest Night party is for you. (No? Stay home and sip your lil’ White Claw.) The sixth annual event stomps into Taphouse, 760 W. Main St., from 11 a.m. to midnight Friday. The bar’s taps will spit black stuff like oil geysers. We’re talking monstrous, high-octane beers such as Belching Beaver 2018 Barrel-Aged Mexican Chocolate Peanut Butter Imperial Stout and Boulevard 30th Anniversary Ale: Barrel-Aged Blend. And don’t forget Boise beasts such as Barbarian The Morrigan Woodford Reserve and Mother Earth 4Seasons Imperial Milk Chocolate Mint Stout. If you wear all black, you’ll earn a commemorative glass while supplies last. And if you’re there during the day, don’t be surprised if you’re handed a free sample from a vintage cellared bottle.
3. Eat at a new restaurant
We all have favorite places to eat in Boise. (Hel-lo, Merritt’s at midnight!) But, sometimes, it’s fun to check out the new kid on the block. Alyonka Russian Cuisine recently opened in the former State & Lemp building at 2870 W. State St. Out at Harris Ranch, Lost Shack — a collaboration between Sushi Shack and Lost Grove Brewing — just started slinging sushi and beer at 3724 S. Eckert Road. Sunshine Spice Bakery & Cafe is holding its grand opening Thursday (as in today) at 6911 W. Fairview Ave. And have you checked out Chop Shop BBQ in Caldwell? The restaurant at 716 W. Arthur St. — next to Indian Creek Plaza — is run by the former executive chef at Fork and Alavita in Boise.
4. It’s sports time
▪ Get pumped at CenturyLink Arena. The Idaho Steelheads take on the Fort Wayne Komets on Friday and Saturday night. The puck drops at 7:10 p.m. Hockey tickets range from $12 to $40 (subect to change) at idahosteelheads.com.
▪ Basketball more your style? The Boise State men will face Alabama State in a Saturday afternoon game that starts at 4 at ExtraMile Arena. Tickets are $10-$20 general, $9-$19 seniors, $8-$18 juniors, at broncosports.com.
5. See our kids’ ‘Oz’
Using Story Maker technology and their voice-acting skills, kids from Wilder, Melba and Notus collaborated with schools in 10 states to create the first feature-length animated version of “The Wizard of Oz.” They call it “The WonderGrove Wizard of Oz,” and they’re premiering it at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Egyptian Theatre, 700 W. Main St. Tickets are just $5 general, free for children younger than 18, at idwizofoz.eventbrite.com. Idaho students will sing songs live to accompany their animation, too.
This story was originally published December 12, 2019 at 10:31 AM.