🎨 Artist in Residence Meet & Greet: Bryan Wade — FREE — 10 AM–Noon — 970West Studio, 502 Ouray Ave.
Cartoonist Bryan Wade opens his studio for coffee, comics and conversation as part of his Mesa County Libraries residency. The Monday open studios continue weekly and are designed as a casual chance to meet the artist and talk art, storytelling and all things nerdy.

🍂 FREE Outdoor Autumn Equinox Celebration — FREE — 6–7 PM — Wingate Park, 351 S. Camp Road
Mark the first evening of fall with an outdoor gathering centered on balance, reflection and inner peace. The hour-long community event is free to attend.

🗣️ Healing Rooms of the Grand Valley — 💲Free — 6:30 PM–8:30 PM, 1333 North 23rd St., Grand Junction
Non-denominational prayer support is available for physical, spiritual, emotional, or financial needs; no appointment required.

🤠 Ian Munsick — $45.50–$75.50 + fees — 7 PM — Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park
Wyoming country artist Ian Munsick brings his modern Western sound to The Amp for one of the biggest concerts of the week. Gates open at 6 PM ahead of the 7 PM show.

🎶 The Phil Collins Story — Price Varies — 7:30 PM — Avalon Theatre
Live musicians, storytelling and immersive visuals trace Phil Collins’ career from Genesis through his chart-topping solo years and film work. Doors open at 6:30 PM for this concert-style tribute to one of pop music’s most recognizable voices.

✏️ A Brief History of Comics — FREE — 6–7:30 PM — Central Library
Mesa County Libraries Artist in Residence Bryan Wade traces comics from their early American roots through newspaper strips and into today’s meme-driven culture. A meet-and-greet with Wade is included before the presentation.

🐾 2026 NADD Grand Junction Performance — Spectators Welcome — Times Vary — Sept. 24–27 — Mesa County Fairgrounds, Lions Park
Dock-diving dogs take to the pool for four days of distance and height competitions at the Mesa County Fairgrounds. Spectators are encouraged to come watch the canine athletes make a splash throughout the weekend.

🎵 CMU Baseball Dinner on the Diamond — $35 Concert-Only GA / Dinner Packages Available — 5–10:30 PM — The Diamond at Hamilton Ballpark
CMU Baseball turns Hamilton Ballpark into an outdoor concert venue for an evening featuring Emerson Hart of Tonic, The Voice winner Jake Hoot, the Kruse Brothers and Allie Colleen. Dinner guests enter at 5 PM, while $35 concert-only seating opens at 7:30 PM, with proceeds supporting Maverick Baseball.

🛍️ Final Market on Main of 2026 — FREE — 5:30 PM–Dusk — Downtown Grand Junction
Downtown’s summer market wraps up its 2026 season with local produce, artisan vendors, food trucks and live entertainment along Main Street. This is the last Market on Main until next summer.

🕺 The 70’s Show starring Jim Witter — $39 + fees — 7 PM — Avalon Theatre
Jim Witter turns the Avalon into a 1970s house party with hits including “Killing Me Softly,” “Bad Bad Leroy Brown” and “Midnight at the Oasis.” The show kicks off the new Community Concerts of the Grand Valley season.

🎸 Zac Grant Live at WestCo Brewing — FREE — 6:30–8:30 PM — WestCo Brewing, 905 Struthers Ave.
Zac Grant brings two hours of live music to WestCo Brewing for a free, all-ages Thursday night show.

🍂 111th Annual Fruita Fall Festival — FREE — 3–10 PM — Downtown Fruita
One of Western Colorado’s longest-running community celebrations returns with two stages of live music, food, vendors, artists and plenty of Fruita tradition. Friday’s festivities include the famous Outhouse Race before the festival continues with a full day of events Saturday.

🏊 Community Recreation Center Grand Opening — FREE — 4–8 PM — 2836 Recreation Way
Grand Junction’s long-awaited Community Recreation Center officially opens with a 4 PM ribbon cutting, followed by free public use from 5–8 PM. Complimentary refreshments are planned during the ceremony, and the free grand-opening celebration continues Saturday.

