Fort Collins Fall Events 2026: What to Do This September and October

Summer may get most of the attention in Fort Collins, but the local event calendar doesn't slow down much once September arrives. Tour de Fat wrapped up at the end of August, and the next two months bring Oktoberfest, Taste of Fort Collins, CSU Homecoming, hundreds of costumed corgis, FoCo Fall Fest, pumpkin patches and Halloween events.

One of the biggest changes this year is Taste of Fort Collins. After traditionally taking place in early June, the festival moves to September 26 and 27 for 2026. That puts one of the city's larger annual events directly into an already busy stretch of the fall calendar.

Whether you're new to Fort Collins, visiting for a weekend or have lived here for years, here's what's still ahead this fall.

Odell Brewing Oktoberfest | September 10–13

Fort Collins and beer festivals have always gone together, and Oktoberfest season gets started early at Odell Brewing. Odell's 2026 Oktoberfest runs September 10 through 13 at its Fort Collins brewery.

The multi-day celebration brings German-style beer and Oktoberfest traditions to one of the city's best-known breweries. It also arrives while September weather in Northern Colorado is generally still warm enough to spend plenty of time outside, making it an easy transition from summer brewery season into fall.

For anyone new to Fort Collins, brewery events are a major part of the city's social calendar. Many are less about having a few beers and more about live music, food, outdoor gathering spaces and community events.

Taste of Fort Collins | September 26–27

Taste of Fort Collins is making its biggest calendar change in years for its 2026 event. Instead of its traditional early-June weekend, Taste moves to September 26 and 27 at Washington Park, 301 Maple Street.

The basic format remains familiar: food, live music and local business vendors spread across the two-day festival. Children 12 and younger receive free admission this year, and organizers have also added a clear-bag policy.

The entertainment lineup is substantial. Modest Mouse headlines Saturday night at 7:30 p.m., while Lil Jon closes the festival Sunday at 6:45 p.m. Local and regional performers fill out the schedule throughout both days.

Single-day general admission tickets are currently $27 in advance, while student and military single-day admission is $22 with valid identification. The $29 weekend passes have already sold out. General admission increases to $40 for day-of purchases, according to the festival.

Saturday runs from noon to 9 p.m., with Sunday scheduled from noon to 8 p.m.

Moving Taste into late September could also mean a very different experience from the traditional June festival. Instead of arriving at the beginning of summer, it now lands as Fort Collins moves into cooler evenings and the beginning of the fall season.

Northern Colorado Mountain Bike Festival | September

Fall isn't limited to downtown events. The Northern Colorado Mountain Bike Festival returns in September with events at Lory State Park west of Fort Collins.

The festival celebrates Northern Colorado's mountain biking community with group rides, demo bikes, a poker ride and activities including a take-a-kid mountain bike ride. Lory State Park also provides access to a much larger trail network around Horsetooth Reservoir and Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, making this one of the more distinctly Northern Colorado events on the fall calendar.

It's also a good reminder that living in Fort Collins can mean two very different kinds of weekends. Old Town may be packed for a festival while, only a short drive west, another crowd is gathering at the trailhead.

CSU Homecoming & Family Weekend | October 1–4

Colorado State University is a major part of Fort Collins, and that becomes especially obvious during Homecoming & Family Weekend.

CSU's 2026 Homecoming runs October 1 through 4, bringing alumni, students and families back to campus for several days of university events. One traditional piece will be missing this year: CSU says the usual Homecoming Parade will not take place in 2026 as the university works through campus transitions and develops alternative activities.

Football remains a centerpiece of the weekend. Colorado State hosts Oregon State at Canvas Stadium at 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 3, marking the Rams' first Pac-12 conference game.

That Saturday will be particularly busy around Fort Collins because another very different local tradition will be taking over Old Town at the same time.

Tour de Corgi | October 3

Yes, Fort Collins has an annual corgi parade.

