Longmont isn’t exactly known for its wild dance clubs, although you can go out dancing here. The nightlife in this east Boulder County city is more laid back. And it’s centered around live music, says Nancy H. Rezac, executive director of Visit Longmont.
“The live music scene has really taken ahold here,” she says. “Live music is the basis of the nightlife around town.”
Granted, her husband runs a popular open mic night at the Dickens Opera House, a Victorian opera house with a full stage. The Dickens’ open mic is one of the most popular around town, due in large part to the grand stage that sets a professional scene for performing. Any musician is welcome to sign up for a spot on the stage every Thursday from 7-11 p.m. The Dickens is also a hot spot for live music every Friday and Saturday night from 8-11.
Whereas any musician is invited to perform during an open mic, the live music slots are reserved for specially booked bands and performers. How long a musician can perform at an open mic varies by the event. It may just be a single song, or he or she may get a full window of time.
The closest thing Longmont has to “clubbing” (you know, DJs and dancing) is at Breakers Grill in downtown, according to Rezac. This bar and grill hosts dance parties every Friday and Saturday nights. Breakers also has pool tables and live music.
The Wild Game is another place to go dancing. This unique joint has live music 8-11 p.m. Saturdays that draws the bigger, local names, like the Hazel Miller Band. If you don’t want to dance, Wild Game also has a small arcade, bowling (unlimited bowling for $10 Sunday-Thursday), a game room, video games, restaurant and a full bar.
“It’s like a smaller-scale Dave and Busters,” Rezac says.
If you like games, get ready for the spring, when Quarters is scheduled to open in downtown at the corner of 5th and Main streets. This bar and arcade has a pour-your-own-beer wall; you get a card and can scan it at the various taps to pick your own brew. (Self-serve taps are an up-and-coming trend. You can find them at the hip Stanley Marketplace in the Stapleton area of Denver.)
You can also find some pinball games at Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids and Solids. In fact, all of the Oskar Blues businesses are popular, she says. There’s the Tasty Weasel, Cyclhops, Chuburger and the big restaurant, Homemade Liquids and Solids. Cyclhops recently replaced its Thursday live music (7-9 p.m.) with Geeks Who Drink Trivia, and it offers a bonus happy hour from 8 p.m. to close daily.
Cyclhops is one of Longmont’s unique offerings. In the front, a bike shop sells high-end bikes and does maintenance. In the back, there’s a restaurant serving tapas with Mexican influence.
“It’s a fun place. The patio doors open up in the summertime and there’s a great view. It’s right along Airport Road adjacent to the Front Range,” Rezac says.
Also coming in 2019: Tangerine (a healthy, farm-fresh restaurant in Boulder) is opening a Longmont branch. And the popular Babette’s Artisan Bread is closing its Denver location to relocate to the Prospect development in Longmont. By day, Babette’s is a bakery with fresh baguettes and pastries. By night, it will serve wood-fired pizza and cocktails on its rooftop patio with sweeping mountain views.
Looking for something fresh to check out now? Two newer nightlife options that you can already enjoy are Collision Brewing, 1436 Skyway Drive, and Dry Land Distillers, 471 Main Street, which opened this summer in downtown. All spirits at Dry Land are influenced and inspired by Colorado’s land, like the heirloom wheat whiskey, mezcal-style cactus spirits and pure cane rum. Coming next: a gin hopefully only using Colorado native botanicals. Dry Land’s tasting room is quirky and retro, a “modern twist on a classic 1950s/1960s bar and lounge.”
If you’re looking for a different kind of night out (one that doesn’t center around music, mics or alcohol), a fun consideration is Kitchen Co., 464 Main St. This business holds various classes and demos throughout the week. Or head across the street to Crackpots, 505 Main St., to paint your own pottery, make mosaics and do glass-fusing. Crackpots is open seven days a week and even until 10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday.
Another must-try is the Monthly Concert Series/”Stories & Sessions” hosted by the Firehouse Art Center, 667 Fourth Ave. From 7-9 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month, you can experience regional and national acts in this intimate, interesting setting (a historic firehouse converted into an art space).
This winter, you can also head to The New Trojan Movie House at Longmont Theater to catch holiday classics. Or of course, the new movie theater, the Regal Village at the Peaks.
Plan Your Night Out in Longmont
Here’s a look at where you can find the best live music and open mics around Longmont throughout the week. This is not an exhaustive list of every place to hear live music and find an open mic in Longmont. This is just a taste of what you can find.
Live Music
St. Vrain Cidery, 350 Terry St., #130: 6-8 p.m. Thursday.
Grossen Bart Brewery, 1025 Delaware Ave.: 7-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Rosalee’s Pizzeria, 461 Main St.: 7-9 p.m. Wednesday.
Breakers Grill, 380 Main St.: 9:30 p.m.-close Friday and Saturday. Also, don’t miss happy hour with free pool 4-6 p.m. weekdays.
Bootstrap Brewing, 142 Pratt St.: 6-9 p.m. Saturday. Check out trivia night 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays.
Dickens Opera House, 300 Main St.: 8-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The Wild Game, 2251 Ken Pratt Blvd.: 8-11 p.m. Saturday.
Tasty Weasel, 1800 Pike Road: 6-8 p.m. Friday-Sunday.
Chuburger, 1225 Ken Pratt Blvd.: 6-8 p.m. Friday.
Still Cellars, 1115 Colorado Ave.: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday.
Open Mics
Monday
Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids and Solids, 1555 Hover St.: 7-10 p.m. Monday blues jam.
Tuesday
The Speakeasy, 301 Main St.: 8 p.m.-midnight.
Grossen Bart Brewery: 6-9 p.m. general open mic. Grossen Bart also has live music, food trucks, free popcorn, an outdoor beer garden, beer brewed on site and is pet- and family-friendly.
Wednesday
300 Suns Brewing, 335 First Ave.: 6-9 p.m. acoustic jam. Any type of musician is welcome to participate.
Grossen Bart Brewery: 7-9 p.m. open bluegrass jam.
Thursday
Longtucky Spirits, 350 Terry St., #120: 8-10 p.m. comedy open mic.
Dickens Opera House: 7-11 p.m. Thursday
Sunday
Bootstrap Brewery, 142 Pratt St., 2-4 p.m. Ukulele jam. On average, 35 ukulele players come together to play.
