The NOCO Pulse | Week of July 6th 2026

Hey Nelco, I hope you had a safe 4th of July. I heard there were like 50 firework shows that were canceled over the 4th of July weekend, so I hope that you had fun, maybe caught a drone show, maybe saw some fireworks, but welcome to July 6th. We are the NoCo Pulse, and we have been keeping our finger on the pulse of what's going on in NoCo. And I will continue to do that, but welcome to our last episode of the NoCo Pulse. I'm Kurt Baer, the owner and founder of the NoCo Think Tank and host of the NoCo Experience Podcast. And I'm Kelsey Harris, the owner of This Is NoCo and Discover NoCo Magazine. And we're here today just before the 4th of July weekend. And we mentioned on the last episode, but sorry to report, this will be the last episode of the NoCo Pulse. It's been a lot of fun sharing business and community news. But truth is, a lot of extra work, especially for Kelsey and producer Ben. So we're declaring independence. From all that extra work. So as a reminder, many of the events we share here are also listed on the This Is NoCo website. So make sure you bookmark their page. Follow on Instagram or TikTok to stay in touch with community news and events. And if you're looking for business leaders and their stories, definitely follow the Loco Experience. You're probably already following that Instagram because we were combined for a long time. So keep up to date with what's going on in the business world over on the Loco Experience. And do we want to do anything with the No Compulsive Kelsey? You know, we don't. But if you do, then reach out. If you're like, this concept is amazing and you want to take over sharing this community news, we would love to see somebody take it over. We've got the Instagram page. the domain name and the TikTok all ready to go and are gaining traction. So reach out if that's something that interests you. As you may know, that is how Ben and I got started. We purchased an Instagram account, NoCoDateNights, and then brought it into what we've got today. So if that interests you, reach out and let us know. Do it. All right, let's get into what's moving in NOCO. The On the Move segment is sponsored by Miles Beyond Running Community and the Run Windsor Race Series, reminding our listeners to do hard things. Their next races aren't until the fall, but it's their big ones. The Wild West Relay is July 31st through August 1st, followed by the Flaming Foliage Relay September 11th and 12th. And the Wild West is a 200-mile race from Fort Collins to Steamboat Springs for teams of up to 12 runners. I've done the Wild West a few times, and the camaraderie of running through the dark of night, 30-plus hours, it's just really special. You get to know people a whole new way, and putting your shoes on for that third leg of five or six miles when your legs are tired and sore and you haven't really slept, it's tough. But the party at the end is a banger. Yeah. And then the Flaming Foliage Relay, that takes runners from Idaho Springs to Buena Vista. Oh, that would be gorgeous. And teams of up to 10 runners over Guanala, Georgia, and Fremont Passes. Okay. Much of it on single track and 165 miles. Oh. So I've not done this one, but I understand the scenery is super striking. Yeah, that is a gorgeous place and a gorgeous time of year. And also a good party at the end. So check that out. Get your teams ready now. It's not too soon, obviously, to start preparing for a 200-mile relay. No, you should go now. So what's moving in NoCo? Well, moving in NoCo, Copaco's Honey is moving in soon into their second location. Yes, I just saw that. Yeah, so they leased a retail location. Look at 237 Linden Street. They've got the walls painted and the floors refinished. They're working on their shelving and some really interesting features that I'll leave them to disclose. I don't have an open date yet, but follow them on your social channels. Copaco's is a family-owned business since 2004. They've got a location up on North College, and they really started with a passion for bee rescue. Oh, I didn't know that. For anybody listening, if you find that you've got a, what do they call it? It's a swarm? Yeah. If you've got a swarm of bees, they will come and pick up that swarm and make sure it's rehomed to a loving family and a good home. Well... So anyway, they do that. And Ben Gilmore is a longtime Loco Think Tank member with Copacos. And they've more than doubled their business and added two jobs since joining Loco Think Tank. So really proud of you, Ben, and excited to see this new location. I think it's going to be awesome for the whole community. It sounds super exciting. That's my What's Moving in NoCo is a little more sad. The Urban Egg on College that brunch and breakfast place is moving out of town. They are closing their space in Fort Collins at the end of August. I don't know the details on why they are closing, but get in and grab some eggs while you can. I always thought they deserved to be busier. Yeah. I think it's just, you know, hard to compete with the Silver Grill. Yes. We've kind of got those staple brunch places that it's hard. I've never really