BOISE, Idaho — As music fans gear up for Boise’s biggest festival of the year, downtown Boise is making final preparations for Treefort Music Fest, which is set to kick off next week. However, organizers are also contending with ongoing construction along Capitol Boulevard, which has impacted pedestrian access to Julia Davis Park, the site of the festival's main stage.
Festival Director Eric Gilbert acknowledges the challenges posed by the construction but remains optimistic. “We’re working with partners at CCDC [Capital City Development Corporation] and others, and they are going to wrap up that construction right before the festival,” he said. “They have some temporary fixes to some of the pedestrian spots, and so I think people will be pleasantly surprised. There’ll be a little reprieve from the construction during the festival.”
Entering its 13th year, Treefort continues to grow alongside the city. What began in 2012 in an undeveloped Linen District has evolved into a citywide event. The move to Julia Davis Park, a more central and expansive location, reflects not only Boise's growth but also the increasing demand for a larger festival space. Gilbert noted the transformation, stating, “When we started Treefort in 2012, there was a lot of empty space in downtown Boise. For 10 years, we were on surface-level parking. Now, granted, we're big fans of density, and we really like the trajectory where Boise is going. But as it has grown, the only real location for an event like ours, especially for the outdoor portion, is Julia Davis Park. We’ve had to evolve along with the city.”
With stages spread across the city, festival organizers have emphasized safety as thousands of attendees navigate between venues, especially considering the increased foot and bike traffic expected downtown. Gilbert assured that public safety is always a priority, explaining, “A lot of our fan base walks or rides bikes around town. We have a lot of attention put to vehicle traffic downtown. Public safety is a huge top-of-mind thing for us. We've historically had really great crowds that are respectful of the downtown.”
Treefort remains a showcase for up-and-coming talent across multiple genres, from country and Americana to electronic and punk. Gilbert highlighted the festival's diverse offerings, stating, “Treefort is sort of genre-agnostic; there’s not really any specific genre. It’s more that it showcases up-and-comers. There truly is something for everyone, and we always encourage people to come down.”
For more details about the festival lineup and events, check out our full event guide.
