There is so much to do, so many places to go, things to see, hear and taste — we know it can be overwhelming.

That's why the team here at Boise Weekly decided to give you our top picks to get you started. Really, it won't matter what you do or where you go — whatever, whenever and wherever — you're going to have fun, fun, fun and make memories to last … well, to last until next year.

Dress for the weather, be sure to bring water with you, be kind to your fellow Treeforters — and most of all — have fun.

Happy Treefort!

Jeanne's picks

Music: Magic Sword, 12:50 a.m., Thursday, March 22 at Treefort Music Hall, all ages

Local favorite with a cult following, Magic Sword is an epic experience, part synth musical journey, part fantasy/sci-fi immersion. This is a don't-miss event. The Treefort app says it's "an ageless tale of good and evil told through an ever expanding graphic novel with each volume accompanied by an original, synth-heavy soundtrack as well as immersive live performances. … Magic Sword’s followers are called to another plane of existence where the struggle between light and shadow becomes all too real." Editor's note: This is technically on Thursday morning, but at the tail end of Wednesday's revelries.  

Foodfort: Street Eats, 6 - 8 p.m., Thursday, March 21 at Zoo Boise. Tickets: $55, all ages

Fourteen chefs are bringing the heat. Come hungry and try them all. Then, take a stroll through Zoo Boise and see how the other animals are doing. Zoo admission is included with your ticket.

Storyfort: 10 a.m. - noon, Sunday, March 24 at Ochos: Poetry & Mimosas with Shy Watson, Cash Compson, Lyd Havens, 21+

By the time Sunday rolls around, I know I will have to unglue my eyes in the morning and take in the last day of Treefort 12. But not too early! A little Poetry and Mimosas will get me back on track. The event has become kind of a tradition for the festival: "A splash of orange juice, champagne, and some of the very best poets in their element. Come and close-out Storyfort with one of our oldest, very best events: Poetry & Mimosas!"

— Jeanne Huff

Kate's picks

Dragfort: 8 p.m., Saturday, March 23 at The Balcony: A Night with Delta Work, 21+

From the Dragfort schedule on the Treefort website: "Legendary Emmy Award-winning drag queen Delta Work ("RuPaul’s Drag Race") hosts this Luxury Public Access Podcast and YouTube Talk Show where she looks gorgeous, welcomes very special guests, and goes off on important issues that are Very Delta, from good fast-food drive-through manners to the perfect 'sexretary' shoe." Yes, please, I want to hear her go off. It will be a night of personal delight. Tip: Bring lots of dollar bills for the tips!

Music: 12:50 a.m., Monday, March 25 at Pengilly's: Lonesome Jetboat Ramblers, 21+

Who doesn’t love some bluegrass tunes, especially at Pengilly's? From the Treefort website: "Coalesced from the hills of Vermont, the swamps of Florida, the spruce bogs of Alaska and the pine barrens of New Jersey, the Lonesome Jetboat Ramblers serve up red hot bluegrass and ballads that will make your lip quiver with memories of unrequited love." I am thrilled to be heading to this late-night (early morning) show to see this amazing ensemble of musicians get down and dirty on stage. "A bluegrass/old time band," it's sure to be a show that makes all our toes start tapping. Editor's note: This is another late night-into-the-wee-hours show so technically on Monday, at the tail end of Sunday.

Yogafort: 1:30 p.m., Sunday, March 24 at Treefort Music Hall: Somatic Sound Journey with Brian Louderbough, all ages

After the endless weekend of music, drag, food and more, I am looking forward to my visit with Boise native Brian Louderbough at Treefort Music Hall. From the Treefort website: "Using a wide variety of unique instruments from around the world such as Tibetan singing bowls, gongs, flutes and hand pans, Brian weaves a lifetime of musical study with many years of spiritual practice to create a unique and deeply moving soundscape experience that both quiets the mind and mystifies the senses." I plan to embark on a healing sound journey and decompress from the enervated festival. I am sure to be very ready for some relaxation to wish Treefort farewell.

— Kate Noden

Naomi's picks

Filmfort: 3:30 p.m., Saturday, March 23 at Boise Centre East, No. 430: "Vanguard Shorts" 

I love short films, and exploring the film space during Treefort is one of my favorite activities, not to mention a nice sensory break from the cold weather and music. Vanguard shorts will show a collection of five short films, including the film "Obibini," the story of female surfers in Ghana, a film I am particularly excited about seeing this year. Plus, there's a Q+A with Cody Duncum and Michael Curtis Johnson.

Storyfort: 2 p.m., Friday, March 22 at Ochos: "From The Body, The Intersection of Writing And Self," with Bridget Quinn, Halle Hill, Jillian Luft, Michelle Lyn King, 21+

Join four writers over a glass of cabernet as they explore our bodies and their relationships to the natural world and the fictional worlds we create. This event will feature an all-star female panel that you don't want to miss.

Music: 3:30 p.m., Sunday, March 24, at Main Stage: DakhaBrakha, all ages

When I found out DakhaBrakha was coming to Treefort this year I literally audibly yelped. This band has been a favorite of mine for many years. They are a world music quartet from Ukraine whose traditional music also infuses Indian, African, Arabic and Ukrainian traditional instruments.

