September in Fort Collins is filled with fun concerts, great shows, and plenty of events to cap the Summer and introduce Fall! Here’s a look at the month ahead:
Can't Miss September Events
Sept. 6 - Rist Canyon Mountain Fest
The 2025 Rist Canyon Volunteer Fire Department (RCVFD) Mountain Festival will celebrate the department’s 50th anniversary with a full day’s lineup of live music and activities for the entire family. The event is free admission and goes from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Festival favorites include a gigantic used book sale, silent auction, bake sale, plant sale, firefighter dunk tank, and more!
September 6-13: Fort Collins Mural Project
Join the Fort Collins Mural Project for a week of celebrating the impact of public art as they mark their 10th year and a major milestone—100 murals painted across Fort Collins.
From September 6–13, 14 artists will transform walls throughout Fort Collins with 13 new murals, adding fresh color and story to our community. The week will include live mural painting, bike tours, artist talks, and community events!
September 13: Poudre Landmarks Foundation's 41st Annual Historic Homes Tour
The 41st Annual Fort Collins Historic Homes Tour, hosted by Poudre Landmarks Foundation, takes place Saturday, September 13, 2025, from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. This beloved tradition invites guests inside four private residences, a bonus home filled with mid-century Danish furnishings, and three historic landmarks: the Avery House, the 1883 Water Works, and Museo de las Tres Colonias. Explore unique architecture, rich history, and the stories that shaped our community.
September 13: The Farm at Lee Martinez Park's 40th Anniversary Celebration
Celebrate The Farm’s 40th anniversary with a special day out at The Farm, featuring food trucks, fun farm games, live music, visiting the animals and line dancing! The Farm at Lee Martinez Park has provided hands-on family fun since 1985. The Farm serves as an educational and interactive experience for Fort Collins residents and visitors.
Sept. 27-28: Northern Colorado Mountain Bike Festival
Join Overland Mountain Bike Association for a full day of fun celebrating mountain bikes! The Northern Colorado Mountain Bike Festival is two packed days of riding, music, community, and trail advocacy ! All events take place at Lory State Park.
Other honorable mentions include: EnergyFest (Sept. 13), Ciao, Summer! 2025 at Horse & Dragon Brewing, and The Great NOCO Backyard Party (Sept. 20)!
Live Music, Festivals, & Recurring Concert Series
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 Donna The Buffalo, Samantha Fish on her Paper Doll World Tour, Man's Best Friend: Sabrina Carpenter Album party, Pepper, and Cherub.
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 as they near the end of their concert season. The Disco Biscuits take the stage for three nights (Sept. 5-7) followed by two nights of Umphrey's McGee (Sept. 13-14) the next week. Later in the month, Emancipator comes for a two-night stay (Sept. 26-27), but there are a few other one-night shows, so be sure to check out their calendar! Want to catch some day-time music? The Mish has day shows on Sept. 1, Sept. 21, and Sept. 28, with the latter being Sustainable Living Association's 25th anniversary donation-suggested show!
But wait, The Mish added two new music series beyond their mothership venue to support local music this summer! Just down the road in the canyon, The Mish along with Riverside Colorado, launched Campfire Sessions, which brings local talent to an intimate outdoor setting by the river and fire — of course. This month, the Campfire Sessions will feature Robin Lewis (Sept. 4), Ginger Whale (Sept. 11), and Emma Rose (Sept. 25). Back in town at Visit Fort Collins' Welcome Center, the Foco Unexpected series aims to provide a safe environment for those around us who are unrepresented and ready to rock. On Sept. 19, there is a Noco Noise Floor Takeover: A visual and audio experience.
Come Sway at Washington’s
Washington’s is an intimate 900-person venue in Old Town Fort Collins. This month, some names you'll see pass through the doors are: Tab Benoit, YAIMA, The Dandy Warhols, Ruthie Foster, Bonnie Prince Billy and Tim O'Brien, and THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS. Additionally, The 4th Annual Colorado Sound Music Awards and Concert is Sept. 18. Make sure to visit their concert events calendar here for the most up-to-date information about shows and how to get tickets.
Outdoor Summer Concert Series
Pictured: Bohemian Nights's Thursday Night Live
During the summer, there are recurring events with music almost every day and September still has some left. To start, The Lyric hosts Open Mic every Monday and has a show on Sept. 11. There are three more Tuesdays of the FoCo Food Truck Rally, which includes over 20 food trucks and vendors at the spacious City Park. On Wednesdays, check out CooperSmith's Brewpub downtown for their free series. The first Thursday is Bohemian Nights's final Thursday Night Live of the season occurring on the outdoor stage in Fort Collins' Old Town Square. Friday is a shoe-in for concerts at any of the venues or breweries! Saturdays you can tap your toes at Gilded Goat Brewing's downtown location and at Breckenridge Brewery! For a Sunday funday, head to Odell Brewing Co. for their series!
Other Ways to Hear Music
Magic Rat, located in Old Firehouse Alley adjacent to The Elizabeth Hotel in Old Town, offers swinging sounds on tap weekly. All of these fun concert events are free to enjoy. 830 North combines bowling and music with a packed lineup for the month of September. With a combination of free and paid shows, you're sure to find something you like! The Lincoln Center has one last Live At The Gardens concert, which combined music in beautiful outdoor scenery at The Gardens on Spring Creek. Be sure to check out our events page as breweries and restaurants add music on the regular!
Fort Collins Film, Arts & Culture Events
Film
The Holiday Twin Drive-In, one of only four drive-in movie lots left in Colorado, offers a view of the foothills, mini putt-putt, and a concessions stand. The Lyric, another local iconic cinema, hosts summer outdoor movies in an area that also boosts a playground, eclectic seating, and patio seating with a full kitchen steps away inside.
