Start 2020 with free skiing, tunes and a road trip to the McCall Winter Carnival

It’s true — 2020 hits us this week.

Have you thought about your New Year’s resolutions yet?

If one of them is to get out of the house and see more concerts, you’ll have plenty of options to get started right away.

Country lovers should boot-scoot over to Wynonna & The Big Noise (Jan. 22) or Randy Houser (Jan. 25).

Boise Phil performs its Fantasies + Legends concerts Jan. 17 (Nampa) and Jan. 18 (Boise).

If you prefer comedians to bands, check out Demetri Martin (Jan. 10) or George Lopez (Jan. 19). (You have to be one of the lucky ones to have tickets to the sold-out Jerry Seinfeld show.)

For those looking to tie the knot this year, the Boise Bridal Show (Jan. 4-5) will help organize that special day.

Wanna ski ... for free? Check out the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation’s website for locations participating in Free Ski Day on Saturday, Jan. 4.

And don’t forget to set time aside for a little road trip at the end of this month for a celebration of all things winter. Yep, the McCall Winter Carnival kicks of Jan. 24 and this year’s theme is “It’s a kids world!”

Festivals/Fairs

Winter Garden aGlow: 6 to 9 p.m. daily (last admission at 8:30 p.m.), through Saturday, Jan. 4, Idaho Botanical Garden, 2355 N. Penitentiary Road, Boise. Display of more than 380,000 sparkling lights with special visits from Santa, local choirs, vendors, more. $10 general, $8 IBG members and children 5-12, in advance. Admission is $2 more at the gate, free for ages 4 and younger. 208-343-8649, idahobotanicalgarden.org.

Boise Bridal Show: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5, Boise Centre, 850 W. Front St. Featuring runway fashion shows, tastings and displays from the area’s most trusted wedding professionals. Shop around (and book) every facet of your special day all under one roof. $8 advance, $10 at the door; $50 VIP. boisebridalshow.com.

Western Idaho Fly Fishing Expo: Noon to 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, Expo Idaho, 5610 N. Glenwood St., Garden City. Speakers, exhibit hall, two indoor casting ponds, more. Hosted by Boise Valley Fly Fishers. $10 admission, free for children 13 and younger.

McCall Winter Carnival: Friday, Jan. 24, through Sunday, Feb. 2, McCall. Snow sculptures, Torchlight and Mardi Gras Parades, music, daily events spanning everything from comedy shows to art auctions, snow bike races to the Monster Dog Pull, more. visitmccall.org/events/winter-carnival.

Music

Winter Blues Weekend: 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 9-11, The Sapphire Room, Riverside Hotel, 2900 W. Chinden Blvd., Boise. Jan. 9: Jake Blues & The Silverbacks, Deb Michels Gang, Trials and Tribulations. Jan. 10: RJ McGinnis, Blank Check, Tone Kings. Jan. 11: Zack Quintana Band, Blind Harpdog’s All Star Band, Sawtooth Blues Band. Jan. 9: $12 general, $17 preferred. Jan. 10-11: $15 general, $20 preferred. eventbrite.com.

Wynonna & The Big Noise:

▪ 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, Colonial Theater, 450 A St., Idaho Falls. $45.50-$69. 208-522-0471, idahofallsarts.org.

▪ 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22, Nampa Civic Center, 311 3rd St. S. $55-$85. ICTickets, 208-442-3232.

Performance Arts

Boise Phil Fantasies + Legends: Pre-concert lecture with Jamey Lamar at 6:30 p.m. 208-344-7849, boisephil.org.

▪ Nampa concert: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17, Brandt Center, Northwest Nazarene University, 707 Fern St. $20-$49. Student discounts available.

▪ Boise concert: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, Morrison Center, 2201 Cesar Chavez Lane. $20-$66. Student discounts available.

Spectator Sports

Boise State Broncos men’s basketball: ExtraMile Arena, 1401 Bronco Lane, Boise. $10-$20 general, $9-$19 seniors, $8-$18 juniors, unless otherwise noted. 208-426-4737, broncosports.com.

▪ Wednesday, Jan. 1: vs. Wyoming, 6 p.m.

▪ Wednesday, Jan. 8: vs. UNLV, 7 p.m.

▪ Saturday, Jan. 18: vs. Utah State, 8 p.m. $20-$30 general, $19-$29 seniors, $18-$28 juniors

▪ Wednesday, Jan. 29: vs. San Jose State, 7 p.m.

Idaho Steelheads hockey: 7:10 p.m., CenturyLink Arena, 233 S. Capitol Blvd., Boise. $12-$40. CenturyLink Arena, 208-331-8497.

▪ Wednesday, Jan. 15, and Friday-Saturday, Jan. 17-18: vs. Tulsa Oilers

▪ Friday-Saturday, Jan. 31-Feb. 1: vs. Rapid City Rush

Theater

HomeGrown Theatre’s “Lungs”: 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 2-4, Gem Center for the Arts, 2417 W. Bank Drive, Boise. $10-$35. 208-410-8010, hgtboise.org.

“Fiddler on the Roof”: 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5, Morrison Center, 2201 Cesar Chavez Lane, Boise. $40-$75. Ticketmaster, 208-426-1110.

Stage Coach Theatre’s “Exit the Body”: 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, Jan. 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 31-Feb. 1; 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Jan. 16, 23 and 30; and 2 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 19 and 26, 4802 W. Emerald St., Boise. $15. For Thursdays and matinees: $12 seniors, military, students. 208-342-2000, stagecoachtheatre.com.

