It’s official — Treefort is in bloom.
Treefort Music Fest opened across downtown Boise with a steady buildup that turned into a packed and active scene by Wednesday evening.
Early in the day, crews worked around Julia Davis Park to prepare stages and finalize setup. Trucks moved through nearby streets while workers organized equipment and secured areas for performances. Near the park, artists began working on murals, giving early attendees a look at artwork still in progress.
At the same time, the box office began to draw a crowd.
Festivalgoers lined up along the sidewalk to pick up wristbands as the first wave of attendees arrived. A security guard directed people toward the correct entrances while the line continued to grow.
Standing near the box office, first-time attendee Harleigh Copeland said, “This is my first Treefort. It’s going to be super fun.”
Copeland said she looks forward to seeing one of her favorite bands, Night Cap, and is excited for the live music and energy throughout the weekend.
Nearby, Green Team volunteers Suzanne and Steve McIntosh are looking ahead to the festival as they prepare for their shifts.
“This is a lot of new music in one place,” Suzanne McIntosh said. “A lot of these bands would not normally come through Boise.”
They said they plan to explore different venues after finishing their work, with several shows already on their list. Suzanne added, “It feels like a mini vacation that came to us.”
As the afternoon continued, more people made their way into Julia Davis Park and surrounding areas.
“[Treefort is] like a huge kind of rally for all sorts of people who just want to hang out and have a good time,” attendee Maya Holmes said, dressed head to toe in vibrant colors. “I’ve been coming here for many years and you see so many colorful people.”
Groups walked along the Greenbelt toward the festival while others moved between downtown venues. A rack of bicycles next to the park entrance is completely filled as the sound of more, distant bells comes down the greenbelt.
“I’ve just been walking around and stopping to listen to the music that I like,” Boise State student Emily Garza said. “It’s really fun to explore because you never know what you will find or see.”
Garza said the amount of activity stood out as the day went on.
“I didn’t know what to expect, but there is more going on than what I thought,” she said. “There are so many people and music everywhere where it can get overwhelming but in a good way.”
As passerby Kassandra Grafton was walking on the Greenbelt, the murals throughout the park immediately drew her in.
“It’s like a museum,” Grafton said.
By early evening, downtown bustled with excitement.
Crowds gathered near stages and spread into surrounding streets as performances began. People stood close to the stage or sat in the grass while others moved between locations.
Workers are enjoying some cold ones at Montucky’s Yeehaw Inn. (Maximus Molina for The Arbiter) Some prepwork is being done on the front porch of Montucky’s Yeehaw Inn (Maximus Molina for The Arbiter) The line for the box office slowly dissipated after the initial rush of last second ticket holders. (Maximus Molina for The Arbiter)
“It’s my first time buying a full pass,” student Kendyl Johnson said. “There’s so much going on all the time, and I’m just ready to have fun.”
Johnson said she plans to attend multiple shows throughout the weekend, including several Dragfort events and the Saturday night headliner, Geese.
Festivalgoers also pointed to the atmosphere created by the people attending.
“I saw someone wearing eyeball roller skates as I walked in,” Johnson said. “They were kind of scary at first, but also made me feel invited. Anything goes here.”
Many attendees said the festival offers more than just music.
“It feels like the one time a year that creative, fun people get together,” attendee Keegan Groves said. “It’s like a little release… a start of spring, a little time of rebirth.”
Returning attendees also highlighted the social aspect of the festival.
“It’s amazing because every year I’ve gone, I’ve made a lot more friends,” attendee Aris Blount said. “In crowds, it’s very easy to start conversations with people, and most of them live in Boise, so it’s easy to connect with them [and] a good place to meet new people.”
Treefort takes place across multiple venues, parks and streets in downtown Boise, giving attendees a wide range of options throughout the day. Music serves as the main focus, but art installations, food events and other activities contribute to the overall experience.
As the night continued, crowds moved steadily between venues while lines formed outside popular shows. Conversations filled sidewalks as people compared schedules and decided where to go next.
By the end of the first day, Treefort had fully taken shape across downtown Boise. What began as a slow morning of preparations earlier in the day turned into a steady flow of music, crowds and activity across the city.
Continuing until Sunday, Treefort will keep bringing performers, artists and attendees together throughout Boise for the rest of the weekend.
Reporting contributed by Aidan Mattingly, Max Buckingham, Maryam Al Janabi, Ryan Moser, Addysen Bale, Dalia Lamee, Phoenix Willard, Koletta Persephone DiDio and Dylan Wood.
