April Highlights
Connect and Learn at the ACT Human Rights Film Festival
The eleventh annual ACT Human Rights Film Festival is April 9-12, 2026, right here in Fort Collins. Every year ACT brings the best and most recent human rights documentary films to our community. Filmmakers from all over come to Fort Collins to talk about their films and important human rights issues, and local nonprofit organizations join in the conversation to help you get involved. Check out our First Time Festivalgoer Guide here for more information.
Dance Your Heart Out at FoCoMX
FoCoMX, one of Fort Collins' most treasured annual events, is coming up soon on April 24th-25th! Get your groove on to over 450 Colorado bands and musical artists of all genres, performing at over 35 different stages in Downtown Fort Collins. Looking for a free way to enjoy the festival and still dance your heart out? They are still looking for volunteers this year! To find out more information, as well as tickets, lineup, and everything else you need to know, click here.
Celebrate Earth Day
Enjoy the 16th Annual Earth Day Fort Collins on Saturday, April 18th at Odell Brewing. This free event features a combination of activities and events for the entire family, including informational booths and displays, kids activities, arts & crafts, live music, speakers, food trucks, farmers market and a beer garden. Visit their website to find out more information.
32nd Annual Contest Powwow and Art Market
The Northern Colorado Intertribal Powwow Association, Inc. celebrates Native American heritage and helps to preserve their culture through honoring our ancestors and inspiring youth while increasing public awareness. They do this by sharing their values and providing educational and cultural experiences through music, dance, food, and the arts. For over 30 years, they have been putting on the Annual Contest Powwow and Art Market. This year's 32nd annual will be at the Northside Aztlan Community Center from April 10th-12th. Visit their website to find out more information on NCIPA in addition to the event schedule.
Fort Collins Book Fest
FoCo Book Fest is an annual celebration of literature, creativity, and storytelling. From author talks, book marketplaces, and panel discussions, writing workshops to hands-on creative crafts, FoCo Book Fest is designed to connect Fort Collins readers and writers of all ages in the Northern Colorado community. This year's festival theme is Multitudes (n.) the many selves we carry and the stories that help us see, understand, and connect across them. The events transpire over two weekends (April 10-11 & 17-18) at the Foothills Mall with a kickoff event on April 10th at the Visit Fort Collins Welcome Center.
Horsetooth Half Marathon
Welcome to the 53rd running of the Horsetooth Half Marathon. Your race will take you on a scenic point-to-point journey from Hughes Stadium, the former home of the CSU Rams, to the finish line party at New Belgium Brewery. On the way you’ll tackle the challenging hills of Centennial Drive along the shorelines of the shimmering Horsetooth Reservoir, before you head for the famed finish line party on the downhill Poudre River recreation trail. Whether an elite runner or a first time half marathoner, the Horsetooth Half Marathon offers a challenging yet surprisingly fast course, with a net loss in elevation.
Live Music
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. The venue is one of the marquee stops during FoCoMX with six bands each on Friday and Saturday evening. Outside of the festival, there are three other concerts including MarchFourth, a jazzy bunch, playing on April 11th.
The Armory is a more intimate 200-person capacity venue with state-of-the-art acoustics. The two shows in April are the Sam Grisman Project (April 9th) and Dar Williams with Ruth Theodore (April 17th).
Check out the full line up for both venues at the Bohemian Live Music website.
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. The venue has an ultra active month with 13 shows outside of FoCoMX's two-day packed lineup when another 15 bands take stage! The month closely with Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals on April 28th. Check out their website for upcoming shows.
The Mishawaka
The spring is when The Mish, located in the Poudre Canyon, comes back fully to life! Recently, the Mish was named 2026 Best Outdoor Music Venue by Denver Westword. The first concert on the outdoor stage is San Holo on April 18th! The indoor stage is in use on April 10th by D.R.I. with Deathwish and Clusterfux. Additionally, they have two April shows they sponsor in town at OBC Wine Project and Avogadro's Number. For their full schedule click here.
