Idaho State University Creative Writing welcomes the 2026 Dolsen visiting writer, Kimberly Johnson, this Wednesday at 5 p.m. in the Salmon River Room upstairs at the Pond Student Union. A poetry reading of her work will be the highlight, with a question-and-answer session and book signing to follow. The reading is free, and the public is encouraged to attend. Johnson is a poet, translator, and literary critic, appearing widely in publications including The New Yorker, Slate, The Iowa Review, and more. Johnson holds a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins Writing Seminars and a Ph.D. in Renaissance literature from the University of California at Berkeley. All are welcome to attend.
ISU soccer returns to play UC Santa Barbara this Thursday at 7 p.m. at Davis Field. Tickets run $10 for adults and $7 for children under 18 and senior citizens, while ISU students get in free with a valid Bengal ID. The Davis Field ticket office opens one hour before the match, and tickets are only sold at the games.
“Hoppers” is the feature at the Bengal Theater in the Pond Student Union this Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m., with shows Saturday at 4 and 7 p.m. Disney and Pixar’s animated film “Hoppers” follows an animal-loving college student who transfers her consciousness into a lifelike robotic beaver to communicate with real animals and save their woodland habitat. Admission is $3 for the public, $2 for ISU staff/faculty and children under 12, and free for ISU students with a valid Bengal ID.
The 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb is at Davis Field on Friday at 5 p.m. The campus and Pocatello community are invited to climb the stairs in remembrance of those lost on that fateful day, while sharing in community spirit and service.
ISU football plays San Diego University on Saturday at 4 p.m. at the ICCU Dome, with a 2 p.m. tailgate in the parking lot. Tickets for the game run $15 to $27 and can be purchased at idahostatetickets.com. ISU students can reserve their tickets in advance through the portal link while supplies last.
“Power Ballad” will be shown this Sunday at 4 and 7 p.m. in the Bengal Theater. Starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas, a past-his-prime wedding singer and a boy-band rock star bond during a late-night jam session, and the rock star turns one of the wedding singer’s songs into a massive hit without permission to use it, prompting a fight for proper recognition. The Hollywood Reporter writes, “Like the catchiest pop hits, it’s a little bit familiar, a little bit unexpected and utterly, thrillingly satisfying,” while The Guardian adds, “Irish writer-director John Carney delivers an aspartame rush of enjoyment with this terrific comedy of bromance and betrayal in the world of music.” Admission is $3 for the public, $2 for ISU staff/faculty, and free for ISU students with a valid Bengal ID. For trailer and more information, go to isucinema.com/power.