1. Celebrate Festivus
In the words of Frank Costanza: “I’ve got a lot of problems with you people! Now you’re gonna hear about it!” The aluminum pole has been erected at Woodland Empire Ale Craft, 1114 W. Front St. It’s time for the brewery’s free Festivus party, which runs from 7-9 p.m. Saturday. Grab friends and family (21 and older) and join in the Airing of Grievances, where you enthusiastically inform loved ones how much they’ve ruined your life. Woodland Empire will release two special beers, Manfred’s restaurant will sell its version of a Festivus meal and comedian Cody Colgan will help encourage patrons to air those grievances. Also, duos can compete for prizes in a feats of strength contest.
2. Don a hideous sweater
▪ Does a $100 bar tab sound appealing? You can win it at the Fugly Nightmare B4 Christmas Sweater Party, which begins at 7 p.m. Saturday at Hannah’s, 621 Main St. There will be prizes for runners-up, plus live cover tunes from The Rocci Johnson Band from 9:30 p.m. to close. No cover — and there will be drink specials.
▪ Commit a holiday fashion crime at the Night Before Xmas Barrel Aged Bash: Ugly Sweater Party. It starts at 6 p.m. Friday at PreFunk, 1100 W. Front St. The beer bar will tap 10 barrel-aged varieties from Firestone Walker and Sierra Nevada breweries. Spice up your evening by loading up at the chili bar. Swag alert: The breweries will hand out free Christmas gifts.
3. Go to the game
▪ BYU (6-6) will face Western Michigan (7-5) at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at 2 p.m. Friday. Football season will be gone again before you know it, and the weather is looking solid at Albertsons Stadium. Tickets start at $20 at FamousIdahoPotatoBowl.com.
▪ Watch the puck hit the ice starting at 7:10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The Idaho Steelheads take on the Utah Grizzlies at CenturyLink Arena, 233 S. Capitol Blvd. Tickets are $20-$43 at idahosteelheads.com.
▪ How about afternoon hoops? The Boise State Broncos welcome Pacific at 1 p.m. Saturday for a basketball battle at Taco Bell Arena, 1401 Bronco Lane. Price: $10-$20 at broncosports.com.
4. Grab a local gift
▪ The Boise Farmers Market Indoor Winter Market is a perfect place to score a last-minute, locally made Christmas present, whether it’s delicious cheese or a super-cool craft. Stay cozy and shop from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at 8th and Fulton streets.
▪ You procrastinated again this year. Sipping craft beer will ease your guilt as you peruse gifts at the Procrastiganza! Procrastinators Pop-Up Christmas Market. Featuring handmade local wares ranging from jewelry to dog collars, from leather goods to beer, it will take place from 2-7 p.m. Sunday at Mad Swede Brewing, 2772 S. Cole Road. Local band Chronology will perform from 4-7 p.m.
5. Sip something black
Dark Days has been going on all week at Bittercreek Alehouse, 246 N. 8th St., and it ends at midnight Sunday. A combination of cellared bottles and draft beers, the annual event is expectedly heavy on barrel-aged imperial stouts. But there’s variety among the 20 or so choices, too: a black IPA, a couple of dark sours, a Belgian dark ale and more. Prefer local beer? “One standing out to me is the Sockeye Kiss of Death,” says Bittercreek brand manager David Roberts. Lumbering in at 14 percent alcohol by volume, it’s a bourbon barrel-aged, cold-pressed coffee imperial stout. “It’s super good,” Roberts says.
This story was originally published December 20, 2018 10:43 AM.