The Lincoln Center
The Lincoln Center provides some classy tunes and flare. On April 20th, see Black Violin’s Full Circle Tour, where GRAMMY-nominated duo Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus redefine the possibilities of music by merging classical depth with hip-hop’s pulse. The Fort Collins Symphony has a sensory-friendly event on April 18th and will be planning during FoCoMX. Direct from the Tony Award Winning Revival of Company, Nicholas Rodriguez (One Life to Live, Sex and the City 2), celebrates Stephen Sondheim with his brand new concert, Sincerely, Sondheim—a nod to both the lyrical and musical genius of the late composer and his reputation for his renowned penmanship.
Other Ways to Tune In
Sound Bar, winner of the 2025 FoCoMA Peer Awards' Best Venue, has emerged as a community hub for live music and nightlife in the heart of Fort Collins. The venue's April lineup showcases its commitment to diverse indie, rock, and alternative acts, making it a go-to spot for discovering emerging artists and underground sounds in Northern Colorado's vibrant music scene. Check out Buffalo Traffic Jam, a Montana folk band on April 3rd!
Magic Rat, located in Old Firehouse Alley adjacent to The Elizabeth Hotel in Old Town, offers swinging sounds on tap weekly for free. For nine days of the month, 830 North combines bowling and music for an enhanced visit to the lanes. Avogadro's Number is another popular spot that routinely books local talent. With a combination of free and paid shows, you're sure to find something you like! Remember to check out our 20+ breweries as they also host smaller live shows!
Performing Arts: Theater, Film, Comedy
The Comedy Fort
Hosting regular open mic nights and nationally renowned comedians, 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 Zak Toscani, Jamie Wolf, Kevin Bozeman, Kyle Kinane, Sumukh Torgalkar and more great comics! Specialty nights on the docket this month also include Second Chance Comedy (April 5th), New Material Night (Mondays), and The Gateway Show (April 15th).
Bas Bleu
Bas Bleu Theatre, located in the historic Giddings Building in downtown Fort Collins, offers a charming and versatile venue for a variety of events. With its intimate stage and elegant gallery space, it’s the perfect setting for performances, weddings, receptions, and more. In April, Plastered Peter Pan, presented by Acting Tipsy Theatre Co., has six shows. Check out the full line up at Bas Bleu here.
The Lyric
The Lyric is a locally owned eclectic community hub that generates, distributes, and exhibits creative arts. The Lyric boasts three indoor movie theaters and a towering outdoor movie screen. They are showcasing an April Film Retrospective with the theme "Women Who Change the World", which features a movie each Thursday! Aside from the refreshed cycle of Indie movies rolling, the Lyric has themed events like Drag Brunch (April 4th & 18th), Wild Card Wednesday where the movie is free but random, Trivia, free Weekend 'Toons, karaoke, story swap, and more! The ACT Human Rights Film Festival is utilizing the space for films, art and networking on April 10th-12th.
The Lincoln Center
At The Lincoln Center this month, you'll find a full line-up (9 different events!) of wonderful performances, film and music! The Cottage, a drama in the english countryside by OpenStage Theatre & Company plays through mid April 18th. Doodle Pop on April 11th is a duo primed to open your imagination through art, theatre and music. The popular musical Chicago rolls into town April 24-26th. Film and music enthusiasts need to circle April 17th on the calendar for Gold Rush: A Silent Film Journey, which features Charlie Chaplin’s Gold Rush with live orchestral accompaniment by the Fort Collins Symphony. Lastly, the Canyon Concert Ballet company closes programing for the month with their annual Competition Team Showcase. Check out The Lincoln Center's full schedule for more information and to purchase tickets.
Other Film Events
The Magic Rat Film Showcase, located inside The Elizabeth Hotel, continues on April 15th with the showing of Til Harvest Comes: A northern Colorado Story. Set against the backdrop of rural America, ’Til Harvest Comes is a thrilling story of crime, legacy, systemic injustice, and the lengths we’ll go for our children.
Dining & Shopping
The Fort Collins Foodie WalkTM happens the 3rd Friday of every month, which will be April 17th. 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!
