5 things to do this weekend: Boise’s freshest beer fest, MMA fights, David Spade, more

Wondering if there are any fun events this weekend?

Hello? You live in Boise!

1. TASTE FRESH HOPS

If the smell of pure hops makes your eyes roll back with pleasure, it’s impossible to beat the annual Hoptober Freshtival. About 50 fresh-hop and seasonal beers will be poured outside Boise Brewing, 521 W. Broad St., from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15. Organizers expect roughly 25 local and regional breweries to participate, focusing on beers made from green hops harvested hours before they hit the brew kettle. There will be live music, games, bike racing and more. Entry to the block party is free. If you’re drinking, it’s $20 for a stainless-steel cup plus five drink tokens, or $40 for a cup and 10 tokens. Buy in advance at boisebrewing.com/hoptober-freshtival or grab them at the gate for the same price. Want to purchase individual drink tokens? Those will be $4 at the festival.

▪ In mark-your-calendar beer news, Boise’s longtime Pray for Snow festival has been rebranded as Tom Grainey’s Winter Ale Fest. After going on hiatus during the pandemic, a revamped, slightly relocated version of the party will take over the area at 6th and Grove streets on Nov. 19. It will feature over 40 brewery tents, food trucks, the Boise State-Wyoming football game on TVs, a cocktail bar and shopping at about 25 local vendor booths. (Unlike past years, there won’t be a rail jam anymore.) Tickets options vary, but for beer drinkers, it’s still a pay-one-price, sip-as-many tasters-as-you-want event. All ages are welcome. Tickets are on sale at Eventbrite.

2. Watch some fights

If you’re an MMA fan, the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa is the place to be. Fusion Fight League will make its Boise-area debut at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15. The pro main event pits UFC veteran and former Fusion titleholder Hunter Azure (9-3) of Fight Ready MMA in Arizona against SBG Idaho’s Benjamin “The Lion” Hollier (6-2). The evening’s card is slated to include 11 three-round fights. Tickets are $15-$45 at fordidahocenter.com. Can’t go? Livestream pay-per-view will be on FITE.tv.

3. Do a concert

Here are live-music highlights in the Treasure Valley:

“Holding The Line”: No, this isn’t a Toto tribute. This is a country concert featuring Nashville performing artists Kayley Bishop (“The Voice” 2018), Nick DeLeo, Chelsea Stallings and Cody Robbins. A mechanical bull-riding competition and country line dancing will follow the show. 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, Stoney’s Road House, 1050 Cascade Road, Emmett. $27.50-$52.50. stoneysroadhouse.com.

The Quebe Sisters: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, Cinder Winery, 107 E. 44th St., Garden City. $25-$65. Brown Paper Tickets. Special guests: Andy Byron, Steve Baker.

Argonaut & Wasp: 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, The Olympic, 1009 W. Main St., Boise. $12. Eventbrite. $15 at the door. Opening: Hembree, Los Syringas.

Spafford: 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, Neurolux, 111 N. 11th St., Boise. $20. TicketWeb. $25 at the door. Opening: Town of Trees.

Heidi Muller and Bob Webb: Folk duo present a concert of their original songs and traditional Appalachian music. 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, Eagle Community and Senior Center, 312 E. State St., Eagle. $15 at the door. 208-283-8600.

Spencer Crandall: 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, Knitting Factory, 416 S. 9th St., Boise. $20 general, $40 reserved balcony. TicketWeb. Opening: Avery Anna.

4. See a comedy show (or not)

What? You don’t already have tickets to David Spade’s performance at the Morrison Center? Then, “Buh-bye!” Spade’s comedy show Friday, Oct. 14, is sold out. (OK, there was a lonely single ticket left, back in the mezzanine, when this article was published.) Spade, 58, is one of Hollywood’s best-known actor-comedians. Longtime fans remember him as a cast member of “Saturday Night Live” in the 1990s before he went on to prominent roles in silly movies such as “Tommy Boy,” “Black Sheep” and “Joe Dirt.” He’s also part of the goofy gang in the Adam Sandler-led flicks “Grown Ups” and “Grown Ups 2.”

5. Scream

Halloween is right around the corner. That means The Haunted World is terrorizing the valley. “Since the year 2000, we’ve perfected the art of fear,” The Haunted World explains on its website. “As the largest indoor and outdoor haunted attraction and haunted house in the state, we offer more frightening entertainment than anyone else. We offer a spooky experience that is guaranteed to scare the pants off you, your friends, or your family.” It takes around two hours on weekends to do the full experience. Tickets are sold from dusk until midnight starting at $29 plus tax. Or grab them in advance online at hauntedworld.org. The Haunted World is at 20031 Northside Blvd. in Nampa.

This story was originally published October 13, 2022 at 9:09 AM.