An Insider Look at Treefort 2021

What’s new this year?

• Dragfort. It was a big thing last year, we would hear feedback about how people that weren’t 21 really wanted to experience Dragfort. Once we learned there was a need for people under 21 to be a part of drag, we made Dragfort its own fort. So we now have 11 forts (the most I think we’ll ever have)! This year we’re having an all ages ball outside the mainstage that is put on by Corvette Dance Collective and the City of Boise. The fact that our city funded a drag event is pretty amazing. The dance will be on Saturday.
• There was always art happening all over, but we needed to make it an official thing. So now we now have Artfort as well.
• Alefort is getting an upgrade this year! David, who heads that up, is passionate about people understanding different flavors in beer and drinks, so he’s made it easy to for people to understand those tips with drink details clear through signage. He wants it to be educational. Everyday the bars will change, and something I’m really excited for is that one of the days you’ll have the chance to mix different parts in beers to see which ingredients change the flavor of your beer. Everyone can learn as they do it, which I think is really cool.
• The food in Alefort is going to be amazing. David has made the food at Alefort called Foodforts Fresh Picks Bar, which will include all local ingredients. You can order from a Saute Bar, Pizza Bar, Fry Bar, and we will have a pantry which will include cheese, pickles, you know, all the extra stuff. Every single ingredient is local and the menu will tell you which farm each item is coming from. I hope that overall, people will recognize the way everything is presented is to help connect the dots. You’re not just drinking a beer and eating food with it, we’re learning about things unique to Boise.
• Foodfort we will be piloting, with the Treefort Green Team, all reusable dinnerware at street eats. So reusable plates, forks, and knives. At Treefort we’re all about sustainability.
• The festival officially kicks off at 5:30PM on Wednesday, and this year we’re going to be doing a “Welcome to the Land” ceremony, which is a big thing in Canada. It is a ceremony acknowledging and honoring the Indigenous tribes that were on our land before. We’re going to have a woman, from I believe the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe, who will lead the ceremony. It will be a great way to kick off the fest.
• Music Talks is also a great educational experience for people interested in the music industry. They have a great lineup of people giving talks about marketing yourself, recording, management, everything a musician might want to know! All of the events, except for a select few, are free to the public which is cool because anyone in the community can go and learn.

Who/what should Treefort attendees be on the lookout for?

• Definitely be on the lookout for our new colossal collective puppet... but if you miss that I’d be shocked.
• Pop-up performances! There’s one group out of LA that will be doing an immersive dance on a bike and it sounds pretty exciting. Our local troop, LED, wil be doing pop-up performances all over downtown also. They’re just fun because everyone will stop and be like what’s going on, and then spend our time watching together- always an amazing moment.
• Bittercreek brunch is always so fun, with bands playing right there while you eat!
• Look out for bands playing on the city bus, we have a Treefort loop and bands will be playing on the bus which is pretty funky.
• Skatefort is also really cool, it’s totally worth checking out. There’s a band set up in the middle of the skatepark and just chaos happening with people riding all around. It's crazy, but also amazing to see.
• We have a bunch of muralists, headed up by Sector 17, that will creating art around downtown. Look for mixed media on the lineup, because all around town they will be making murals, but out of different mediums, not just spray paint.
• Artfort is having two new showcases, which will give you a new perspective, I think! Bands will be featured as a part of the showcases, so it will be awesome to see so many different things going on.

Top 3 Treefort Must-dos/recommendations

Ok, that’s hard, I'm going to have to pick four!

1. Sunday Brunch at Alefort is a must for me. This year we will have Comedyfort and Dragfort who will be joining us and bringing the party.
2. I would definitely check out a Foodfort event, there’s two different dinners happening and the food in general is just going to be very new and very cool.
3. Skatefort is so chaotic and so beautiful. With a band playing in the middle and people just skating all around, yet somehow it’s all flowing. Plus the bands are very eclectic, all different genres.
4. I can’t say enough about Dragfort, it’s so fun, it will lift your spirits. Everyone there is just smiling and dancing. Plus, it's so important to so many people around Boise, that it’s very heartwarming to be a part of.

How to make the most out of 5 days of Treefort?

Do a little bit of research, maybe pick like 5-10 bands that are on your list to must-see and then don’t worry about the rest! Just wander around and talk to people around you. Most bands play multiple times, with the exception of some headliners, so ask around and then find a time to catch them. Don’t be afraid to be alone or to talk to people, everyone’s there to have a good time and make new friends. That’s what Treefort is all about!

What makes 2020 Treefort special/ different?

There are a ton of bands that aren’t on the radar in the U.S.. Georgia is a really good example of that, she's huge in London and in the U.K., but not many people around here know about her! This year there are a lot of bands from other countries, and you might not have another chance to see them again, especially not in an environment like Treefort. We also have more volunteers than we’ve ever had (if you want to volunteer I would sign up ASAP).