carved out a real regular following. No. So bummer for you guys. I love Jute Urban Egg. I will miss you. I'll make sure I'm there a couple times more before you close. Yes. We got to get back in. They always had great things for the kids, which was exciting. I love that urban beet juice. Yummy. So we're sad to see you go. Bye. Our next segment is community gatherings. And this was brought to you by Ginger and Baker. Their next murder mystery event is coming up August 18th. So it is not too early to grab tickets because you know, it's going to sell out. This one is farm to floor. And so find out what happened and how they ended up on the floor. Then grab your tickets. Now. Awesome. What do you got for a community gathering? This one I've got is that the Loveland Museum is having an exhibit called Manga Dreams. And they actually had their opening reception last week. It was a cosplay night. You've got to have anime portraits. And they're doing a couple of other extensions to this event. And so one they're doing is next weekend at the Rialto, they're doing an anime weekend. So three anime movies over the weekend, and you can get tickets to that and then tickets to go see the exhibit. So you've kind of got an entire themed weekend. It is Spirited Away on Friday night, Howell's Moving Castle on Saturday, and then another one that I could not pronounce the name of on Sunday. But I'm sure if you're into anime, you're going to know what that name is. Just look it up, get your tickets. So look it up, grab your tickets, get a whole weekend. What do you got? The Foco Fondo is an annual gravel ride and race that draws hundreds of riders from around the state and nation. That's coming up July 16th through 19th. So coming up. Yeah, and there's events at New Belgium Brewing and also other local partners, Wolverine Farms I saw. There's both education but also rides from anywhere from 12 miles up to the quadruple dog dare you route. Oh, wow. It's 118 miles in a one-day pedal and has an elevation gain of 7,400 feet. Okay. 12 miles didn't sound so bad. No, 12 miles is easy. 118, not so much. So kudos to New Belgium for hosting this annual event. And there's also rides on their short track east of the brewery, I think especially on Sunday. So check out the Foco Fondo. And I think you don't have to be a rider to participate in a lot of this stuff. Oh, great. So check that out. That would be great. Oh, so I've got the NoCo Beat next, and that's our music, arts, and entertainment feature, where we highlight local creators and opportunities. And I'm going to feature the acoustic jam with Tommy Ventura. Oh, okay. He's playing this week, Wednesday, at Mars Cabins and Tavern, which has... been recently reopened after I think they had a fire or something um but every Wednesday night actually starting well maybe last week or even longer but through July and August and I've seen Tommy Ventura a bunch of times he's he plays all your favorites if you're old like me um and so he plays 6 30 to 9 okay and they have really good food up there as well and so um take the family up there for an evening get out of the heat i looked at the forecast and it's like mid upper 90s most of next week so you know get up to red feather yeah that's we've been meaning to go up there and hit there and rigby's roadhouse has been and so um definitely gonna have to go up and check it all out And I'm highlighting that there is even more free music coming in. The Foot Lagoon series, which this one is in Loveland. I know we've got the Lagoon concert series up at CSU, but the Foot Lagoon is in Loveland. That's an unfortunate name. Yeah. I'm guessing that it's named after someone. Somebody that donated it or whatever. But, yep. but don't put your feet in it but the foot lagoon is having free music all july on thursdays um and this thursday coming up on the 9th is ain't no mountain high so i haven't heard of them or checked them out before but maybe this thursday will be my first time i'm digging it But our next segment is Community Supporting Community, which is brought to you by Breeze through Car Wash. And they have been one of the people that have supported us at the NoCo Pulse the most. And so we want to give them a shout out and all of the things that they do. for our community from supporting their employees to supporting the watershed to supporting, uh, the youth at boys and girls club and supporting our cars. Yeah. They kind of touch everything in Northern Colorado in a way that you wouldn't expect. And so thank you for your support of us and your support of Northern Colorado to breeze through. Yeah. And I am highlighting that Berthed is having their first 10K. And it is a fundraiser for scroungy dogs and pretty pups rescue. And it's not just any 10K. This is what they're calling a gastro dash. So there are required food stops. So you have to run. And I think there was like six. So like one a mile almost required food stops, which sounds amazing. But also like by the end, I'm probably not going to be running very fast because I've been eating the whole time. This is on August 8th at 10 a.m. They even have child care for kids under eight. So if you want