Sonny Lubick Field at Canvas Stadium

Canvas Stadium is at 751 West Pitkin Street on Colorado State's main campus. Drivers from Interstate 25 generally take Exit 269B and CO-14/Mulberry Street west, then follow the temporary approach from Loomis Avenue. US 287/College Avenue travelers should use Laurel Street from the north or Prospect Road from the south and obey event routing rather than cutting through residential streets.

Driving & Parking

• Prepaid campus lots
  Football parking is distributed across campus, with the pass and official map assigning both the lot and approach. Close donor lots are not interchangeable; review the entrance and postgame exit route before leaving.
• Single-game parking
  Colorado State sells advance inventory at tiered prices. The active A-to-Z guide lists day-of spaces in Moby Lot 195 and Garage 577 when available, but purchasing before the weekend is safer.
• Opening time
  The current football game-day page opens parking and tailgating six hours before kickoff. This supersedes the older four-hour timeline still reproduced in portions of the general A-to-Z guide.
• Neighborhood restrictions
  Residential permit zones surround campus, and event enforcement is active. A curb that appears open is not necessarily legal football parking; use an official campus lot, downtown structure or MAX park-and-ride.
• Accessible parking
  Lot 575 and other designated inventory require the appropriate plate or placard. An accessible shuttle links Lot 575 and the CSU Health and Medical Center area with the stadium; confirm the game-specific map and departure point.

Public Transit

• Transfort/MAX
  Park at a MAX park-and-ride or downtown structure, ride MAX to Prospect Station and walk west to campus. This avoids the lot-specific outbound pattern.
• Lake Street shuttle
  Event service links remote parking near the CSU Health and Medical Center with Canvas Stadium. For late-ending games, the final departure may be only 20 minutes after the game, so leave promptly.
• Regular routes
  Transfort routes 2, 7, 32 and HORN detour beginning at noon the day before a home game. Use the Ride Transfort app for the live stop rather than an old campus route diagram.
• Cycling
  Fort Collins and CSU are exceptionally bicycle-friendly, with trails, underpasses and thousands of campus racks. Dismount in the pedestrian zones surrounding the stadium and lock up away from the security perimeter.

Rideshare (Uber/Lyft)

• The official drop-off and pickup point is Newton's Corner turnabout on Pitkin Street off College Avenue, east of the stadium. Enter from College and follow temporary signs and officers.
• Do not set the pin at the west tower or a reserved parking lot. Drivers cannot cross the campus closure simply because the app selected a shorter route.
• Postgame demand and College Avenue traffic can be heavy. Walk to Newton's Corner, verify the plate, then request only when positioned at the approved curb.
• Downtown guests should compare rideshare with MAX. The Prospect Station walk is longer, but the train can be more predictable than waiting in the outbound vehicle queue.

Parking lots open six hours before kickoff; Ram Town and its free Ram Walk Tailgate begin four hours before; the team arrives 2.5 hours before. Forty-eight minutes before kickoff, the March to Victory signals that it is time to enter.

Tailgating

• Campus parking lots
  Tailgating is encouraged in all designated football lots. Keep tents, cooking and guests within the parking footprint and keep drive aisles open for emergency access.
• Ram Town
  At Meridian Avenue and Hughes Way north of the stadium, Ram Town combines reserved turnkey setups, family inflatables and public programming. Admission is free and the area closes 30 minutes before kickoff.
• Ram Walk Tailgate
  The public concert space within Ram Town opens four hours before kickoff with live music, televisions, and food, beer, wine and nonalcoholic drinks for purchase.
• Alcohol boundaries
  Tailgate alcohol must remain in designated lots or programmed areas inside the university's defined game-day zone. Open containers cannot travel between those areas; use campus ID-check and wristband procedures.
• End time
  Tailgating stops 30 minutes before kickoff. The March to Victory at 48 minutes is the practical cue to pack up and walk to the gate.

Pregame Bars & Restaurants

• Avogadro's Number
  At 605 South Mason Street east of campus, “Avo's” serves sandwiches, burgers and strong vegetarian options with a large patio and frequent live music. It is convenient to MAX and the campus walk.
• Road 34 Bike Bar
  West of campus at 1213 West Elizabeth Street, Road 34 combines a bar, grill and bicycle shop. It fits fans approaching from the west and stays open late after night games.
• The Mayor of Old Town
  North of campus on Mason Street, The Mayor pairs a deep tap list with sandwiches and pub food and works naturally with a MAX ride toward Prospect Station.
• CooperSmith's Pub & Brewing
  In Old Town Square, CooperSmith's is a full brewpub rather than a quick stadium stop. Eat early, then use MAX or rideshare to campus.

• Old Town Pep Rally
  On the night before a home game, the CSU marching band and spirit squads make a 7 p.m. appearance through Old Town Square. Check the weekly schedule for route changes.
• Ram Walk
  About 2.5 hours before kickoff, the team, coaches, band, spirit squad and mascots move along Hughes Way and Meridian Avenue north of the stadium.
• March to Victory
  Forty-eight minutes before kickoff, the band and spirit squad perform while marching toward Canvas Stadium. The “48” timing honors Colorado State legend Fum McGraw.
• Comatose
  Army ROTC has fired the cannon at CSU football games since 1920. Its first blast now comes 48 minutes before kickoff, followed by reports for kickoffs and every Rams point.
• CAM the Ram
  Colorado State's live Rambouillet ram appears with student handlers and joins the pregame environment, while the costumed CAM works the stands and sidelines.
• Battering Ram entrance
  A large ceremonial ram leads the team onto Sonny Lubick Field as the band plays and the cannon and video production build the entrance.

