If someone asked you where Star's town square is, what would you say? Star doesn't have a classic courthouse lawn or a single plaza. For this October, though, the city calendar answers the question pretty clearly. Four events posted by the City of Star and the Star Chamber list the same address, 960 S. Main Street.
On October 13 that address gets a new building. Liberty Hall, the city's new event space, opens with the mayor's State of the City address. With the hall open, Star's civic calendar gathers on one campus by the river. Meanwhile, nearly every new place to eat has opened a mile or more north along State Street. That split determines how a Star evening works this fall.
One Address, Four October Dates
Here is the month at 960 S. Main, in order:
- Thursday, October 1, noon to 1 p.m. The Star Chamber's monthly luncheon at Star Riverhouse. This month Knuff & Kunde CPAs present on business tax strategies.
- Saturday, October 3. The Star Chamber Chili Cook-Off and Brewfest at Star Riverhouse. Gates open to the public at 11 a.m., and chili tasting runs from noon to about 3:30 p.m. The day also has local beer, cider and wine, a pie-eating contest and entertainment.
- Tuesday, October 13, 7 to 9 p.m. Mayor Trevor Chadwick's 2026 State of the City address and the Liberty Hall grand opening.
- Saturday, October 31, 3 to 5 p.m. Trunk-or-Treat at Riverhouse Pasture, with a costume contest, bounce houses, children's activities and food trucks. The city posted its Trunk-or-Treat sign-up alert on September 9.
All four share one street address, but they don't all use the same building. That matters for the rest of the month.
The Address Is Really Four Spaces
960 S. Main covers several city spaces that sit next to each other, and each one has its own job.
Star Riverhouse is a city-owned building that Star remodeled into an event center. It has a projection system and screen, a warming kitchen, restrooms, tables and chairs. The city rents it out for private events with a two-hour minimum.
Riverhouse Pasture is a separate open area at the same address. The city chose it for Trunk-or-Treat.
Riverwalk Park is listed on its own city facility page, with trails, a bike trail, picnic areas, parking and restrooms. The city says a Riverwalk Park reservation does not include the Riverhouse or the Pasture, so each space is booked separately.
Freedom Park is to the east. The city's Riverhouse rental agreement describes the route from Main Street through the Riverhouse parking lot, past a barn and east to Freedom Park. Liberty Hall is going up in Freedom Park.
Before this month, the Riverhouse was the main indoor room on the site. Liberty Hall adds a much bigger one.
What Liberty Hall Adds
Liberty Hall is a two-story, 12,495-square-foot event center built from mass timber. According to its project profile on the WoodWorks Innovation Network, its glulam trusses span 64 feet and rise about 20 feet. The building is meant for community gatherings, celebrations and civic events. Planned features include an America 250 mural and a time capsule.
In April, KIVI reported the hall was under construction and expected to open in October. The city was also finishing a Veterans Garden at Freedom Park at the time. Ross Talley, who has lived in Star for four years, told the station he lives six minutes from the park and is sometimes there three times a day.
"What a beautiful way to use the space we have here."
The opening night is also a working meeting. The city says Mayor Chadwick will cover Star's financial position, the past year's accomplishments, and priorities for the year ahead. Topics include parks, roads, infrastructure and growth, followed by a question-and-answer session with residents. So your first time inside the new hall is also your chance to ask the mayor what's planned next.
A few things about the hall haven't been published yet. We couldn't find a construction cost, a rental policy or rates, or a regular program schedule. Those are fair questions for the Q&A.
Where the Food Went
The civic calendar is gathering at the river, but this year's new food has opened along State Street. For a cook-off afternoon or a Halloween evening, plan to cover both.
- Walkover Bagels opened Tuesday, September 15, at 11184 W. State St., serving bagels and coffee, according to BoiseDev's Eats newsletter. It's the newest spot on this list and a natural stop before a Saturday morning at the Riverhouse.
- Zeppe's Italian Ice and Frozen Custard opened Saturday, June 6, at 9759 W. State St., Suite 100, next to Taphouse. The menu is built around Italian ice, frozen custard and "gelata."
- Dairy Queen at 11735 W. State St. now shows up on the chain's store locator with dine-in and drive-through hours. An earlier Idaho Press report said the location was set to open in August.
The custard shop and the bagel shop sit about 1,400 address numbers apart on State Street, and DQ is at the west end. A Chili Cook-Off afternoon followed by dessert means going from South Main up to State and back. With the Trunk-or-Treat food trucks, October 31 is the one date where the food comes to the Pasture.
Two State Street Projects Still in Progress
Two State Street projects are still in the works, and together they explain why the food side of town is still filling in.
Prime American is the steakhouse planned by the family behind Anderson Reserve in Sweet. It's slated for a 15,000-square-foot, two-story building at 10206 W. State St. Plans show a horseshoe-shaped bar, a butcher shop, and a "cigar silo" with a spiral staircase leading to an upstairs speakeasy-style bar and cigar lounge. The owner had hoped to open by June 2026. The team posted in May that it had passed Star's design review, but BoiseDev found on July 30 that no building permits had been filed yet. No grand opening date has been announced. The restaurant did open its lot to veterans and people with disabilities as a parking and viewing spot for this year's Star Fourth of July Parade.
Great Scotts plans a convenience store near Moyle Avenue and State Street by Highway 16. Plans include an Exxon station and a food-service tenant. BoiseDev's June 23 report gave no opening date or street address. That's the same Highway 16 corridor we covered this summer in Star's Summer Got Good Right When Highway 16 Got Hard to Cross.
Neither project has a firm date. The October 13 Q&A, where the agenda includes roads and growth, is the next public chance to hear how the city sees the State Street corridor developing.
November Is Still Being Penciled In
After Halloween, the calendar has fewer details. The city lists a Veterans Day Potato Feed on Friday, November 6, marked "All Day," with no specific hours or venue posted yet. The Star Chamber's November luncheon is set for Thursday, November 5, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., also with no venue listed. A Veterans Day event, a new Veterans Garden at Freedom Park and a hall built for civic gatherings next door would fit together. Until the city posts a venue, though, check the City of Star calendar before you plan on it.
We keep an eye on projects like Liberty Hall and the State Street openings because they change what living in Star is like week to week. Wondering what the next year of growth around South Main and State Street means for your street? Reach out to Matthew Canterbury and the Canterbury Group team. Our Star neighborhood page is a good place to start.
