How a Town of 2,200 Refused to Wait
Colfax wasn’t supposed to have a concert series.
When the Historic Colfax Downtown Association applied for the Levitt AMP Grant — a national program that brings free professional concerts to small towns — people laughed. Openly. How was a town of 2,200 people going to get on the national map? How were we going to compete with cities with professional grant writers, marketing budgets, and thousands more voters?
We applied anyway.
When we made the top 100 we were blown away. Levitt awarded us a microgrant and we did what any reasonable organization would do — we launched a full concert in a matter of weeks and called it Rock the Vote. Sometimes you have to believe in something so strongly that no one can convince you otherwise. That’s not delusion — that’s how Colfax operates.
During the public voting round, Colfax showed up. A town of 2,200 people out mobilized cities that had no business being beaten and voted their way into the top 50 finalists. It wasn’t a committee that got us there. It was neighbors texting neighbors, businesses posting on their walls, and a community that decided this was worth fighting for.
Then we didn’t get the grant.
But we had never seen our town light up like it did going after that opportunity — and this community wasn’t ready to let that energy die.
We believe if you focus on the why, the how will always show up.
With $500 in the Colfax Concert Fund we made a public declaration — we were doing this anyway. The City of Colfax came beside us. Our sponsors bet on us. Neighbors showed up to fundraisers and gave what they could. You supported our crazy notion that a town of 2,200 deserved to be on the map.
Colfax is a town built on grit. We have always believed we can become more — and these concerts are a big chapter in that story.
Welcome to Live in Colfax. This is your story too.
What Colfax can do
In 2025 the Historic Colfax Downtown Association launched two free concerts and introduced the Colfax Bazaar. Across three Bazaar events and two concerts, thousands of people came off the freeway and discovered our historic downtown district. Local businesses reported tripled sales, sold-out inventory, and steady streams of customers they had never seen before at a Colfax event.
These events are putting Colfax on the map — and Live in Colfax will carry that momentum through every Saturday night this summer.
The Impact We're Building
Live in Colfax is not just a concert series. It is an economic engine for our downtown.
Every show brings hundreds people to South Main Street on a Saturday night. Downtown businesses stay open late. Local food vendors line the street. Families arrive with lawn chairs and stay for hours. Regional visitors pull off I-80 and discover what Colfax has been quietly building.
Five times this summer, the same block that sits quiet on a Tuesday night becomes the most alive place in Placer County.
That is what meaningful community investment looks like.
Why Live in Colfax Matters
Every concert is a step toward the Colfax we are building together.
World Class Music. Free.
Regional and touring acts performing professional shows right in our own backyard. No tickets. No cost. Just great music on Historic Main Street.
A Town That Shows Up
From voting our way into the top 50 of a national grant competition to packed Saturday nights on Main Street — Colfax has never needed much of a reason to believe in itself. These concerts are just the latest proof.
Downtown Comes Alive
Every concert brings hundreds of people off I-80 and into our historic district. Local businesses thrive. Vendors sell out. Colfax gets noticed. This is our mission in action.
Thank You to Our 2026 Sponsors
Live in Colfax exists because of the generosity of these community partners. Their investment makes five free concerts possible for our entire community — and puts Colfax on the map.
