The Impact of Howdy Neighbor Events
ANNUAL PROJECTED ECONOMIC IMPACT
$1.05M+ and Growing
Howdy Neighbor Events produces three annual programs in Fort Collins. Together, they generate over a million dollars in projected economic activity, and that number is still rising.
Since 2015, Howdy Neighbor Events has built and operated community events that punch well above their weight. Producing $390,000–$500,000 in annual economic activity from a single weekend convention, and generating an additional ~$605,000 in projected business impact from a four-day pay-what-you-can conference.
We produce four active programs, each addressing a different barrier to economic participation in the creative and entrepreneurial economy: Fort Collins Comic Con (creator and arts literacy), Founded in FoCo (business and financial literacy), FoCo Book Fest (traditional and creator literacy), and BrainChange, a mental health storytelling series integrated into Founded in FoCo programming.
We do this with lean teams, replicable systems, and deep community trust built over a decade.
Current figure reflects FC3 ($390K–$500K direct via AEP6) + FIFC (~$605K projected business impact) + FoCo Book Fest ($50K via AEP6).
3,500+
Annual attendees across all events
$165K+
Reinvested directly into the community
11 years
Of community events in Northern Colorado.
HOW WE CALCULATE $1M+
Small teams, big community impact.
Fort Collins Comic Con: direct economic activity
Ticket sales, vendor booth revenue, and ancillary attendee spending on food, lodging, and local businesses. 36% of attendees travel from outside Fort Collins. 83% of FC3 attendees make purchases from local artists beyond their badge. Average attendee spend on creative purchases: $75–$100. Vendor booths are priced competitively ($200 vs $450 regionally) to allow artists to profit quickly. Conservative annual estimated impact: $390K–$500K.
Founded in FoCo: projected participant business impact
Because FIFC is free and pay-what-you-can, we measure what attendees do after the event, not what they spend at it. 51% implemented a new business strategy. 23% gained a new client or contract. Using AEP6 methodologies plus our 2026 post-event survey data, we project ~$605K in participant business outcomes.
FoCo Book Fest: fantastic first year foundation
FoCo Book Fest 2026 was a new event for Howdy Neighbor. 91% of our attendees rated access to local authors a 4 or 5 after attending (over a full point shift on average). 86% discovered a new author, 97% inspired to write or read more, and 69% found a new read at the event. Using AEP6 methodologies plus our 2026 post-event survey data, we project ~$50K in conservative annual economic impact.
EXPLORE EACH PROGRAM
Our events, in depth
Fort Collins Comic Con
Creator and arts literacy. Held annually in August since 2015.
| Attendance | 3,000+ |
| Economic Impact | $390K-$500K |
| Artists Featured | 150+ |
| Panels Featured | 75+ |
| Satisfaction Score | 88% rated 4-5 stars |
Founded in FoCo
Business and financial literacy. Free and pay-what-you-can tickets. Held annually in March.
| Attendance | 500+ |
| Business Impact (projected) | ~$605K |
| Speakers | 87 |
| NPS | 76 (world-class) |
FoCo Book Fest
Creator and traditional literacy. Free and pay-what-you-can tickets. Held annually in April.
| Attendance | 300+ |
| Economic Impact | ~$50K |
| Authors Featured | 58+ |
| Sessions | 14 + a 2-day book marketplace |
| NPS | 67 (excellent) |
COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT
$165,000+ reinvested in Fort Collins
Our events are not fundraisers, but they cycle significant resources back into the community
Fort Collins Comic Con
$120,000+
to Poudre Libraries’ children’s literacy programs.
$35,000+
to Alliance for Suicide Prevention
Founded in FoCo
$7,750
to local nonprofits via Trout Tank (2025)
$950
to Alliance for Suicide Prevention + SMILE #UWokeUp via BrainChange
$500
to Sound Affects Music via Community Trout
FOUNDED IN FOCO 2026 OUTCOMES WORTH NOTING
What attendees did after they left:
Access to Resources Before and After
We asked FIFC attendees to rate their access to entrepreneurship resources on a 1–5 scale before and after attending:
- Before attending: Average 3.61 out of 5
- After attending: Average 4.37 out of 5
- 53% of respondents reported a measurable improvement in their access
That nearly one-point average shift represents a measurable systems-level change in how people access entrepreneurial support in Northern Colorado over the course of just 4 days.
WHO WE SERVE
Reflecting Northern Colorado’s community
Founded in FoCo
51% small business owners
58% women-owned
44% freelancers
16% nonprofit leaders
11% LGBTQ+-owned
39% first-time attendees
FoCo Comic Con
64% Fort Collins residents
36% regional travelers
35% cosplayers
14% first-time attendees
Families, teens, young creators
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Quotes from our attendees, entrepreneurs, artists, authors, and participants
“I feel incredibly inspired by and connected to a whole community I didn’t know existed until this week.”
Regina, Entrepreneur
“The value of a high-quality, local conference connecting the sectors that Founded in FoCo does is just unmatched.”
Christine, Consultant
“It’s a great quality experience for an affordable price. The affordable price makes it such a great culture — it brings people together from all levels of experience and removes any feelings of hierarchy.”
Abby, Small Business Owner
“This was my first time EVER being a vendor, and I had a blast! I made back my booth and then some.”
First-Time FC3 Vendor
“My favorite part is seeing all the diversity in the people and the costumes they show up in. It is such a safe place to be, for even just a day, whomever you want to be, with acceptance and joy.”
FC3 Attendee
“What you receive in course content and networking connections far exceeds the price of the ticket. The pricing is incredibly fair — there’s basically no reason to not attend.”
FIFC 2026 Attendee
“I’ve built confidence as a speaker which has influenced how I show up in client and prospect calls. I’ve implemented systems which have improved my ways of working. I’ve deepened relationships which have led to connections, referrals, and collaborations.”
FIFC 2026 Attendee
“For me, the value of FIFC is the relief of being in a space with people experiencing the mind f*** it is to be an entrepreneur… there is something about the camaraderie of people in a similar space that helps you feel a little less crazy, a little more brave, and a lot more confident.”
FIFC 2026 Attendee
Partner With Us
Howdy Neighbor Events partners with organizations across sectors including the City of Fort Collins, Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce, Poudre Libraries, Colorado State University, Front Range Community College, AIMS Community College, the Larimer SBDC, Visit Fort Collins, Bohemian Foundation, and dozens of local businesses and nonprofits.
We’re always looking for sponsors, community partners, volunteers, and collaborators who share our commitment to making Fort Collins a place where creative and entrepreneurial careers are accessible to everyone.
Our events are proof of concept. The same operational infrastructure, community relationships, and measurement frameworks we use to run Fort Collins Comic Con and Founded in FoCo are available to your organization looking to build or scale your own events and community programs.
Let’s see what other amazing things we can do together.
Get in touch: nick@howdyneighbor.events