🎬 Steel Magnolias: A Celebration of Dolly Parton — $13.60 — 7 PM — Avalon Theatre
The Avalon screens Steel Magnolias in honor of Dolly Parton, complete with a Southern-inspired big-hair contest. A portion of every ticket benefits Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Mesa County.

🪕 The Sweet Lillies with Marc Allen & The Laughing Burros — $20.72 Advance — 8 PM — Mesa Theater
Colorado-based The Sweet Lillies blend bluegrass, Americana, folk and roots music with multi-part vocals and a collaborative live-show style. Marc Allen & The Laughing Burros open the all-ages show.

🤠 Ghosts of Hill County — $12.59+ — 8–11 PM — Warehouse25Sixty-Five
Texas Red Dirt meets country rock as Ghosts of Hill County brings driving guitars, gritty songwriting and a high-energy roadhouse sound to the Warehouse stage. Doors open at 7 PM; the show is listed as 18+.

🎻 GJSO Chamber Players: Schubert Octet — $52.50 — 7:30 PM — First Presbyterian Church
Principal musicians from the Grand Junction Symphony perform Schubert’s Octet in F major, a concert-length work pairing string quartet with clarinet, bassoon and horn. The chamber performance runs approximately 90 minutes.

😂 Comedy Night at Sauvage Spectrum Winery — Price Varies — 7 PM — Sauvage Spectrum, Palisade
Herron Entertainment’s touring Winery Comedy series brings professional stand-up comedians to Sauvage Spectrum for a relaxed night of live comedy and local wine.

🛍️ 2nd Annual Downtown Sidewalk Sale — FREE — 9 AM–6 PM — Downtown Grand Junction
Downtown businesses move merchandise outside for a full day of end-of-summer deals as shops make room for fall and winter inventory. Local radio stations are also giving away gift cards to select downtown businesses throughout the week leading up to the sale.

🍂 111th Annual Fruita Fall Festival — FREE — 9 AM–10 PM — Downtown Fruita
Fruita Fall Festival takes over downtown for its biggest day, with live music on two stages, more than 100 vendors, food, family activities and the annual parade. Other festival traditions include contests, a carnival and community events throughout the day.

🚑 Mesa County Search & Rescue Run for Rescue 5K — $35 Adults / $30 Age 13 & Under — 8:30 AM — Fruita Community Center
Run or walk a 5K during Fruita Fall Festival while supporting Mesa County Search & Rescue. Entry fees help fund equipment and training for the all-volunteer team that responds to local backcountry emergencies.

🏊 Community Recreation Center Grand Opening Weekend — FREE — 9 AM–5 PM — Community Recreation Center
Free public access continues Saturday with the full recreation center open from 9 AM–5 PM. The St. Mary’s Pools will operate in three two-hour sessions at 9 AM, 11:30 AM and 2 PM, with admission first-come, first-served.

🏊🚴🏃 Desert’s Edge Triathlon Series — Spectating FREE — 8 AM & 9:15 AM Starts — Highline Lake State Park
Athletes take on Olympic- and sprint-distance road triathlons at Highline Lake, combining open-water swimming, cycling and running. The Olympic race starts at 8 AM followed by the sprint at 9:15.

🍁 Powderhorn Color Weekend — $19 Scenic Lift / Under 5 FREE — 11 AM–5 PM — Powderhorn Mountain Resort
Ride the Flat Top Flyer through the changing aspens, hike or bike the mountain and enjoy live music, specialty food and drinks in the base area. Color Weekend runs both Saturday and Sunday.

📖 Book Cliffs Poetry Festival — $50 Full Festival / $20 Individual Shows — 9 AM–9:30 PM — The Art Center
The inaugural festival packs an entire day with readings, workshops, regional poets, an open mic and the installation of Danny Rosen as the new Western Slope Poet Laureate. The evening also includes major Colorado poetry awards and featured readings.