• Sonny Lubick Field
  The playing field honors the coach who won 108 games and six conference championships from 1993–2007, the defining era of modern Rams football.
• Markley Family Hall of Champions
  The west-side premium entrance displays artifacts, memorabilia and interactive program history. Public access is generally through scheduled stadium tours rather than unrestricted game-day wandering.
• Smith Alumni Center
  Integrated into the northeast side, the center turns the stadium into a daily alumni destination and houses the recovered Old Main Bell tradition.
• New Belgium Porch
  The north-end terrace holds roughly 1,200 people, two bars, drink rails and televisions only yards behind the end zone, with the Front Range beyond.
• Open north view
  The bowl and concourse preserve views toward campus and the mountains rather than closing the venue into a continuous wall.

History & Notable Moments

• Groundbreaking (2015)
  Colorado State broke ground on September 12, beginning the project that returned football to campus after a half-century at Hughes Stadium.
• Opening victory (2017)
  A sellout of 37,583 watched the Rams defeat Oregon State 58-27 in the first game on August 26.
• Canvas name (2018)
  Canvas Credit Union's 15-year agreement supplied the stadium name, while the playing field retained Sonny Lubick's identity.
• Border War in an empty stadium (2020)
  With spectators barred during the pandemic, Colorado State beat Wyoming 34-24 to reclaim the Bronze Boot in its only home game.
• Rocky Mountain Showdown returns (2024)
  Colorado visited Fort Collins for the first time since 1996, drawing a then-record 40,099 with standing-room inventory.

The lower bowl generally uses Sections 100–141, with upper west sections in the 200s. The large south video board faces the open north end. The Rams sideline and premium west tower occupy the west; the student section and band generate much of the north and east energy. Most standard areas are exposed to sun, wind and fast Front Range weather.

• West sideline
  Central west sections sit behind the Rams and below the club, loge and suite levels. They offer the traditional midfield angle and later-afternoon shade from the tower.
• East sideline
  East seats face the home bench and premium structure. They are closer to the Alumni Center and southeast Gate 3 but receive stronger afternoon sun.
• North end/student area
  The student section and band create a standing, high-volume environment near the New Belgium Porch. Visiting fans seeking a relaxed view should choose another zone.
• South end zone
  Sections near the video board give a lengthwise view and quick access to south/east concourse concessions. The board is directly overhead or behind some seats.
• Upper west level
  The 200-level perspective is excellent for formations and mountain views, with elevators behind lower Section 140 serving public upper access.
• Premium areas
  Stadium Club, suites, loge boxes, OCR Field Club and New Belgium Porch require their own credentials. The OCR club is field level behind the Rams bench; do not assume a club ticket permits movement to every premium space.

Canvas Stadium concession stands are card-only; there are no interior ATMs. Water, Coca-Cola products, beer, hot dogs and nachos are broadly available, with local concepts providing more distinctive choices.

• 1870 Brat
  Behind Sections 114 and 132, this stand offers bratwurst, chicken and Cajun sausages with peppers and onions.
• Fort Fryery
  Behind Sections 105 and 133, find chicken tenders, pork-tenderloin sandwiches, corn dogs and sweet-potato tots.
• Krazy Karl's Pizza
  Behind Sections 107 and 129, the Fort Collins favorite serves pizza by the slice.
• Mount Mac
  Behind Section 108, choices include classic macaroni and cheese, a mac-topped hot dog and buffalo-chicken or barbecue bowls.
• Taste of Colorado
  Behind Sections 113 and 120, Northern Colorado craft beer is paired with Bavarian pretzels and beer cheese.
• Alcohol and water
  Guests 21 and older need a stadium wristband and may possess no more than two drinks; sales end midway through the third quarter. Empty crushable bottles without caps may enter, and fountains are distributed around the concourse.

• Clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags and clear containers may be no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches. Every bag remains subject to inspection.
• One non-clear clutch may be no larger than 4.5 by 6.5 inches. Backpacks, fanny packs, briefcases, coolers and larger purses are prohibited.
• Medically necessary items receive case-by-case screening. Baby supplies should be carried in a compliant clear bag; the stadium provides changing stations in every restroom and a nursing suite near Section 126.
• Empty crushable water bottles without lids or caps are allowed. Glass bottles, aluminum bottles and metal cans are prohibited, as are outside alcohol and ordinary outside food.
• All guests pass through metal detectors. Use an inspection lane when carrying permitted items and allow additional time for screening.
• There is no re-entry and no general bag-storage program. Return noncompliant items to the vehicle before joining the entry line.
• Gates open two hours before kickoff under the current football game-day page, although portions of the older A-to-Z guide still say 90 minutes. Use the game-specific timeline as the controlling source.