Overheard day one, Treefort 2024: "When Treefort comes to town, it feels like Boise is a different country."
Couldn’t agree more. In fact, when Treefort comes to town it feels like we’re under the once-a-century Brigadoon spell. Only — lucky us. We get to have it every year. Not familiar with Brigadoon? It’s a mid-century story/musical about a magical village in Scotland that only appears once every hundred years.
So, hence the analogy between the fictional Brigadoon and our very own — and very real — Treefort. Besides the overheard comment above, I also heard voiced a number of times this sentiment: We're so lucky.
Agree. Our once-a-year musical fairy tale come to life is truly … something. It brings 30,000 revelers to our fair city, which to all of our credit, we boastfully show off to great fanfare. Hats off and a big bow to the Treefort folks — Lori Shandro and Eric Gilbert who, along with a handful of others, helped bring the festival to life in the first place. Kudos to the Treefort machine that now numbers in the dozens who orchestrate the festival behind the scenes akin to The Great Oz. Much thanks also to the 800 or so volunteers who check us in, build the iconic Treefort signage and stages, pick up our trash and who-knows-what-all-else.Â
Next week, this Treefort 12 will be in our rearview mirror. But for now, I am still in the throes of stardust and dreams. I saw bands from Alaska to Ukraine, saw some incredible art, heard poetry so beautiful it made me cry, met warm and wonderful people from Austin to California to New Jersey. I also saw friends from my hometown I hadn't seen in a while — Treefort is a touchstone like that.
I am writing this note on Monday, the day after Treefort's 2024 final bow. I'm pretty sure I'm speaking for many of us who are tired and exhausted and have a Treefort hangover. We are collectively experiencing a sort of … let's just call it: Zombiefort.
I'm so grateful for having Treefort in our lives — and super happy it only happens once a year. I think it's gonna take me at least 364 days to recuperate.