🎸 The Fab Four: Tribute to The Beatles’ “Help!” and the Hits — Price Varies — 7:30 PM — Avalon Theatre
Emmy Award-winning Beatles tribute act The Fab Four recreates songs from Help! alongside favorites spanning the band’s career. Detailed arrangements, period costumes and a theatrical stage show aim to recreate the sound and feel of seeing The Beatles live.

🎳 Bowling For Soup with Ballyhoo! & rosecoloredworld — Price Varies — 7:30 PM — Mesa Theater
Pop-punk veterans Bowling For Soup bring their hook-filled catalog and trademark humor to downtown Grand Junction, joined by Ballyhoo! and rosecoloredworld. The Mesa Theater show is all ages.

🎸 Cimarron Set to Rock the Warehouse — $5 GA / $10 Table Seats in Advance — 8–11 PM — Warehouse25Sixty-Five
Cimarron brings a night of classic rock favorites from the ’70s and ’80s — plus plenty more — to the Warehouse stage. Doors open at 7 PM for this all-ages show, with inexpensive general admission and table seating available.

🏊🚴🏃 Desert’s Edge Triathlon Series — Spectating FREE — 7:30 AM & 9:15 AM Starts — Highline Lake State Park
Sunday’s races feature the NCAA collegiate draft-legal sprint at 7:30 AM followed by the off-road sprint at 9:15 AM.

🍁 Powderhorn Color Weekend — $19 Scenic Lift / Under 5 FREE — 11 AM–5 PM — Powderhorn Mountain Resort
Sunday brings another full day of scenic chairlift rides, fall-color viewing, hiking, biking, food, drinks and live music at Powderhorn.

🍺🏃 Oktoberfest 5K at WestCo Brewing — $35 / Kids 12 & Under FREE — 10:30 AM — WestCo Brewing, 905 Struthers Ave.
Costumes, running and beer collide for a family-friendly 5K along the riverfront trail. Registration includes a craft brew or hot chocolate and souvenir drinkware, followed by awards, a costume contest and Beer Olympics-style games.

🃏 Cam’s Card Show — $5 GA / Kids 16 & Under FREE — Noon–5 PM — Warehouse25Sixty-Five
Sports cards, Pokémon and other collectibles fill the Warehouse for Cam’s Card Show. VIP early entry begins at 11 AM, with general admission opening at noon.

🎷 Jazz That Rocks — $39 + Fees — Wednesday, September 30 — 7 PM — Avalon Theatre
Award-winning jazz and pops artist Matt Catingub leads an ensemble through hits from the past 50 years, reworked with a jazz-driven twist. The show blends rock, pop and jazz with musicians and vocalists who have performed alongside many of the artists whose songs are featured.

🎸 NIRVANNA: A Tribute to Nirvana — $18.14–$45.88 — Thursday, October 1 — 8 PM — Warehouse25Sixty-Five
NIRVANNA recreates the sound, look and raw energy of Nirvana with authentic gear, costumes and songs spanning Bleach, Nevermind, In Utero and the band’s famous MTV Unplugged era. Doors open at 7 PM for the 18+ show.

🎻 GJSO: Spirited Away — $5.25–$68.25 — Saturday, October 3 at 7:30 PM & Sunday, October 4 at 3 PM — Avalon Theatre
The Grand Junction Symphony performs Joe Hisaishi’s beloved suite from Spirited Away, along with Respighi’s Fountains of Rome. Soprano Magdalena Kuzma, winner of the 2026 GJSO Young Artists Competition, also joins the orchestra for works by Barber and Puccini.

🎸 The Boys of Summer: The Music of the Eagles — $18.14+ — Saturday, October 3 — 8 PM — Warehouse25Sixty-Five
Southern California-based The Boys of Summer return to Grand Junction with a full night celebrating the music of the Eagles. The touring tribute has performed across the country since 2004, recreating favorites from one of rock’s best-selling bands.

🤠 Michael Ray: A Night of Country Cares — $23.69–$45.88 — Thursday, October 8 — 6 PM — Warehouse25Sixty-Five
Country singer Michael Ray headlines a benefit concert for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, presented by 92.3 The Moose and 101.9 Moose Legends. The evening also includes a silent auction, with proceeds benefiting St. Jude.