Launched in this summer, The Elizabeth Hotel has a Magic Rat Film Showcase occurring every third Wednesday of the month, which includes networking, screening, and a Q&A session. For the Sept. 17th slot, the film featured is "Future Frames", which celebrate the voices of the next generation of filmmakers.
Theatre
Pictured: Bas Bleu Theatre
At The Lincoln Center this month, you'll find all types of entertainment! From Sept. 12-21, you can take in Spirit Level, a play about love, second chances, and unexpected bonds. On Sept. 13, Cirque FLIP Fabrique is an acrobatic production on a bus! At Bas Bleu theatre, starting Sept. 19th is Mr. Burns, a post electric play that is part post-apocalyptic thrill ride, and part light opera musical with The Simpson's settings.
Live Comedy
Hosting regular open mic nights, nationally renowned comedians, and even burlesque shows, The Comedy Fort is Fort Collins' only comedy club and home to events all month long that you can find here. The Forts Funniest, a stand up comedy tournament, starts in September and goes until October. It is a chance to vote for Northern Colorado's funniest! The Comedy Fort will also see names like Dave Ross, Nate Craig, Pete Lee, and Audrey Stewart come through in September. The Gateway Show and Moms Unhinged! are two other special nights that you should not overlook!
Every last Saturday of the month, so September 27th in this case, The Lyric Comedy Show starts at 8 p.m. Another option for laughs is Slyce Pizza's The Speak Cheesy Lounge as they host an open mic comedy night on Wednesdays and a Pizza Party comedy showcase on Sept. 21.
Art & Museums
First Friday Art Walk (Sept. 5) is a monthly self-guided walking tour that celebrates creativity, culture, and community in Downtown Fort Collins on the first Friday of every month! Recurring on the third Thursday of each month, The Speak Cheesy Lounge, below Slyce Pizza, hosts the Big Cheesy Art Show.
For museum viewing, The Museum of Art has three current exhibitions and will be partnering with the Fort Collins Mural Project on Sept. 9th for a Mental Health Artist Talk. The Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures has a few exhibitions, including the Echoes of the Red Era until Sept. 20. Are you curious about fashion history then check out CSU's Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising. On Sept. 18, a new exhibit, Thanks! It Has Pockets, will be debuting with light refreshments and snacks. If you looking for interactive, family friendly, and nature then look no further than the Museum of Discovery as they currently have a First Peoples exhibit along with other animal features!
Food & Drink
Pictured: The Welsh Rabbit Cheese Shop
Fort Collins Foodie Walk™ is a monthly self-guided walking tour from 5-8 pm on the third Friday of each month (Sept. 19th) and celebrates the culinary culture and thriving foodie scene in Downtown Fort Collins. Join Downtown’s finest culinary shops each month for interactive showcases, seasonal flavors, and exciting taste experiences! Looking to bite off a little bit more to chew? Check out the Old Town Food Tour, which stops at 4-6 restaurants, an adult beverage add-on, a chance to meet chefs, and more!
Want some mountain views? Marr's Mountain Cabins & Tavern host a Cook Your Own Steak Night every Tuesday up in Red Feather Lakes.
Local staple Ginger & Baker hosts over a dozen cooking classes this month, including a Pasta from Scratch: Pesto Cavatelli on Sept. 3! Similarly, Farm Fusion hosts a variety of classes including a Pickle and Preserve on Sept. 19.
Looking for a show and dinner experience? The Marriott hosts The Dinner Detective True Crime Murder Mystery Dinner Show on Sept. 20.
Cafe Vino is hosting A Taste of Germany Wine Tasting & 4-Course Dinner on Sept. 24.
Shopping
Happening on the Old Town Square on Sept. 7, is the Fort Collins Handmade Market from 10 am - 2 p.m.
Near the end of the month, Linden Street in Old Town will be closed off for the Fort Collins Artisan Fair (Sept. 20). The first 50 to arrive at the event that are pre-registered with a complimentary ticket get a VIP Bag of goodies, samples, coupons.
Outdoors, Sports & Wellness
School is back in session, which means so are the Rams! The Colorado State University athletics calendar is underway. The CSU women's soccer team has two home matches (Sept. 4, 7). The CSU volleyball team has four home matches including a White Out vs. Notre Dame on Sept. 12 and a Battle of the Golden Spikes game with Colorado on Sept. 18! On the gridiron, the football team has its home opener and Ag Day on Sept. 6, so you'll see an influx of Aggie Orange apparel around town! Two other home games follow on Sept. 20 vs. UTSA and Sept. 27 when Washington State comes into town for CSU's State Pride game.
How about some leisure sports like putt putt? The Old Town Putt is hosting a Putt For The Planet fundraiser event on Sept. 21.
If you're a trail runner, you might already have your sights and shoes set for the Black Squirrel Half Marathon, happening up at Lory State Park on Sept. 6. If something slower is your pace then check out Walk ALS event, a free event with fundraising encouraged, at City Park on Sept. 20. Another great event at City Park is Yoga in City Park, which runs through Sept. 27th.
You can hardly go a month without a bicycling event in Fort Collins. On Sept. 25, the Fort Collins Senior Center is hosting a Try-Cycle: Discover the Joy of Bicycling at Any Age. Prior to that, Bike Fort Collins has its annual Tour De Farms, which is a 30+ mile guided ride with stops at local farms for snacks and stories, before concluding at Zwei Brewing.
Water sports aren't out of the question although the weather is cooling down! Get out to Horsetooth Reservoir or the Mountain Whitewater Park in town to soak up the last bits of summer. The weather is perfect for fishing season, so you may want to check out one of St. Peter's Fly Shop's Signature Fly Fishing School classes, which includes classroom and instruction on the water!