to go and run, but your kids can't run it with you, then they've got child care. Signups are open now. So go and check it out. I'm going to share a short story. The Running of the Green in Jamestown, North Dakota is an annual event in March, and it starts up on the top of the hill above town, and it requires that you stop into, I believe, nine different drinking establishments and have at least one drink. It's probably about a seven-mile loop or something, and most participants are not... elite athletes no it's anyway so look it up the run under the green in March by the end of that I would be not running a lot of the elite ones do they take like apple pucker okay stuff like that so anyway sorry to deviate there but my community supporting community event is a Brothers Fountain event is playing in duo form at Verboten North Brew Pub this week, Thursday the 9th, from 7 to 9 p.m. And this is a fundraiser for the Matthews House, a collaboration with Miles Beyond Running and KRFC. Oh, great people. And I think it's free, but you should plan to make a donation to the Matthews House if you're cool. Yeah, I was like, if you're going. Yeah. So plan on that and get a new calendar. Awesome. And what's going on in the business world? In the business world, I want to give a shout out this week to longtime local Think Tank member Becky Lordson and her team at IOME Mental Wellness. They were recognized as an awardee by the Colorado Companies to Watch. Oh, wow. That's great. Yeah, super cool. Becky was a founding member of the FOCO Think Tank chapter. Yeah. which is my landlord, Moses Horner of Horner Painting, has been facilitating that group since it started. And next month is their seventh anniversary of launching that chapter back in July of 19. Wow, congratulations. And five of the members are still in that group from seven years ago. That's pretty impressive. And Becky, you're awesome. You're doing great. Thanks for continuing to grow your business and impact more people's mental wellness. That is such an important thing. So congratulations. And we are always thinking about what food is coming into Northern Colorado and what have we been eating? So this section is the NoCo Eats. And we attended the Greeley Stampede, which has so many amazing things. So I hope that you didn't miss it because it will be over by the time this comes out. But we realized something that if we are at a fair or a county fair, we are corn doggies loyalists. If there is the option to have corn doggies, we are going to have it. Like from corn doggies. From corn doggies specifically. No other corn dogs. No, that's other. I like a corn dog. I will eat a different corn dog. But it's a simple food, but they make it very well. And in terms of the cost. If I'm looking for something for my kids to eat that I know that they're going to eat at a fair and I don't want to spend 15 bucks, their traditional corn dog is something like $5.50 or $6. So for a food truck, we find it very reasonable. And I always go and buy it for the kids and then like we'll try something else. And I always find myself just eating the kid's corn dog and wishing I got corn doggies. If it's just you and Ben, it's never just you and Ben. It's never just me and them. No. If it is us, we might stray from our corn doggies. Loyal. But not for a different corn dog. We'll try something different. So I had lunch with one of my members this past week at the taco stop on LeMay in the Sprout Shopping Center. So on Wednesdays, their nachos are $3 off. Oh. I know that. And they have the best nachos. It's like... They're homemade chips. Not too much chips. A lot of toppings. Some beautiful queso. And it's just delicious. And I've known those guys, Bernice and Caesar, since we shared connoisseurs back in 2013. Very nice. And they're awesome to work side by side with. And they're a great couple. And so shout out to the taco stuff any day. but especially check out Wednesday for nachos yeah that's what I was like I've not had their nachos and I didn't know about the special I'm not really a nacho guy usually because I put a huge pile of chips and a little bit of toppings this is the opposite okay I was like I'm gonna have to try them because normally I don't get nachos for the same reason so we'll have to give it a try but We want to thank you for watching with us and being here on our collaborative effort, The NoCo Pulse. It's been a lot of fun. Don't forget to stay loco for local business every week, every day, no matter if we're here telling you or not. And check out the loco experience. And this is NoCo. And I wanted to share a big thank you to all of our partners that came along to this ride. A big shout out, as Kelsey said, to Biddy Sue Car Wash, to Miles Beyond Running, and to Ginger and Baker. You guys all rock. Also to you, Kelsey and Ben. Obviously, this wouldn't have happened without you guys taking the lead on a lot of production and the sites and stuff. So I think you're awesome, and it's been a lot of fun. Yeah. So we'll see you around. We're not going anywhere. When you see us, say hey and have a great week. Thanks, NoFel. Thank you, Noko. Love you. Boom. That's a rag.