Think Downtown First: Celebrate Small Business Month in Downtown Fort Collins

Discover 700+ local businesses, earn Old Town Spree™ rewards, and make Downtown Fort Collins your first stop.

There’s a moment we love every November, when the air turns crisp, the lights sparkle, and our neighborhood comes alive with the season. From restaurants, cafes, shops, and boutiques to salons, studios, and stages, it’s Small Business Month, the perfect time to shop small in Fort Collins and show some love to the local businesses that make our community feel like home.

Small Businesses Are the Heart of Fort Collins

Small businesses are anything but “the little guys.” According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy, they make up 99.9% of all U.S. businesses, employ nearly half of private sector workers, and generate 43.5% of the nation’s GDP. In Colorado, more than 730,000 small businesses employ 1.2 million people. 

In other words, small businesses aren't a side note to our economy. They are our economy. They're also where so many of us work, gather, and celebrate life's big and little moments.

Why Your Holiday Shopping Matters So Much

For many downtown businesses, Small Business Saturday and the holiday weeks that follow bring the year's strongest sales. Every gift you buy and every dinner you book locally helps an owner keep the lights on, keep their team employed, and keep giving back to the community we share.

Shop Small, Dine Small, and Celebrate Big on Small Business Saturday

Meet us downtown for Small Business Saturday on Saturday, November 28! Shop by day, then stay after dark as 65,000 twinkling lights glow across 22 block faces. The lights shine through February 14, so you can keep coming back all winter long.

Find Your Favorites

Not sure where to start? Our downtown business directories are a great way to plan your outing, find a new favorite, or track down that shop a friend told you about.

Dine Downtown: Coffee, tea, sweet treats, breweries, and restaurants for every taste.

Shop Downtown: Boutiques, bookstores, galleries, and gift shops full of one-of-a-kind finds, plus personal and professional services.

Play Downtown: Live music, theatre, games, and activities for a memorable night out.

Visit Downtown: Local lodging options for a fun getaway. Plus, explore ways to get around.

Not sure what to give? Give the gift of choice with a Downtown Fort Collins Gift Card, good at more than 180 local businesses.

Get Rewarded with Old Town Spree™

From November 1 through December 31, 2026, shop and dine at 48 participating Old Town Spree™ businesses for a chance to win one of four weekly $100 Downtown Fort Collins Gift Cards or one of five $250 grand prizes. It’s our way of saying thanks for choosing local. See how Old Town Spree works and start your Spree today!

See You Downtown

The DDA’s Business Marketing and Communications team supports downtown businesses all year, but the real magic comes from you: the neighbors, students, families, and visitors who choose to show up. 

This season, explore the Downtown Fort Collins business directory, make a plan, and think downtown first. We'll see you there!