For the third time since it opened, Ford Amphitheater has received a noise hardship permit from Colorado Springs to cover its concerts.

The city announced May 6 that it had issued the permit covering the 2026 concert season for Ford Amphitheater, the 8,000-seat open-air music venue in northern Colorado Springs. The noise permit is largely identical to the one issued last year, including the use of a noise monitoring and hardship agreement to monitor noise levels in nearby neighborhoods.

The largest change from last year is that the permit was issued to the nonprofit Venu Arts and Culture Foundation. Last fall, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that for-profit companies were not eligible for exemptions from the state’s noise pollution law.

VENU, the Colorado-Springs based entertainment company that built Ford Amphitheater, had previously said the nonprofit could take over operations of the concert venue in order to receive the noise permit.

“The data consistently shows our compliance with applicable law, and the hardship permit for Polaris Pointe allows us to ensure a consistent fan experience while we conduct ongoing monitoring, including follow up investigations of any reported noise issues,” VENU Arts & Culture Foundation spokesman Bill Jaffee said in a statement.

The city has received thousands of complaints since the amphitheater opened over the volume of noise that reached homes in Colorado Springs and the nearby portions of El Paso County. Seven residents filed a lawsuit against the operating companies for Ford Amphitheater in January for allegedly creating enough noise to become a public nuisance.

Colorado Springs did not issue any fines to the venue last year for violations of the noise monitoring agreement.

Season lineup coming together

Ford Amphitheater’s lineup is filling out at the open-air facility that Billboard recently included on its 2026 list of top music venues around the world.

Additions include comedian John Mulaney, who, as of now, will kick off the season May 14, along with Fred Armisen and Mike Birbiglia. Tickets are $73-$398.

Country band Turnpike Troubadours will follow them on May 23. Other acts include TikTok singer-songwriter gone viral Alex Warren on June 3, pop band AJR on June 27, country star Dierks Bentley on July 2, rock bands The Black Crowes and Whiskey Myers on Aug. 1, and ska punk band Sublime on Aug. 6.

Famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma will play with the Colorado Symphony on June 5, rock band O.A.R. visits June 18, violinist Lindsey Stirling on Aug. 8, bluegrass and country band Alison Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas on Aug. 14, Christian singer-songwriter Lauren Daigle on Aug. 15, singer-songwriter Ty Myers on Aug. 29, and country singer-songwriter Brantley Gilbert on Sept. 5.

And don’t forget the second annual Star Spangled Symphony 4th of July Celebration featuring the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, with a fireworks grand finale.

For tickets, go online to fordamphitheater.live.