A live band, folkloric dancing, children's activities, softball, golf and speeches made by political leaders and candidates make this a full day of events. The festival is held over two weeks in the middle of the month, and most activities are free. The parade is on Saturday. Crowds ranging from 3,000 to 7,000 attend. Rock, blues and jazz are featured during the 18 Wednesdays of the schedule.
Different restaurants offer food, desserts and beverages on the plaza each week.
Attendance approaches 5,000. The festival began in 1981 and is held inside the church and on the surrounding grounds. This is the site of the original Fort Boise, built of adobe in 1834. The fort eventually became a Hudson Bay Company trading port and later a haven for many Oregon Trail travelers. It was wiped out by flood waters in 1853 and rebuilt as a smaller fort in 1854.