BRF is an annual celebration in Boise, capital of Idaho State in Northwest USA, during the last weekend of June. It is a 4-day festival for which the preparations start a couple of months earlier.

Boise is a beautiful town - with plenty of trees and mountains (snow-capped during winter) in the horizon. Boise River runs through the city - it is a narrow, yet swift-flowing river, on which people ride on rafts. Boise has beautiful parks on the banks of the river - Julia Davis Park (JD) and Ann Morrison Park (AM) being the most popular. The Idaho Historical Museum and Idaho Art Museum are located in JD. Boise State University is also located adjacent to this Park.

This year (1999), BRF was held from 24th to 27th June. The advertisements and publicity for BRF was there as early as May end (when I checked the Boise Web site before leaving India)! It is neither a religious festival nor connected with harvest or anything. Maybe, it is the celebration of summer in a State, which gets real cold in winter! I believe this was the 10th year of BRF (but not very sure)!

The celebrations were concentrated mainly in JD and AM. Each year, the Idaho Historical Museum has exhibits from a particular country. This year it was Mexico - last year it was India. (The Indians here still remember how they enjoyed putting up exhibits and shows during that time) It is "traditionally" sponsored by, who else, Hewlett-Packard, which is one of the largest companies here.

Since JD and AM are located almost opposite each other (with the river flowing through them), it is easy to move from one Park to the other. However, unlike the Parks in India, these parks are a couple of square miles each, in diameter (conservatively speaking)! Stages and tents came up in the Parks and there were programs from morning to night.

Each morning, there were hot air balloon flights. These were by professionals who are invited by the organisers. Local companies sponsored most of the balloons. Unfortunately, I missed the balloons, AM being quite far from where I stayed. (If I'd been in Residence Inn - my earlier "residence") I would have had a grandstand view - it being adjacent to AM!

There were several food product stalls, where they gave free samples as well as gave out T-shirts and other goodies, based on contests. One stage had programs performed by children from various schools. Children had the best to gain during BRF - there was a clearing with showers fitted where they could get drenched! Many little ones (2-6 year olds) enjoyed the splash in the heat. I went around this place on two days - Fri and Sun, and enjoyed watching not just the festivities but also those who came to watch them :-)

Parking is always a premium during BRF. Some shops had innovative arrangements for this - they allowed customers to park in their parking lots, provided they bought something from the shop! Otherwise, the parking was $20!

The weather was excellent throughout, though traditionally it is supposed to rain during BRF (maybe, my presence!!!).

There was a parade down Capital Boulevard (the most important street in Boise, which houses the legislative, and which separates JD and AM), one, during the day time and the other during night. That had several floats and exhibits.

The finale on Sunday night was fireworks. This is when, all of Boise turns up! Parking wass a nightmare, but we managed to park in an HP parking lot next to AM (real stroke of luck)! The fireworks began at 10 PM, after the sun set. (Yep! the sun sets here around that time during summer) Unlike the fireworks I've seen in my place (during temple festivals), this is more light and colour and sound. The sky filled with bursts of colourful lights in all splendour and glory. It was a terrific exhibition (apparently synchronised by software - don't ask me the details!), and lasted for half an hour.

I took a few snaps in JD, the exhibitions and the firework. The fireworks snaps look crazy, the other came out okay!