Boise Little Theater’s “Second Samuel”: 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, Jan. 17-18, 24-25, 31-Feb. 1; 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Jan. 23 and 30; and 2 p.m. Jan. 26 and Feb. 1, 100 E. Fort St. $15 general, $12 students, seniors, military, children 17 and younger. 208-342-5104, boiselittletheater.org.

Boise Contemporary Theater’s “Slow Food”: 7 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays and 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, Jan. 29 through Feb. 15; and 2 p.m. matinees Feb. 8 and 15, 854 Fulton St. $38 Fridays-Saturdays, $28 Wednesdays-Thursdays and matinees, $22 Wednesday-Friday preview (Jan. 29-31), $18 all student tickets. 208-331-9224, bctheater.org.

“The Play That Goes Wrong”: 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1; and 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2, Morrison Center, 2201 Cesar Chavez Lane, Boise. $40-$80. Ticketmaster.

Other

MLK Living Legacy Celebration: Free. 208-426-5950, boisestate.edu/mlk.

▪ Day of Greatness March and Rally to Capitol, 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 20, Jordan Ballroom, Student Union Building, Boise State University. Poster-making session, 8:30 a.m., Jordan Ballroom.

▪ Keynote, 7 to 9 p.m. Mondy, Jan. 27, Special Events Center, Boise State University. Eric Love, former BSU Student Body President and current Director of Staff Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Notre Dame will speak on “Lessons From the Past for a Path to the Future.”

Daily Calendar

Jan. 3

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: 1:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3, Albertsons Stadium, 1400 Bronco Lane, Boise. Ohio Bobcats vs Nevada Wolf Pack. $20, $30, $50. famousidahopotatobowl.com.

Jan. 4

Free Ski Day: Applies to any of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation’s 18 Park N’ Ski locations. Many of the parks will be hosting additional events and activities, such as free lessons, refreshments, and rental discounts. For a list of the statewide locations, go to parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/free-ski-day.

Old Boise Model Railroad Club Holiday Open House: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4, Pioneer Building (basement), 6th and Main streets, Boise. Model trains running through scenic towns, mountains and industries. See passenger, freight, steam, diesel and special Christmas trains. Free. oldboisemrc.org.

Jan. 5

Eric Johnson: 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5, Revolution Center, 4983 N. Glenwood St., Garden City. $25-$65. eventbrite.com.

Jan. 10

Front Street Fights 21: 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10, CenturyLink Arena, 233 S. Capitol Blvd., Boise. Featherweight title is on the line as Andrew “Hurricane” Cruz defends his belt against challenger Terrance “T.Wrecks” McKinney. $20-$50. CenturyLink Arena, 208-331-8497.

Demetri Martin: 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10, Knitting Factory, 416 S. 9th St., Boise. $37.50 and $45. TicketWeb, 866-468-7624.

Jan. 12

Big Head Todd and The Monsters: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12, Revolution Center, 4983 N. Glenwood St., Garden City. Opening: J.D. Simo. $25 general ($30 door), $55 VIP. Ticketfly, 877-435-9849.

Jan. 15

Subtronics: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, Knitting Factory, 416 S. 9th St., Boise. Opening: He$h, Chee, Bommer, Level Up. $15 general ($20 door), $35 reserved. TicketWeb, 866-468-7624.

Jan. 19

George Lopez: 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19, Morrison Center, 2201 Cesar Chavez Lane, Boise. $49.50 and $59.50. Ticketmaster, 208-426-1110.

Jan. 20

Black Violin: 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20, Egyptian Theatre, 700 W. Main St., Boise. $35, $45 and $55. Ticketmaster, 208-426-1766.

Jan. 24

Jessica E. Jones and Friends Recital: 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, Cathedral of the Rockies, 717 N. 11th St., Boise. Grammy Award-winning soprano will perform some of her favorite pieces, accompanied by local pianist Betsi Hodges. $30 general, $20 students and seniors. 208-343-1871, operaidaho.org.

Black Tiger Sex Machine: 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, Knitting Factory, 416 S. 9th St., Boise. $30 general ($35 door), $65 reserved. TicketWeb, 866-468-7624.

Jan. 25

“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” in Concert: 1 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, Morrison Center, 2201 Cesar Chavez Lane, Boise. Boise Philharmonic will perform the score live as the film is projected on a giant screen. $54-$84. Ticketmaster, 208-426-1110.

Robert Burns Night: 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, The Riverside Hotel, 2900 W. Chinden Blvd., Boise. Featuring The Boise Highlanders, The City of Trees Pipes and Drums, poetry, Scottish Highland dancing, dinner, no-host scotch whisky bar. $35 general, $12 children 4-11, at Need to Bead or 208-283-2563, boisehighlanders.com.

Randy Houser: 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, Knitting Factory, 416 S. 9th St., Boise. $32 general ($35 door), $75-$90 reserved. TicketWeb, 866-468-7624.

Jan. 28

Hot Club of Cowtown: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, Cinder Winery, 107 E. 44th St., Garden City. Opening: Andy Byron and Rob Harding. $20-$45. Brown Paper Tickets.

Jan. 29

Reverend Horton Heat: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, The Olympic, 1009 Main St., Boise. Opening: The Buttertones, Hillstomp, Bloodshot Bill. $22.50. TicketWeb, 866-468-7624. $25 day of show.

Jan. 31

Whitey Morgan: 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, Knitting Factory, 416 S. 9th St., Boise. $27 general, $60-$75 reserved. TicketWeb, 866-468-7624.

This story was originally published December 27, 2019 at 2:04 PM.