Fall in Lafayette (or… Get Away from the Screen and Waiver Wire!)

Fall weekends tend to revolve around football.

Unless your team has a bye week. Or they’re losing by 24 at halftime. Or your carefully researched fantasy roster has somehow been defeated by your neighbor who drafted entirely based on which uniforms s/he liked.

Fortunately, Lafayette has some excellent alternatives this fall.

From live music and art to birds, Halloween events and stargazing, here are a few reasons to put down the remote and head out.

One Last Art Night Out

Lafayette’s final Art Night Out of 2026 takes place Friday, September 11, from 5–9 p.m. along South Public Road.

If you’ve never been, this is one of Lafayette’s signature community events, with live music, street performers, around 50 art vendors, food trucks and a beer, wine and cider garden.

The September headliner is Ritmo Cascabel, with the main performance beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Festival Plaza. Best of all, admission is free. (Lafayette, CO)

Live music, food trucks and a beer garden on a September evening. That’s a pretty convincing argument for leaving the house.

For the Birds — Literally

On Sunday, September 13, from 1–3 p.m., Lafayette hosts its 13th Annual Migratory Birds Festival at Waneka Lake and Greenlee Wildlife Preserve.

The free event includes live birds of prey, spotting scopes and binoculars for finding wild birds, along with games, crafts and activities for families. No registration is required. (Lafayette, CO)

And unlike your fantasy football lineup, these birds actually know when it’s time to migrate.

Art, Culture and Día de los Muertos

Beginning September 24 and running through November 8, The Collective Community Arts Center hosts Lafayette’s annual Día de los Muertos exhibit, “Arcos y Portales.”

The exhibit features work from local artists as well as Centaurus High School students and includes community ofrendas honoring loved ones who have passed.

A special closing celebration takes place Friday, October 30, with face painting from 3–5 p.m., followed by music, light food and refreshments from 5–7 p.m. (Lafayette, CO)

It’s a wonderful example of what makes Lafayette interesting: a community that’s not afraid to celebrate its different cultures, artists and traditions.

Trucks + Costumes + Candy

Families with younger kids should put Saturday, October 10 on the calendar for Lafayette’s Halloween Touch-A-Truck at Fire Station #1.

From 9–11 a.m., kids can come in costume, explore fire trucks, ambulances and a Lafayette Police vehicle, meet local first responders and trick-or-treat along the way. (Lafayette, CO)

Basically: enormous trucks plus Halloween candy.

If you’re four years old, I’m not sure the event-planning industry can improve upon that combination.

Look Up: Lafayette After Dark

For something completely different, Lafayette After Dark: Star Party is scheduled for Friday, October 23, from 6–8 p.m. at the Flagg Park Trailhead.

The evening is being held with Standley Lake Stargazing and offers a chance to get outside after sunset and spend some time looking at something considerably farther away than the Front Range. (Lafayette, CO)

It’s also a useful reminder that when your football team loses, in the grand scale of the universe, it really doesn’t matter.

Unless they lost to the Raiders. Then you may need more time.

And Don’t Forget Lafayette’s Trails and Open Space

Not every fall outing needs a start time.

Lafayette has more than 20 miles of trails and 1,640 acres of designated open space, making fall a great time to simply head outside while the temperatures are cooler. (Lafayette Engage)

Waneka Lake is an easy choice for a walk, and fall is one of my favorite times of year to explore Lafayette because you get those classic Colorado combinations: blue skies, changing leaves and Front Range views.

Enjoy Lafayette This Fall

Community events like these are one of the reasons Lafayette continues to be such an interesting place to live. It has grown considerably, but there’s still a strong local identity — arts, open space, community gatherings and just enough quirkiness to keep things interesting.

So this fall, watch the game if it’s good.

If it’s not?

Turn it off. Lafayette has better things to do.

If you’d like to know more about living in Lafayette, the local housing market, or just need a recommendation for a good local contractor, restaurant or service provider, reach out anytime. I’m always happy to be a resource — whether there’s a real estate transaction involved or not.