I was discussing a few of the great benefits of living in Fort Collins the other day with a realtor friend of mine and he went on to equate some of the property opportunities to be similar to that of ‘Berkely in the 60′s’ and ‘Boulder in the 70′s’.

Fort Collins is gem, but still a relatively hidden gem. The secret has begun to leak over the last decade, as the town has landed on many annual Best Places to insert-Live/Do Business/Raise Children/Retire-here lists. New Belgium, O’Dell, the Fort Collins Brewery and many other breweries are turning the town into a Mecca for beer drinkers. The climate and quality of life are like a magnet to those who are aware of them, and Colorado State University is always a reliable recruiter for future Fort Collins residents.

Even more recently, some people in Fort Collins realized that the city needs to be known for more than just the climate, river, beer and university. Our music scene has been producing some incredible acts, so why shouldn’t we become known for that as well? All agreed that Fort Collins should be known for the creative spirit that can be found all over Old Town and beyond, so Spokesbuzz was formed. Spokesbuzz.org states that

SpokesBUZZ is a non-profit dedicated to fostering and promoting Fort Collins arts and culture by building global awareness of what we have; assisting artists with promotions and high-visibility gigs; and working with local music industry partners and businesses to ensure success for all.

I spoke with Dani Grant, Founder and President of Spokesbuzz, about the inception and goals of the organization, as well as their upcoming CD release party and celebration at Hodi’s Halfnote in Fort Collins on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011. She talked about the origin of Spokesbuzz and related how

I was blown away by the music talent that is here in Fort Collins. Not just the quantity of musicians, but also the diverse genres of musicians…as I was booking emerging artists I decided that this was something that was a well kept secret that should be brought out there. After an initial trip to South by Southwest [in Austin, TX] I decided that that was a place where Fort Collins needed to be showcased, and that was the beginning.

Be there for the big gig! Wednesday Dec. 7 from 6:30 to 11:30pm at Hodi’s Halfnote in Old Town, Fort Collins!

Here is the Facebook page for the event.


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