Taste of Fort Collins returns to Washington Park for its 30th year on Sept. 26 and 27, and this time it's landing in the crisp air of early fall instead of its usual early-June slot. Modest Mouse takes the Pedersen Stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and Lil Jon closes out the weekend at 6:45 p.m. Sunday, anchoring a lineup that blends national touring acts with a deep bench of regional and local performers, food vendors, and activities for all ages.
The date change is a deliberate one. According to 9News, organizers moved the festival from its traditional early-June timeframe to late September specifically to take advantage of autumn weather, a shift that breaks with three decades of habit for what has long served as something closer to a summer kickoff event for Old Town. As Denver7 reports, the festival runs noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, bringing together live music, food vendors, local businesses, and family activities across the park and surrounding streets.
A Milestone Anniversary Rooted in Local Fundraising
The festival's 30-year run traces back to 1996, when Team Player Productions founder Jason Ornstein created the event at Colorado State University before growing it into a regional festival production business. Since 1998, the Fort Collins Eyeopeners Kiwanis Club has co-organized Taste of Fort Collins, and the weekend remains the service club's largest annual fundraiser supporting local children and family programs. The Eyeopeners Kiwanis Club, founded in 1973, has used festival proceeds to back youth programs across Larimer County ever since.
That civic backbone sits alongside a growing commercial footprint. First National Bank of Omaha serves as the presenting sponsor for the 2026 event, while Northern Colorado dealership Pedersen Toyota sponsors the main stage that bears its name. Craft beverage partners round out the festival marketplace, with attendees able to sample craft beer from Odell Brewing Co. and New Belgium Brewing, plus cocktails from Seed & Spirit Distilling, alongside food from local restaurants and regional food trucks.
Headliners Join a Deep Local Lineup
Modest Mouse and Lil Jon join a roster of eight regional acts filling out the schedule: Safekeeper, The Crooked Rugs, Badda Boom Brass Band, Slow Caves, Shelvis and the Roustabouts, A Place for Owls, Tumbledown Shack, and 2MX2, spanning slacker rock, brass, indie, and hip-hop. The booking continues a pattern of drawing prominent touring talent to Old Town; past national headliners have included Andy Grammer and Rick Ross in 2024, The All-American Rejects in 2023, Cold War Kids and T.I. in 2022, and Nelly and Spin Doctors in 2021.
Families attending will find a dedicated Kids Zone featuring face painting, rides, and interactive games and activities, while a festival marketplace showcases local businesses and artisan vendors along the streets surrounding Washington Park. Denver7 is listed as a partner of Taste of Fort Collins, and its coverage of the event was paid for through an in-kind partnership.
What to Know Before You Go
Ticket prices are tiered this year: advance single-day passes run $27, with gate cash sales rising to $40. Single-day student and military passes cost $22, VIP single-day passes cost $60, and advance weekend passes, priced at $29, have already sold out. Children 12 and under get in free all day, and tickets remain available at tasteoffortcollins.com.
Security protocols are stricter than a casual afternoon in the park might suggest. Organizers are enforcing a mandatory clear bag policy for anything larger than a wallet, with checks at every entry gate, though searched medical bags, diaper bags, and lawn chair bags are exempt. Re-entry is allowed throughout the day with a valid pass. Attendees can bring lawn chairs and blankets onto the Washington Park and Civic Center Park lawns, but seating is explicitly prohibited on the paved city streets surrounding the venue, where food and artisan vendors set up shop.
The fall move places Taste of Fort Collins alongside two other cornerstone events on the city's annual calendar: the 450-band FoCoMX music festival each April and New Belgium's Tour de Fat each August, cementing downtown Fort Collins' reputation as a near-constant host of outdoor music and craft beer gatherings throughout the year.
