On Halloween, the sun sets over Fort Collins at 5:57 p.m. The next evening it sets at 4:56. Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, when clocks go back to 1 a.m. NIST describes the change as moving an hour of daylight from evening to morning.
That missing hour shapes the next two weeks of public events in town. Look at what the City, The Gardens on Spring Creek and the Downtown Development Authority have scheduled around Nov. 1. The October events start in late daylight and run into dusk. On Oct. 30 the City hands out free bike lights. The Old Town lights come on Nov. 6, a night planned for full dark.
The Two Weeks Around the Clock Change
| Date | What's happening | Start time | Fort Collins sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Oct. 24 | Pumpkins on Parade, The Gardens on Spring Creek | 5 p.m. | 6:06 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 31 | CSU Halloween Organ Extravaganza, first show | 6 p.m. | 5:57 p.m. |
| Sun., Nov. 1 | Clocks fall back at 2 a.m. | n/a | 4:56 p.m. |
| Fri., Nov. 6 | Downtown Holiday Lighting Ceremony countdown | 6:30 p.m. | 4:50 p.m. |
The two halves of the table work differently. In late October, events open about an hour before sunset and run on into the dark. In November, the sun is gone well before anyone gathers in Old Town Square.
Late October Starts in Daylight and Ends After Dark
Pumpkins on Parade runs Oct. 22–25 at The Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave. Hours are 5 to 9 p.m., and the entrance gates close at 8. With sunset around 6 p.m. that weekend, a 5 p.m. arrival gets you the themed display zones and big Halloween installations in daylight. Stay a while and you see them again lit after dark. Entry is timed. Nonmember tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for ages 5 to 17. Members pay $12 and $8, children four and under get in free, and $1 SNAP/EBT tickets are sold onsite. The evenings also include seasonal games, live entertainment each night, local food vendors and seasonal drinks. The Gardens notes that this is not a trick-or-treat event. Ace Hardware is the presenting sponsor.
For trick-or-treating, the City runs Treatsylvania at The Farm at Lee Martinez Park, 600 N. Sherwood St. Sessions run 5 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 23 and 24, plus 1 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 25. That's a hayride, Trick-or-Treat Street and a treat bag for every participating child, at $9 per child. The City's page says 2026 tickets are already sold out. Advance reservations are required, so families who missed out this year can plan to book earlier next fall.
Halloween night is the last evening on the long clock. CSU's Halloween Organ Extravaganza has shows at 6, 8 and 10 p.m., performed by CSU's organ studio and faculty artist Joel Bacon. The first show starts three minutes after sunset. The same night, the Lincoln Center opens Dracula, which runs through Nov. 28.
The City Hands Out Lights Two Days Early
The event that ties most directly to the time change is the smallest one. It runs on Friday, Oct. 30, two days before the clocks fall back. The City's Brighten the Night page opens with this line:
"As the days get shorter, get ready to Brighten the Night with the City's FC Moves and Utilities teams."
Stop by anytime from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Walk and Wheel Skills Hub, 1600 W. Drake Rd. FC Moves and Utilities are giving away free bike lights and other gear that makes you easier to see after dark, along with free LED bulbs for your home while supplies last. Utilities staff will cover programs that can help with home energy costs, and the City will share its planned safety improvements on Shields Street. The event is free.
The timing matters if you bike or walk. The first workday on the new clock is Monday, Nov. 2, when sunset is 4:55 p.m. On Friday most commutes home still end in daylight. On Monday, many of the same trips end at dusk or later. Picking up lights on Friday means they're already on your bike by then.
November 6 Is Planned for Full Dark
Five days after the clock change, the Downtown Holiday Lighting Ceremony fills Old Town Square on Friday, Nov. 6. Live music runs 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the square's stage, with a short ceremony at 6:30 before the lights come on. Admission is free. The holiday lights are a partnership of the City, the Downtown Development Authority and the Downtown General Improvement District, and Fort Collins Connexion sponsors the ceremony.
The sky will be fully dark by the countdown. On Nov. 6, sunset is 4:50 p.m., civil twilight ends at 5:19 and astronomical twilight ends at 6:24, six minutes before the countdown. Before the clocks changed, the same 6:30 countdown would have come during dusk. On the new clock, the trees light up against a fully dark sky.
The same night is also a First Friday. Downtown Fort Collins lists the First Friday Art Walk from 6 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 6, so the art walk starts half an hour before the countdown and keeps going two hours after it. Expect two crowds downtown at once, and the City is closing streets for it. From 3 p.m., these are closed:
- Walnut Street
- The 200 block of Linden Street
- Mountain Avenue between College Avenue and Remington Street
"No Parking" signs go up 24 hours ahead. Cars left in signed areas will be towed to Northside Aztlan Community Center at 112 E. Willow St. The City also warns of limited parking and traffic congestion around the square. Leaving a car on Walnut Friday morning and coming back after work means a trip to Willow Street.
What Stays Lit Through February
The Nov. 6 ceremony starts the season. The City says the trees throughout Old Town will stay lit with thousands of LED bulbs through February. Every downtown walk after the ceremony falls within that stretch, so the trees are already lit before each one begins:
- Foodie Walk, Nov. 20 and Dec. 18, 5 to 8 p.m. A self-guided tour of downtown food and drink shops, held on the third Friday of each month. The winter dates continue Jan. 15 and Feb. 19.
- First Friday Art Walk, Dec. 4, 6 to 9 p.m. After that come Jan. 1 and Feb. 5.
- The Great Fort Collins Nutcracker, Dec. 4–5 at the Lincoln Center, the same weekend as the December art walk.
The last listed winter art walk, Feb. 5, falls in the final month the trees are scheduled to stay lit. The walks and the lights run on the same winter schedule.
The Hour That Moved to Morning
NIST's description is a reminder that the hour isn't lost. It moves to the morning. On Nov. 1, the sun rises at 6:30 a.m. and the day lasts 10 hours and 26 minutes. By Nov. 7, sunrise is 6:37 a.m. and the day is just over 10 hours and 12 minutes.
If you'd rather use the morning light, Trickster Bakery & Cafe opened Aug. 10 at 1075 Pennock Place. The Rocky Mountain Collegian reported that co-owners Jenn Lewis and Shannon Morr built it around pastries, breakfast food, coffee and a community table. Whether you bike there in the morning or walk Old Town after dark, this is the time of year when a free bike light from Drake Road comes in handy.
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