Family-friendly harvest festivals and spooky ghost tours, scary campfire tales, the last hurrah (for the season) at the Drive-In, and even a spooky organ music recital; Fort Collins has plenty to keep you entertained this month. Here’s some of what’s on tap when it comes to Halloween and harvest celebrations in Fort Collins:
Festivals and Events
Oct 3-5: Bluebird Music Festival
We are excited to welcome the Bluebird Music Festival to Fort Collins! Events will be held at three different locations, OBC Wine Project, Washington's, and The Armory. Headliners include Josh Ritter and John Craigie.
Oct 5: Tour de Corgi
Join us for one of Fort Collins' most iconic events, the 10th Annual Tour de Corgi! Head over to Civic Center Park for the happiest day in Fort Collins! Corgis and Corgi mixes are welcome in the costume contest, and everyone is welcome to join the parade and gathering. This event is free to attend!
Oct 17-20: Pumpkins on Parade
The fifth annual Pumpkins on Parade is a fun-for-all-ages celebration of Halloween and the harvest, featuring hundreds of pumpkins and gourds arranged across The Gardens in artistic displays and festive activities for the whole family!
Oct 25-27: Treatsylvania
Take a stroll through this unique Halloween event at The Farm. Trick-or-treating, hayrides and treats for all. Tickets must be purchased in advance and children must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets on sale Oct. 2nd!
Oct 26: FoCo Boo Crawl
It's that exciting time of the year when the anticipation for Halloween is building up! Get ready to dive into the spirit of the season by planning your spectacular costumes for the 4th Annual FoCo Boo Crawl. Brace yourself for an unforgettable experience!
Oct 31: Tiny Tot Halloween
Photo provided by the Downtown Development Authority
It's time to scare up some new costume ideas for your little ones! The annual Tiny Tot Halloween will be held on Thursday, October 31 from 10 a.m to 1 p.m. All children under the age of seven and their parents/guardians are invited to enjoy a safe trick-or-treating experience in Downtown Fort Collins.
The Performing Arts: Theater and Live Shows
The Lincoln Center
At The Lincoln Center this month, you'll find a variety of can't-miss performances! From Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Live in Concert to GRAMMY® Award-winning ETHEL, the third annual Ballet & Beer event, and multiple shows of Hadestown, make sure to get to The Lincoln Center this month. Check out their full schedule for more information and to purchase tickets.
Outdoor Movies
The Holiday Twin Drive-In, one of seven drive-in movie lots left in Colorado, is one of our favorite places in Fort Collins. Catch a flick at Fort Collins' classic Holiday Twin Drive-In by checking their calendar for the full lineup. The Lyric will hold their last outdoor movie of the season, Hocus Pocus on October 5th.
Harvest Fun Extravaganza
Here are a few of our favorite local pumpkin patches and farms offering all sorts of fall family fun:
- The Bartel’s Farm – a huge selection of pumpkins, corn mazes, and hayrides.
- The Farm at Lee Martinez Park – visit the farm animals and take a hayride. There’s also a pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect future jack-o-lantern.
- Northern Colorado Corn Maze – Jack Lantern’s Corn Maze is a Colorado favorite.
- Spooky’s Pumpkin Patch — Choose from a variety of pumpkins, gourds, carving kits, and even straw bales and corn stalks for your fall decorating needs at this patch, located on South College Avenue.
Live Music and Concert Series
Halloween Organ Extravaganza
The 19th annual organ recital presented by the CSU School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, featuring classic - and not-so-classic works, including the famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach. “If you think organ music or organists are boring, this concert is designed to change your mind!” There are three concert times you can choose from: 6pm, 8pm and 10pm. The event is held at the University Center for the Arts on Oct. 31. Buy tickets in advance online as the concert tends to sell out quickly: Adults, $15; Seniors (62+), $13; Youth (under 18), $5.
Live on the Lanes at 830 North
830 North combines bowling and music with a packed lineup for the month of October. With a combination of free and paid shows, you're sure to find something you like! Be sure to hit Recycled Funk on October 4 or Apollo Suns with Scoop on October 24. Check out their event calendar for their full music schedule.
