The Lyric brings eclectic entertainment to Fort Collins communities
July 11, 2025
Photo by Marian Luzi on Unsplash
At its core, The Lyric in Fort Collins is still a homage to its former namesake; however, film is only one part of this local culture-embracing entertainment hub, now known for its eccentric variety.
Ben Mozer started The Lyric in 2007 as a passion project built from a love of film. According to Nolan Brumbach, The Lyric’s marketing director, the project began in an Old Town building with a lobby and two theaters.
Today, Brumbach said the community space primarily serves as an independent movie theater, eatery and event space hybrid, with a lot of multi-use spaces that allow them to do “everything under the sun.”
Mixed movie event information
According to Brumbach, The Lyric shows a mix of indie films, classics and new releases they receive weekly.
Many of the classic showings happen during the summer and through monthly spotlights.
The staff put together a retrospective series every month, themed around a topic, actor or director. Brumbach named a couple of recent themes that celebrated the careers of late film figures.
“Last month, it was a Val Kilmer retrospective. Before that, it was a David Lynch retrospective,” he said.
In the past, films like “Hocus Pocus” and “Footloose” have filled The Lyric’s lineup of outdoor summer screenings, which happen on Fridays at 9 p.m. until October 4.
Movie lovers who appreciate a surprise selection can attend weekly Wild Card Wednesday events, when a summer-only outdoor movie screening takes place at 9 p.m. The Lyric also offers “There Will Be Gore,” a random horror movie pick shown on Monday nights at 9 p.m., designed for those who like a more thrilling surprise.
Both of these events are free to attend, although a $5 donation is encouraged, but not all showings are. For frequent Lyric visitors, a membership program is available. Brumbach said it costs $30 for unlimited movies, a free popcorn every month, $10 off Lyric-hosted events and a members-only newsletter that grants early access.
More information about this program is available on The Lyric’s website.
Other happenings
The Lyric’s activities go beyond a cinema focus to include a diverse group of community members, art forms and activities. Brumbach provided a non-comprehensive look at some of the upcoming events:
Sept. 13 - A Zimbabwe-based band called W.I.T.C.H., who Brumbach said in the past played The Lyric’s first sold-out show, is set to perform.
Sept. 20- The Hedonistic Rodeo, a quirky wild-west party that features a mechanical bull, line dancing, circus games, drink specials and more. Brumbach describes it as “a leather cowboy hootenanny” and a chance to see what The Lyric is all about.
In addition to the movie-centric weekly events and this start-of-fall lineup, The Lyric hosts other recurring events:
Saturday and Sunday mornings- The Lyric shows free morning cartoons, playing a variety of options that span generations. Brumbach noted that attendees can pay $7 if they want to enjoy an unlimited cereal bar.
Tuesdays- Anime Night, which is a staff-selected anime movie or partial series screening, and Karaoke Club.
Every Sunday- a trivia night called Geeks Who Drink.
The first Wednesday of every month- Music Trivia Night with the Fort Collins Music Experiment. Brumbach noted that a local artist plays live music for the first half hour of the event each time.
The first Thursday of every month- Story Swap, which Brumbach described as a themed storytelling open mic event. He noted that attendees get 5-10 minutes each to tell any genre of story they want that follows the theme.
First Fridays- The Lyric hosts an art walk and features a rotating gallery of local artwork.
Final or fourth Wednesdays- Another movie trivia event.
Every last Saturday of each month- The Lyric hosts a comedy show.
This is only a tentative, condensed version of a full calendar of Lyric-hosted and community-driven activities. Those interested in learning more about these and other events can find them on The Lyric’s event page.
Exploring the space
According to Brumbach, people looking to rent space in The Lyric for events have a few options to choose from:
Tiki Lounge has a 55-person capacity, and Brumbach noted it is decorated with tiki hut décor, including faux tropical trees.
The Space Theater can hold up to 77 people. Brumbach said Ryan Guillame, The Lyric’s “Art Czar,” created a spaceship light fixture for the ceiling, in addition to other pieces that make each room feel immersive.
The Mothership Theater is their largest at a 300-person capacity. It has a stage and is set up for speaking events with microphones and other sound equipment.
According to The Lyric’s website, their outdoor patio hosts up to 60 people.
The Lyric’s outdoor space, The Great Outdoors, has a movie screen and can host more than 300 people.
According to Brumbach, anyone looking to host a private screening can request any movie they would like, and customers can arrange catering through The Lyric. Their catering menu, a request form, and more event-related information is available on their website.
In addition to their gallery and creative theater designs, The Lyric is full of indoor and outdoor art. Brumbach credits Guillame for this, noting that while the previous location in Old Town was also art-centric, Guillame has contributed a lot to their space.
“Ryan has been doing art as his career basically since he got out of high school, and he was born and raised in Fort Collins, and knows a ton of artists and, you know, kind of invites them in,” Brumbach said.
Guillame’s art and work on elements of the space, along with community, local artist and city contributions, have all helped turn what was formerly a warehouse into a full attraction.
Brumbach spoke on the variety of activities at The Lyric, saying that no communities attend the same events. From drag brunches to scary movie screenings, The Lyric has something for every kind of visitor.
More information on The Lyric can be viewed on their website or by signing up for their newsletter, which offers a three-week overview of upcoming events.
Those interested can also find the venue on Instagram and Facebook.
