When it comes to football, the University of Colorado Boulder may have Colorado State University beat, but there’s no contest when it comes to who has the bigger post-game celebration. Between Pearl Street and Old Town, Fort Collins is home to the best bar scene along the Front Range.
“To be honest, Boulder’s bar scene is pretty mid,” CU senior Zach Zogran said. “This is an unpopular opinion, but I think the bars at CSU are a lot better than the ones we have here. There’s more room, so you’re not packed in like sardines. The bars are air-conditioned, the drinks aren’t as expensive and you have discount nights like Ram Band.”
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Many other Boulder students share the sentiment that their nightlife is expensive, underwhelming and lacking anything particularly special.
“Everyone should experience Ram Band at least once.” -Genesis Lacy, CSU senior
One of the biggest differences that defines Fort Collins’ nightlife is the diversity in Old Town. From The Bar District to Lucky Joe’s Sidewalk Saloon, FoCo offers everything from casual pub vibes to cocktail lounges, jazz bars and speakeasies, appealing to a wide range of tastes.
“I really like Elliot’s Martini Bar and the Social (Fort Collins) as well because I enjoy more relaxed drinking environments,” CSU senior Genesis Lacy said. “Everyone should experience Ram Band at least once. It’s something that a lot of those who are of drinking age at CSU talk about, and ultimately, I think it rounds out the college experience at CSU.”
The drinking scene in Boulder is on a smaller scale with most bars being no bigger than an average classroom that seats 30 students. Many Buffs opt to drink at fraternity parties or with a few close friends at home.
Across enemy lines in Fort Collins, the bar scene tells a different story. Thursday nights are synonymous with Ram Band: a $14 wristband that grants the wearer an open bar at three different locations from 9:30 p.m. to midnight. Friday nights belong to Ladies Night, offering women a $12 band that gives them an open bar during the same timeframe.
“I have drank in both Boulder and Fort Collins, and it’s not even close,” CSU alumna Jessie Adams said. “Fort Collins is a better nightlife, going-out-drinking, party kind of town by a mile. Boulder mostly does house parties and frat parties, which are fine — don’t get me wrong — but after you can legally drink, it’s like, ‘Why am I doing this?’”
Beyond the regular deals, Fort Collins embraces party culture with specialty nights like The Bar District’s Welcome Back Rams Party with $3 shots, Tour de Fat after-parties, Halloween costume contests, St. Patrick’s Day specials and more. Fort Collins’ bars and clubs lean into the college town atmosphere with student-friendly prices and events, keeping the party going year round.
“Boulder barely has a good happy hour, let alone something like Ram Band,” CU Boulder senior Matt Lewis said. “I’ve been to Ram Band, and it was a lot of fun. I’m sure there are themed nights here, but I don’t see them advertised. If there is some kind of specialty night, it’s a one-off thing we’ll never get again, and the drinks are still so expensive.”
While the general consensus is that Fort Collins is the better party town, it’d be unfair to say Boulder is completely devoid of fun. The less-crowded bars come with low wait time perks, and on big drinking nights like the Rocky Mountain Showdown, the energy from CSU’s rivals is unmatched.
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“I’ve had some of the best (and) worst nights of my life on Pearl Street, and I will say a very positive aspect is that the lines aren’t very long,” Zogran said. “I’ve never waited any longer than five to 10 minutes to get into a bar, which is phenomenal.”
Whether Rams are going out to celebrate their first Rocky Mountain Showdown win in 10 years or numbing the sting of a seventh loss in a row, they can take solace in knowing they’re partying at the best bars north of Denver.
Reach Sophia Masia at life@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.
