Happy Monday, Fort Collins! It's a big one this week: the 30th annual Taste of Fort Collins takes over Washington Park all weekend with Modest Mouse and Lil Jon headlining, but there's plenty going on before the festival gets started too — a farmers market swap between Wednesday and Sunday, a free K-pop laser show at the museum, a colon-cancer charity 5K, and more. Every listing below links out to its own event page, so tap the venue or ticket link for exact times and details.

Open Mic at The Lyric — Monday, sign-up 5:30pm, performances 6pm. The Lyric, 1209 N College Ave. Kick off the week with Fort Collins' longest-running open mic — musicians, poets, comedians, and storytellers take turns on The Lyric's stage. All-ages and welcoming to first-timers; just show up and put your name on the list. visitftcollins.com

Acoustic Open Mic Night — Tuesday, 7pm. Avogadro's Number, 605 S Mason St. Today marks the first day of fall — mark it with a low-key night out at Avo's weekly open mic, where local singer-songwriters and acoustic acts share the stage. Grab dinner on the patio beforehand. avogadros.com

Fort Collins Farmers Market (Harmony Rd) — Wednesday, 10am–2pm. 1001 E. Harmony Rd (Ace Hardware parking lot). Local produce, flowers, and prepared foods at this midweek market — a smaller, easier-to-park-at sibling of the Saturday Old Town market. Great for a lunchtime stroll. fortcollinsfarmersmarket.org

Fort Collins Reads Book Club — Wednesday, 6–7pm. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St. This month's pick is Paradiso 17 by Hannah Lillith Assadi, part of the shop's June–October series on Palestinian history and stories. Pick up a copy in-store at 20% off or check it out from Poudre Libraries first. fortcollinsreads.org

A quieter night on the calendar this week — a good one to rest up before the weekend's Taste of Fort Collins kickoff. If you're downtown, most breweries and Old Town shops keep their usual evening hours.

Sip & Stretch w/ CorePower Yoga — Friday, 5–7pm. New Belgium Brewing, 500 Linden St. Free, all-levels outdoor yoga on the New Belgium lawn, followed by a pint. Drop in any time during the window — no reservation needed. events.humanitix.com

Dome after Dark: K-pop Dome Hunters — Friday, doors 6:30pm, show 7–8:15pm. Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, 408 Mason Ct. An after-hours, 21-and-up-friendly (but all-ages welcome) immersive experience in the OtterBox Digital Dome — K-pop hits paired with abstract light and color that wraps all the way around you. $15 general, $13 for students with ID. fcmod.org

Larimer County Farmers' Market — Saturday, 9am–1pm. 200 W. Oak St, Old Town. The market's 50th-anniversary season continues with the usual lineup of local produce, flowers, and baked goods in the heart of Old Town. visitftcollins.com

Get Your Rear in Gear 5K — Saturday, check-in 7:30am, run/walk 9am. Fossil Creek Community Park. A colon-cancer-awareness 5K timed run and untimed walk benefiting the Colon Cancer Coalition, with a kids' fun run at 8:50am. Registration and day-of packet pickup starts at 7:30am. coloncancercoalition.org

"Auntie" Elizabeth Stone Courtyard Open House — Saturday, 11am–1pm. Heritage Courtyard, 200 Mathews St. Free, drop-in celebration of the 225th birthday of Fort Collins' founding mother, held around her original cabin — the only building left from the city's military-post days. Treats, crafts, and a make-your-own "Dancy" Stone paper doll for the kids. fcmod.org

Taste of Fort Collins — Day 1 ft. Modest Mouse — Saturday, festival all day, Modest Mouse at 7:30pm. Washington Park. The 30th annual Taste of Fort Collins moves to fall for the first time, with local food and business vendors, live entertainment, and Modest Mouse headlining the mainstage. Kids 12 and under are free. tasteoffortcollins.com

Holding Absence & Arm's Length — Saturday, doors 7pm. Washington's, 132 Laporte Ave. The co-headlining North American tour lands in Old Town — both acts bring dedicated fanbases, so expect a packed 900-cap room. eventticketscenter.com

Fort Collins Farmers Market (Harmony Rd) — Sunday, 10am–2pm. 1001 E. Harmony Rd (Ace Hardware parking lot). The weekend edition of the Harmony Road market — same local vendors, easy parking, easy in-and-out. fortcollinsfarmersmarket.org

Healthy Kids Running Series — Week 3 — Sunday morning. Kruse Elementary, 4400 McMurry Ave. Week three of the five-week fall series for Pre-K through 8th graders, with age-appropriate distances from a 50-yard dash up to a full mile, plus an adaptive Challenger Division. Spectators and future runners welcome to come cheer. healthykidsrunningseries.org

Taste of Fort Collins — Day 2 ft. Lil Jon — Sunday, festival all day, Lil Jon at 6:45pm. Washington Park. The festival's closing day, with Lil Jon taking the mainstage. Same local food, drink, and artisan vendors as Saturday. tasteoffortcollins.com

Shawn James — Sunday, 8pm. Aggie Theatre, 204 S College Ave. The blues-folk-rock singer-songwriter behind "Through the Valley" brings his powerful solo sound to the Aggie's 650-cap room. jambase.com

The Lyric Comedy Show ft. Michael Isaacs — Sunday, 8pm (21+). The Lyric, 1209 N College Ave. Local and touring stand-up hosted by Luke Gaston, this month headlined by comedian Michael Isaacs. visitftcollins.com

Toad the Wet Sprocket & Willy Porter — Tuesday, October 13, 7pm. Washington's. The '90s alt-rock favorites ("All I Want," "Walk on the Ocean") bring their first-ever all-acoustic tour, Rings, to Old Town — a 900-cap room with high name recognition likely to sell out. toadthewetsprockettour.com

Complexions Contemporary Ballet: Love Rocks — Tuesday, October 20. The Lincoln Center. The acclaimed contemporary ballet company performs to Lenny Kravitz's guitar-driven anthems. Lincoln Center seating is reserved and hard-capped, so good seats go early. lctix.com

Michigander w/ lighthearted — Thursday, October 1. Aggie Theatre. Last chance to grab tickets before next week — this touring indie act tends to sell out the Aggie's 650-cap room. ticketmaster.com

Fort Collins Symphony: Signature Concert 1 — Music: The Purest Art — Saturday, October 3. The Lincoln Center. Last call before the season-opening concert (Corigliano, Sibelius, Dvořák) — Lincoln Center seating is reserved and hard-capped, so good seats go early. lctix.com

That's the week! See you around Fort Collins — The FOCO Flyer