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! If you are looking to add attributes to your own cooking chops, then be sure to check out the cooking classes offered by Ginger & Baker and Farm Fusion. Speaking of Ginger & Baker, they have their 2nd Annual Louisiana Crawfish Boil on April 19th.
Local hotspot, Music City Hot Chicken is hosting their 10-Year Anniversary Party on April 18th. The event will be at their FoCo North location (1820 N College Ave) from 11AM - 11PM. There will be music, fundraising, and plenty of party!
There is still a few days left for the Morning Fresh Dairy's Spring-Fling farm tours! Led by their friendly and knowledgeable guides, the tour will take you on a colorful journey around the family-owned and operated dairy farm with spring fun along the way!
The Winter Farmers Market, located at Foothills Shopping Center, has three remaining Saturdays (April 4th, 11th, and 18th). The 11th is the first annual National Pet Day Talent & Costume Contest from 11am-1pm, join the Pawty! There are still other markets in April though! The Spring Artisan Market occurs on April 11th at the Fort Collins Senior Center. The Spring Maker's Market at Mishawaka Amphitheatre gives you an excuse to drive up the Poudre Canyon on April 11th-12th!
Art
Put your walking shoes on and head out on the Downtown Fort Collins First Friday Art WalkTM on April 3rd! 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. This month, there will be art and music for promoting FoCoMX at the VFC Welcome Center!
CSU Libraries presents On the Walls at CSU: Posters from the 1970s, a companion exhibition highlighting the visual culture, student activism, and creative energy that shaped Colorado State University during a pivotal decade. Additionally, the CSU Libraries has a Saving the Past for the Future: 50 Years of Archives at CSU, a commemorative exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the University Archives.
The Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising has two exhibition; Anchors Aweigh: Sailors' Fashion and American Women's Fashion, and The Fashion "Bug": Insects In and On our Cloth. The Global Village Museum of Arts & Cultures has two current exhibits: Letters from the Heart: Global Threads of Love and Celebrating 20 Years of SpeakOut!: A Community Writing Retrospective. Additionally the global museum has a few events including Putting Pen to Paper with Diane Odbert.
The Museum of Art Fort Collins will host the 22nd Annual Masks Fundraiser & Exhibition starting April 3rd and going through June 5th. Over the past 22 years, 4,000 Masks have been created and over $2.2 million raised by this extraordinary fundraiser and community art project. Additionally, MOA has a Minilab for Future Inspection of Color: Toward a Chromatic Forensics.
Weekly on Monday and Wednesday, the Lincoln Center Art Gallery is participating in Colorado’s Month of Printmaking (Mo’Print), by presenting Under Pressure, a nationally juried exhibit of 41 artworks consisting of any printmaking media (relief printing, lithograph, silkscreen, intaglio, and monoprints).
At the Center for Creativity, Figure Swarm Gallery will have an opening reception on April 15th and will run until the 19th.
On April 3rd, head to the Cornerstone Gallery at The Masonic for a special Mid-Reception & Poetry Readings, which celebrates Michael Safran's "Possibilities" exhibit.
Sports, Wellness & Outdoors
Colorado State University
The CSU Softball team has several home games to catch including series against San Jose St. (April 8), Nevada (April 17-19), and Grand Canyon (April 30). The women's tennis team hosts San Diego St. (April 12) and Wyoming (April 17). Over at the Jack Christiansen Track, the championship caliber Track & Field program has The Border Dual with Wyoming on April 25th.
Other
Explore DU's Kennedy Mountain Campus and learn about their summer sleepaway camp for 9- to 15-year-olds! The campus has 700 acres of adventure in Red Feather Lakes, CO, just an hour outside of Fort Collins. The DU Open House is free and open to the public. You'll get to meet the staff, tour campus, and sample some of the fun camp activities. Drop in anytime on April 25th from 9:30 am - 3:30 pm, no registration required.
On April 25th, Liarflies is doing a 5-hour fly fishing experience, Women on the Water, at Riverside Colorado.
