A Little Farther South in the Treasure Valley, and a Chance to Get My Geek On

BOISE, Idaho – Living In The News .Com usually keeps me pretty busy traveling throughout our tri-county area, but Saturday I decided to venture a little farther south in the Treasure Valley and get my geek on for a few hours. The Boise Comic Arts Festival XIV is taking place this weekend, September 5–6, at the Boise Centre. Hosted by the Boise Public Library, the free, family-friendly festival is celebrating its 14th year with a two-day Artists' Alley, cosplay, panels, performances, workshops and more than 100 exhibitors sharing their work. But as fun as it was looking through the vendor booths and displays, some of my favorite sights were simply the people who came through the doors. Everywhere I looked, people were expressing their creativity and celebrating the characters and stories they love. There were superheroes and Ghostbusters, creatures covered head-to-toe in fur, characters I immediately recognized, and quite a few where I freely admit I had absolutely no idea who or what they were. And that was part of the fun. I even found Batman and spent a little time hanging around a galaxy far, far away. Apparently, a Christmas flamingo shirt works just fine as Comic Arts Festival attire. What stood out most was how willing people were to stop for a picture. Some costumes were incredibly detailed, some were funny, some were wonderfully unusual, and many obviously represented hours of work and a great deal of imagination. Cosplay is a big part of this year's festival, with contests for youth, teens and adults, along with a cosplay parade. Events like this also remind you that being a 'geek' isn't limited to one particular fandom. Comics, movies, anime, science fiction, fantasy, art, gaming and pop culture all seemed to find a place under the same roof. More importantly, so did the people who love them. Most of these photographs aren't of featured guests or celebrities. They're simply some of the people I met while walking around the festival, along with a few of the vendors and displays that caught my attention. And I think that's what made the afternoon worth documenting. Sometimes it is fun to travel a little beyond our normal coverage area, see another part of the Treasure Valley and meet people who are simply having a great time being themselves. For anyone who missed Saturday, BCAF XIV continues Sunday, September 6, from noon to 5 p.m. at the Boise Centre. Admission is free, and no registration is required. And for those who would rather get their geek on a little closer to home, don't forget about the Border Town Comic Con at the Four Rivers Cultural Center & Museum in Ontario. Traditionally held in March, our local Comic Con brings many of the same things I enjoyed seeing in Boise, cosplay, vendors, artists, collectibles, familiar characters and, most importantly, people coming together to celebrate the things they love. The 2026 event was held March 14–15, and I'm already looking forward to seeing what Border Town Comic Con brings to Ontario next March. And yes, I definitely enjoyed getting my geek on