— Naomi Priddy

Hanalei's picks

Artfort: Thursday, March 21 - Sunday, March 24 at Julia Davis Park: Live mural painting 

As an art lover, I’m excited to head to Julia Davis Park this Treefort to get an inside look on how murals are painted from start to finish. The muralists created their own structures to paint on this year, so all of the live mural painting will take place in one hot spot for viewing.

Music: 6:30 p.m., Saturday, March 23 at The Shredder: chokecherry, all ages

I’m always looking for another female band or artist to listen to, and chokecherry has the potential to be my new music obsession. Based out of San Francisco, California, this girl band duo produces music that is a mixture of shoegaze, classic rock and grunge. 

Storyfort: Thursday, March 21 - Saturday, March 23 at Ochos: Author Megan Nolan, 21+

Storyfort is hosting a variety of talented authors and writers this year, including Megan Nolan, author of best-selling novel “Acts of Desperation.” As someone who absolutely loved this novel and devoured it in about two days, I am ecstatic to attend Nolan’s events at Ochos Wine Bar. Nolan will take part in multiple events at Ochos.

6 - 8 p.m., Thursday, March 21 at Ochos: "This is the Place, Season 2: Night One." Readers will perform in quick-succession: "6 minute time limits. Lighting fast stories."  Kimberly King Parsons, Allie Rowbottom, Brian Allen Carr, Megan Nolan, Bud Smith, Kevin Maloney, Shy Watson, Jon Lindsey, Ben Fama, Sam Berman, Halle Hill, Nathan Dragon, Parker Young, Cash Compson, Harris Lahti, Max Schwartz, Kyle Seibel.

Noon - 1 p.m., Friday, March 22 at Ochos: "Allie Rowbottom & Megan Nolan in Conversation"

2 - 3 p.m., Saturday, March 23 at Ochos: "Family Matters: How Lineage Informs Character" with Megan Nolan, Halle Hill and Justin Martell 

— Hanalei Potempa

Emily's picks

Yogafort:  1:30 - 2:30 p.m., Thursday, March 21 at JUMP: "The Body Tells the Story" with Nicole & Teresa

Nicole Beall and Teresa Crowley will be in the JUMP Pioneer Room holding a yoga class for people of all shapes, sizes and abilities. Beall and Crowley opened their yoga studio, 2C Yoga in Nampa, back in 2019 after holding yoga workshops together for several years. Their first studio, located on 218 12th Ave. S., Nampa, is one without mirrors, encouraging folks to feel whether or not they’re doing poses correctly and discouraging the judgment that mirrors can bring. 

In January 2023, I wrote a story about the yoga studio, which was clearly one of Nampa's best-kept secrets. After speaking with Beall, Crowley and several who attend their classes, one thing became incredibly clear: if yoga is meant to be a kind place, one for exercise and for peace, 2C had it down. One thing Beall told me during my interview stuck out to me: “When we say we want you to come here to heal, we really mean it … healing looks different for everybody. And when you walk through the door, we don't know what you're healing from, but we're all carrying something.”

The two have since opened a second studio in Caldwell on 905 Main St. Undoubtedly, their practice during Yogafort will be one where anyone can come to stretch, heal and breathe. 

Music: 7:50 - 8:50 p.m., Friday, March 22 at The Hideout: The National Parks, all ages

The National Parks is a four-person band: Brady Parks on vocals and guitar, Megan Parks on violin, Sydney Macfarlane on vocals and keys and Cam Brannelly on the drums. And yes, Brady and Megan are married with one child and another on the way. The band formed in the Salt Lake City area in Utah in 2013 and follows the theme of their name to a tee — most of the songs are written by Brady Parks, each one incorporating nature as its primary element.

The indie-folk-pop band has over 470,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, their biggest hit being a song about Idaho: "As We Ran." In 2023, the band released its sixth album, titled "8th Wonder," featuring tracks like "Angels," "Great Sky" and "Sunshine," each marveling at the wonders of the world. 

During the "8th Wonder" tour, The National Parks played a sold-out show in Boise in April, also notably selling out two shows in Rexburg on April 20 and 21. I attended the Boise show and it was nothing short of incredible. The humility and power the band possesses is beyond anything I've ever seen before. The National Parks is also a very family-friendly band, so for folks wanting to expose their kids to local music, this show is the perfect choice.  

 — Emily White

Zaudi's picks

Music: Built To Spill, 7 - 8:10 p.m., Thursday, March 21 on the Main Stage

Indie '90s rock band Built To Spill was founded in Boise by Doug Martsch. The band is extremely popular. I am curious to see them perform. I love '90s music and my favorite genre is rock.

Artfort: Soft Opening: Tropico FM Presents: Resonancia: Latinx Colors and Stories, 6 p.m - 1 a.m. Thursday ,March 21 at the Basque Center

Tropical FM is a program of Vivo Latino and is Boise's newest community radio. To represent Latino success they are featuring 12 different artists which all have different mediums they specialize in and they will be creating live paintings. Tattoo artists, watercolor painters and embroidery artists will be there with live music.

Filmfort: Music in Motion No. 1, 1 - 3 p.m. Friday, March 22 at Boise Centre East 

Different mediums of art will be included in six films including: music, sound, poetry, rhythm, editing style, and improvisational storytelling. I am looking forward to seeing GIVE where we are navigated by a composer and poetry to unravel the memories of the composer's relationship with his classical singer ex-boyfriend.