Rock out at The Aggie
The historic Aggie Theatre, a live music institution in Fort Collins for over 100 years, plays host to several great shows this month. Check out their website for more information. Highlights include Koo Koo, Evan Honer, Ocie Elliott, Shanin Blake, and The Fretliners with Foggy Mountain Spaceship, Emma Rose & Sam Armstrong-Zickefoose.
Tunes at Washington’s and The Armory
Washington’s is a historic 900-person venue in Old Town Fort Collins and regularly hosts big names. Catch Lupe Fiasco, the Cold War Kids and Lotus this month! The Armory is a more intimate 200-person capacity venue with state-of-the-art acoustics. Be sure to see Venture Still with Wendy Woo and Bongeziwe Mabandla! Check out the full line up at the Bohemian Live Music website.
Fort Collins Symphony
Join the Fort Collins Symphony on October 23 for their Halloween Concert. They are pairing spooky tales with Halloween music favorites from Beetlejuice, Wicked, Harry Potter, and more!
Music at The Mish
The iconic Mishawaka Amphitheatre (called “The Mish” by locals) is a bucket-list venue in Poudre Canyon with a busy lineup this month. Catch their last free Sunday show on October 13, featuring Reunited, Wonky Willa and Bankaji. Find all the shows for the month here.
Rhythms at the Rat
Magic Rat, located in Old Firehouse Alley adjacent to The Elizabeth Hotel in Old Town, offers swinging sounds on tap weekly, from big-name artists to local late-night jam sessions. All of these fun concert events are free to enjoy. Check the calendar for all shows taking place throughout the month and current updates.
Other Can't Miss Events
Live Comedy at The Comedy Fort
Hosting regular open mic nights, nationally renowned comedians, and burlesque shows, The Comedy Fort is Fort Collins's only comedy club and home to events all month long that you can find here. Be sure to catch Steven Rogers and Lace Larrabee!
Downtown Fort Collins First Friday Art WalkTM
Put your walking shoes on and head out on the Downtown Fort Collins First Friday Art WalkTM on October 4! The First Friday Art Walk is a free monthly, self-guided tour that celebrates creativity, culture, and community in Downtown Fort Collins. With 30 participating businesses all over the downtown area, art walk showcases a spectrum of artistic styles to entertain and engage amateurs and art aficionados of all ages, interests and backgrounds.
Spooky Tours
Fort Collins Tours, LLC offers a range of tours, from ghost and history to a Ghosts & Goodies tour that's kid-friendly and includes some sweet surprises. Their best known for their classic ghost tour which includes a guided evening journey into and under Old Town Fort Collins. Along the way, you will learn about local legends, hauntings, ghostly sightings and strange happenings. Tours run every Friday and Saturday, with added times on Oct. 30 and 31.
Fort Collins Foodie WalkTM
The Fort Collins Foodie WalkTM happens the 3rd Friday of every month, the Foodie Walk gets you into businesses that provide food or food related products, like spices, cooking supplies, cheese, and olive oil! It's a great way to discover new recipes, products you can't live without, and new places to patronize. This free event runs from 5pm to 8pm and features interactive opportunities and seasonal flavors all in an exciting tasting experience!
Run Fur Fun 5K
If you’d rather celebrate the changing seasons with a little exercise, the Run Fur Fun 5K is set for Oct. 26. The event, which starts and ends at Odell Brewing Company, benefits Animal Friends Alliance. Registration includes a race T-shirt, post-race beer and breakfast snack, a costume contest, and lots of fun with fellow animal- and beer-loving racers.
Ram Talks at the Fort Collins Welcome Center
Join us at the new Fort Collins Welcome Center on Wednesday, 10/2 and Wednesday, 10/16 from 5-6:30pm for our new speaker series "Ram Talks". We are super excited to present this series that will be a mashup of Colorado State University expertise and active community conversation, unleashing the creative insights and eye-opening shakeup that comes from taking a fresh look at the world around us. Bring your curiosity and energy and spend every 1st and 3rd Wednesday evening with us! Click on the links below for the full event details.
10/2 Ram Talk with Martin Carcasson: "Taking on the Challenge of Toxic Polarization"
This list is by no means comprehensive so let us know what events you're most looking forward to attending in Fort Collins this month!