“It’s a huge deal to be celebrating our 50th season. It isn’t easy to have a successful arts organization and it’s not a given that the community is going to accept it. You weather hard moments — whether it’s a recession or a pandemic — you hang in there through it all,” Bruner said.

Bruner has served as producing director since 2024, though her roots with the festival go back to high school, where she began her career as a professional actor — which she has pursued for over 25 years.

The 50-acre amphitheater on the banks of the Boise River adds a one-of-a-kind element to each performance.

“Sometimes in the middle of a Shakespeare play, the cottonwoods will slowly start snowing on the theater or a skunk walks across the stage. It’s fun and different every night because nature wins out there and we’re always operating in relationship to that,” Bruner said.

The venue seats up to 770 guests, offering table, auditorium and lawn seating. ISF is one of the few theaters in town that allows audiences to bring in their own food and beverages — including booze.

The 2026 season lineup features five mainstage productions: “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare; “Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson — Apt. 2B” by Kate Hamill; “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” adapted by Christopher Bond with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; “The Winter’s Tale” by Shakespeare; and “The Heart of Robin Hood” by David Farr.

“This season in particular is a blockbuster lineup. Usually if I’m steering someone for the first time I have two that I recommend, but this summer, any of them are worth seeing,” said Hannah Read Newbill, Director of Marketing for ISF.

Some shows have age restrictions and feature dark themes, which organizers encourage attendees to review bios before purchasing tickets. Programming decisions are based on community feedback and ticket data. Bruner said the theater is not elitist, it is for everyone, which is why the team uses tools to help bridge the gap between the stage and audience. Shakespeare productions are adapted through editorial decisions — adjusting language, society references, design and casting for the modern age.

This time of year, Interstate 70 through Colorado’s mountains is usually slick, snowy, and packed with travelers heading to ski resorts. But on Christmas Eve, the road to the high country was sunny, dry, and noticeably quieter.

In downtown Idaho Springs, the mild December weather has meant fewer visitors stopping to eat, shop, and walk around town, and businesses are feeling it.

“It’s a lot more fun when it’s snowy,” one resident said. “People keep saying the weather is amazing, and I’m like, ‘no… I’m ready for snow,’” said resident Katie Baker.

At Westbound Bar & Grill, bar manager Carrie Doyle said Christmas week is typically one of their biggest of the year. Instead, the restaurant sat nearly empty.

“Usually we have skiers and snowboarders coming through, meeting family here before heading up the hill,” Doyle said. “If you don’t have people, you don’t have income.”

A few doors down, Tibetan Sisters Art owner Paulden Hester said business has been slow, especially after last week’s power outage.

“Overall, business is down,” Hester said. “Hopefully that will change.”

At the Majestic Art Gallery, artist Mimsi Milton remembered last Christmas, when 125 customers packed the shop. This year, she said, “it’s very slow.”

CBS Colorado First Alert meteorologists say warm and dry stretches in December aren’t unusual when high pressure sits over the region, but this year, strong downslope winds amplified the warmth even more.

Mountain snow is expected to return this weekend, something Idaho Springs businesses are counting on.

GOODING, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — A Gooding woman died on Tuesday evening after a three-vehicle crash on Idaho Route 46.

The crash occurred at 5:45 p.m. at milepost 107, approximately 5 miles south of Gooding, according to Idaho State Police.

A juvenile heading northbound in a pickup truck crossed into oncoming traffic. The pickup sideswiped a maroon SUV driven by a 28-year-old woman from Hailey. The pickup then crashed head-on into a mid-size sedan, driven by a 25-year-old woman from Gooding and carrying a juvenile passenger.

The crash killed the Gooding woman, who died from injuries at the scene of the crash, according to ISP. She was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Both juveniles and the Hailey woman were taken to the hospital, with the juveniles airlifted.

The crash blocked the highway for three hours. Law enforcement on scene diverted northbound traffic onto East 2300 South and diverted southbound traffic onto East 2100 South.

Idaho State Police is investigating the crash. The Gooding County Sheriff’s Office, Life Flight, Gooding Fire and Gooding Ambulance assisted troopers on scene.

Friends and family have created a gofundme account to help support her children.

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