Canvas Stadium 10 Year Anniversary: A Venue For The Biggest Events

There was a reason Colorado State's football team was called the primary tenant of Canvas Stadium.

The team's offices were located in the building as was everything necessary to build and fuel the program's development. But the facility was too grand to be used for a single person, a sole resident, which was the plan all along.

As the concrete was laid and the steel beams erected, the visions of concerts and other big events were dancing in the heads of those on campus. All the campus had to do was wait on a five-year agreement with surrounding neighborhoods before it would be used as a concert venue.

In 2022, Drums Along the Rockies, a major event for the Drum Corps International summer tour, was the first non-CSU large event to use the venue. It proved to be such a good setting for the competition, 2026 will mark its fifth consecutive year at Canvas Stadium.

A year later, the university signed an agreement with the Colorado High School Activities Association to host the Colorado state football championships in the larger divisions, with the 4A and 5A title games played at Canvas. A year later, the 3A classification was added. So successful were the first two years of title games, the agreement has been extended, and the 2026 games will also use Canvas Stadium.

In 2025, Canvas Stadium finally hosted the first concert – and so much more.

"That's precisely what it is. We built that as a multi-purpose stadium, and it's a beautiful facility," CSU Director of Athletics John Weber said. "It sets up really well as an entertainment venue. When we looked at the size of the Colorado State and northern Colorado community, which is growing, it supports these types of events really well. When we look at the type of acts that are coming and we look at PBR, it also really aligns with us as an institution with our ag and large-animal vet science background. It's a nice pairing for us."

The Professional Bull Riders made Fort Collins one of its stops on the summer tour with two days of the Last Cowboy Standing competition July 21-22, each session followed by a concert.

Canvas Stadium was transformed into a world-class bull riding stadium, with more than 10,000 fans attending each session. The first night ended with a show by Cross Canadian Ragweed, while the second night featured Jon Pardi.

Impressed with how the first year went, PBR will open the team competition season at Canvas Stadium, hosting three nights of PBR Bulls & Beats from July 10-12. The first night will also include the inaugural Collegiate All-Star Rodeo with Brad Paisley performing at the end. The second nights will see Bailey Zimmerman and Miranda Lambert take the stage.

Just as imagined, Canvas Stadium has proven to be a great home for the football team, as well as welcomed oasis for a host of other entertainers.

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