Idaho Bluegrass Association SpringFest

At 10:30 on the morning of Monday, May 25, 2026, the Backwood Ramblers opened the Idaho Bluegrass Springfest at Green Acres Food Truck Park in Boise. A band took the stage about once an hour after that: Fiddle Express at 11:30, the River City Rounders at 12:30, White Pine Lightning at 1:30, and the Idaho Songs Project at 2:30. The afternoon turned over to dancing, then to Braid at 4:40, Dry Buck at 5:40, and the Tree City Travelers at 6:40. High Pine Whiskey Yell closed the day at 7:40, and the music ran until 8:30. Admission was free for all guests.

Green Acres, down the Greenbelt

The park sits just off the Boise Greenbelt. The 2026 festival was the first held at Green Acres’ new, larger location at 767 South Pioneer Street, and the park’s own notices put the move plainly: “We moved down the greenbelt.” The park is kid-friendly and dog-friendly. Food trucks parked for the whole day, and families spread out on the grass. The Green Acres Bar, open for the season, poured beer, cider, seltzers, draft cocktails and hard kombucha, and served frozen wine slushies through the holiday weekend. Springfest fell inside a longer run of music at the park, with 17 live performances by local and regional artists across Memorial Day Week.

Green Acres’ listing told visitors what to carry: “Bring a lawn chair, bring your instrument, bring your dancing shoes.”

A square dance at three

The instrument mattered at three o’clock. The Green Acres and BoiseDev listings set the community square dance at 3 pm; the Idaho Bluegrass Association’s printed schedule gave 3:05. Two live callers, Karla and Andy, ran the sets. The listings name the band differently: Green Acres and BoiseDev give it as Cattywampus & Kin, and the association’s schedule reads “Square Dance with Karla, Andy, Cattywampus & Friends.” BoiseDev’s notice asked visitors to bring their own instruments and chairs and join an informal play-along during the dance.

The dance also appeared on the 2025 bill. That year Tater Patch played for it at 3 pm with Karla Miller calling, and the band then took the stage on its own at 4.

SpringGrass, after a good winter

The festival began under another name. In its Spring 2023 newsletter, the Idaho Bluegrass Association, a nonprofit that describes itself as 100 percent volunteer run, explained the decision: “Because our Winterfest event in February was so successful, we’re sponsoring a free SpringGrass event featuring 9 bands at Green Acres Food Truck Park.” The newsletter was signed by Michael Murray, the association’s president. That first SpringGrass ran May 29, 2023, from 11 am to 8 pm. The music was free and local vendors sold the food and drink. The newsletter’s instruction was “No tickets, just show up!” and it asked visitors to bring a blanket and lawn chairs and to stop at the association’s booth. Wilder played first at 11. Backwood Ramblers, Wooly Buggers, Dry Buck, Red Boots & Basil, Tater Patch, the Tree City Travelers and Chicken Dinner Road followed, and the Turtle Poppers played last at 7.

“It’s back!” the Spring 2024 newsletter announced. SpringGrass returned to Green Acres on May 27, 2024, again with nine bands sponsored by the association. Cheatgrass opened at 11 and High Pine Whiskey Yell, spelled “Wiskey” in the association’s list, closed at 7. The association planned that year’s festival as the place to name the 2023 winners of its Top Pickin’ Distinguished Achievement Award. Its board votes the award each year to a person, nonprofit or business for contributions to the presentation, preservation or promotion of bluegrass music in Idaho.

Springfest on Shoreline Drive

By 2025 the event carried the name Springfest. Green Acres held it on Monday, May 26, at its earlier address, 1401 West Shoreline Drive, from 11 am to 8 pm. The park billed “EIGHT local Bluegrass bands playing all day long,” running from Fiddle Express at 11 to the Half Fast Hillbillies at 7. Touch of Topaz painted faces from 11 to 4. Eleven food and drink vendors stayed through the day, among them Kanak Attack, Darjeeling Momo, Sizzlin Stone Pizza, Basilios Tacos, Sushi Bros, Benny’s Chick N Spuds, 10 Barrel, and the Fizzy Cow Ice Cream & Soda Shop.

The Downtown Boise Association listed the 2026 edition as the 4th Annual Spring Fest. Petra Schwarthoff, an association board member and its webmaster, was the event’s contact. Two bands have played all four years: Dry Buck, and the Tree City Travelers, who in 2026 went on at 6:40, one slot before the close.