The 2026 Fruita Fall Festival will be coming back to downtown Fruita Sept. 25th-26th for the 111th year in a row. This year the theme is ‘Roots and Revelry’ to honor Fruita’s agricultural heritage with a celebration. There will be live music, local food, vendors, contests, races, and more! (Full schedule below)
For all of you who have competitive spirits, here are some things you might want to get in on:
The 5K starts at 8am on Saturday morning and registration ends at 7am! If you miss it, you might join the outhouse race happening later on Friday at 5:30am.
Have you got a great beard? The Grand Valley Beard Rally contest is at 6:00pm.
The Parade float competition will start at 10am on Saturday and the winners will be announced at noon. That’s right when the canning and baking contest starts, 12:00pm, and the winners will be announced at 3:45pm.
The pet show is from 1-2pm and then there is a cupcake eating contest at 3:30pm at the stage!
Fruita Fall Festival 2026 Schedule
Friday, September 25
- 3:00 p.m. — Festival begins; vendor booths and bars open at Civic Center and Mulberry Street
- 4:00–8:00 p.m. — Mural Fest in the FARM parking lot
- 4:00 p.m. — Celebration of the new COOP Tower banner at Mulberry Plaza
- 4:00 p.m. — Circle Park Bash: Minute-to-Win-It games at the Circle Park Stage
- 5:00 p.m. — Jerry Schaeffer performs at the Civic Center Park Stage
- 5:00 p.m. — Leaders in Style Fashion Show at the Circle Park Stage
- 5:30 p.m. — Outhouse Race on Aspen Avenue between Elm and Maple streets
- 6:00–8:00 p.m. — Fruita Fourth Friday at Mulberry Plaza
- 6:00 p.m. — Grand Valley Beard Rally at Civic Center
- 6:00 p.m. — Circle Park Bash: Magician Dave Wallen at the Circle Park Stage
- 7:00 p.m. — The Violet Pines at the Civic Center Stage
- 7:30–8:30 p.m. — After Dark at the Park Glow Party at the Circle Park Stage
- 8:30 p.m. — The Oxymorons at the Civic Center Stage
- 10:00 p.m. — Festival closes for the night
Saturday, September 26
- 7:30 a.m. — Pancake breakfast in front of the Fruita Thrift Shop
- 8:00 a.m. — Mesa County Search & Rescue 5K at the Fruita Community Center
- 8:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. — Fruita Farmers & Makers Market on Aspen Avenue between Elm and Maple streets
- 9:00 a.m. — Vendor booths open
- 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. — Mural Fest in the FARM parking lot
- 10:00 a.m. — Parade begins at the intersection of South Mesa Street and McCune Avenue
- 10:00 a.m. — Bars open at Civic Center and Mulberry Street
- 11:00 a.m. — Fruita History Fair at Cavalcade
- 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. — Tractor Show at Circle Park
- 11:00 a.m. — Circle Park Bash: Minute-to-Win-It games at the Circle Park Stage
- 11:00 a.m. — Reverent Rhythms dance performance at the Civic Center Stage
- 11:55 a.m. — Fall Fest Surprise at Circle Park
- 12:00 p.m. — Baking and Canning Contest judging begins
- 12:00 p.m. — Parade winners announced at the Civic Center Stage
- 12:30 p.m. — Rhema Music guitar students at the Civic Center Stage
- 1:00–2:00 p.m. — Pet Show at the Circle Park Stage
- 1:00 p.m. — Pickin’ Peggy Malone at the Civic Center Stage
- 2:00 p.m. — Rocky Mountain Ramblers at the Civic Center Stage
- 2:00 p.m. — Circle Park Bash: Magician Dave Wallen at the Circle Park Stage
- 3:00 p.m. — Slim Pickings at the Civic Center Stage
- 3:30 p.m. — Cupcake-Eating Contest at the Circle Park Stage
- 3:45 p.m. — Baking and Canning Contest winners announced at the Civic Center Stage
- 4:00 p.m. — High Country Hustle at the Civic Center Stage
- 5:30 p.m. — The Lip at the Civic Center Stage
- 7:00 p.m. — Farmer in the Sky at the Civic Center Stage
- 7:30–9:30 p.m. — After Dark at the Park Foam Party
- 8:30 p.m. — Festival headliner A Band Called Alexis at the Civic Center Stage
- 10:00 p.m. — Festival closes