The 12th Annual Tour de Corgi takes place Saturday, October 3, at Civic Center Park and through Old Town Fort Collins. Hundreds of corgis — many wearing costumes considerably more elaborate than necessary — gather for a meet-up, costume contest and parade through downtown.

Activities and vendor booths begin at Civic Center Park at 9 a.m., followed by the costume contest and parade through Old Town. Spectators can attend and visit the vendor area without purchasing a wristband. Adults participating in the parade or costume contest need a $5 wristband, while children under five are free.

The event also raises money for 4 Paws Pet Pantry, Colorado Corgis and Friends Rescue and Bandit's K9Care.

Tour de Corgi has become one of those events that makes considerably more sense once you've spent some time in Fort Collins. This is an extremely dog-friendly city, and a parade involving hundreds of costumed corgis somehow fits right in.

FoCo Fall Fest | October 10–11

One week later, Old Town shifts fully into fall.

FoCo Fall Fest takes place October 10 and 11 in Old Town Square. The free event includes live music, food, shopping, local vendors and children's activities throughout the weekend.

Activities are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Because the festival is directly in Old Town Square, it's also one of the easiest events on this list to combine with a day downtown rather than treating it as a standalone destination.

Parking can become more difficult around Old Town during major events. Fall Fest organizers encourage visitors to consider walking, biking, rideshare or Fort Collins' Transfort bus system. A free bike valet is also planned for the festival.

Pumpkin Patches, Corn Mazes and Harvest Season

By October, Northern Colorado's pumpkin patches and corn mazes are in full swing, and several are within or just outside Fort Collins.

The Bartels Farm on the north side of Fort Collins is one of the longstanding local options, with pumpkins, a corn maze and hayrides. Jack Lantern's Northern Colorado Corn Maze offers another Fort Collins option with a corn maze, pumpkin patch and additional activities.

There are also plenty of choices within an easy drive of town. Farms and seasonal attractions throughout Larimer and Weld counties turn October into pumpkin and harvest season, ranging from simple pumpkin-picking operations to larger fall attractions with mazes, games and other activities.

For something less structured, Larimer County Farmers' Market continues its Saturday market season through October at 200 W. Oak Street in Old Town. Fall brings a different mix of locally grown produce and seasonal products than the market offers during the summer months.

Treatsylvania | October 23–25

Fort Collins' Halloween calendar includes one of the city's longtime family traditions at The Farm at Lee Martinez Park.

Treatsylvania runs October 23 through 25 and is designed primarily for children 10 and younger. The non-scary Halloween event turns The Farm into a trick-or-treat experience where children can walk Trick-or-Treat Street, collect candy and take a family hayride.

The 2026 sessions are scheduled for Friday, October 23 from 5 to 7 p.m.; Saturday, October 24 from 5 to 7 p.m.; and two sessions Sunday, October 25 from 1 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.

Admission is $9 for participating children. Adults and older children accompanying them do not need tickets. The City of Fort Collins plans to open ticket sales October 7 at 7 a.m., with availability on a first-come, first-served basis.

Fall Is a Good Time to Learn Fort Collins

A list of events doesn't tell the entire story of living in a city, but it does reveal something about how people spend their time there. Fort Collins' fall calendar moves easily between breweries, bikes, CSU football, downtown festivals, outdoor recreation, farms and a parade involving several hundred corgis.

It also shows why location can matter when choosing where to live. Someone near Old Town can walk or bike to many of the downtown events, while neighborhoods closer to Horsetooth provide easier access to trails and outdoor recreation. Other parts of Fort Collins trade immediate access to the downtown activity for quieter surroundings, newer housing and different commuting options.

Those differences can be difficult to see from an apartment listing or a map.

Premium Apartment Locators helps renters compare Fort Collins apartments, neighborhoods, pricing, incentives and locations at no cost to the renter. If you're moving to Fort Collins, the goal isn't simply to find an available apartment. It's to find the part of the city that fits how you actually want to live.