On June 13th, Strong Towns Fort Collins took to the streets – and the bus – for our latest Bus and Brew, and what a turnout it was. The premise is simple: leave the car at home, hop on transit, and explore our city the way it’s meant to be explored, one neighborhood and one local brewery at a time.

We kicked things off at Gilded Goat in Old Town before making our way to Maxline Brewing and wrapping up at Zwei Brewing. Along the way, the conversation flowed as easily as the beer. Folks dug into current city happenings, traded thoughts on what’s working and what isn’t in Fort Collins, and shared the kind of casual, on-the-ground perspective that makes these events so worthwhile.

A highlight of the day was talking through the upcoming passenger rail project. There’s real excitement about what better regional connectivity could mean for the city, and we got to put theory into practice: walking from the MAX bus stop over to Maxline Brewing gave everyone a chance to actually observe the land use around us. Seeing firsthand how the area is built – what’s walkable, what isn’t, and what could be — turns an abstract planning conversation into something you can point at and discuss.

Maybe the best moment of the day was an unplanned one. As we made our rounds, we crossed paths with some fellow Strong Towns fans who were out doing “BrewPawPaw Bingo,” an event hosted by the Animal Friends Alliance. Turns out we weren’t the only ones who’d landed on the idea of a brewery crawl as a great way to bring people together. It was a fun reminder that the appetite for walkable, social, community-centered events is alive and well here — and that good ideas tend to be shared ideas.

Thank you to everyone who came out, rode along, and made the day what it was. We can’t wait to do it again. If you’ve never joined a Bus and Brew, consider this your invitation: leave the keys behind, bring your curiosity, and come see Fort Collins from a whole new vantage point.