Colorado football championships: Ticket, parking, game day info for 4A/5A title games at Canvas Stadium

Live coverage: Top performances from Colorado 4A/5A football title games at Canvas Stadium

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After nearly two decades at Denver's Empower Field at Mile High, the 2023 Colorado Class 4A and 5A high school state football championships are coming to Fort Collins this Saturday.

And they’re the first of many.

State title games will be held at Canvas Stadium on the Colorado State University campus through 2027, with Class 3A also joining in 2024.

The stadium has hosted high school football each of the past two seasons, with the local Canvas Community Classic featuring Fort Collins teams in a Friday night doubleheader.

Now, it's the stage for state championships with a pair of No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchups.

Here’s what you need to know about the Colorado 4A and 5A state title games on Dec. 2.

State football championship matchups, schedule

CLASS 4A: No. 1 Palmer Ridge (13-0) vs. No. 2 Erie (12-1), 11 a.m. Saturday

How they got here: The Bears beat No. 4 Broomfield 38-14 in the semifinals to stay unbeaten. The Tigers defeated No. 3 Montrose 25-22 in the semifinals.

CLASS 5A: No. 1 Cherry Creek (13-0) vs. No. 2 Columbine (13-0), 3 p.m. Saturday

How they got here: The Bruins beat No. 5 Ralston Valley 21-14 in the semifinals with a late touchdown to continue their quest for a fifth straight 5A state title. The Rebels took down No. 14 Chatfield 35-16 in their semifinal.

Ticket, entrance info for Colorado 4A/5A state football championship games

General admission tickets are $20 (plus fees) for an all-day pass that allows entry to both games.

Tickets can be purchased online through CHSAA at https://gofan.co/event/1213303?schoolId=CHSAA.

All tickets are sold digitally. There will be no ticket sales on site. Screenshots or printouts of tickets will not be accepted.

Suite tickets on the west side of the stadium are also available for $750 (for 18 tickets, plus fees). They can be purchased via CHSAA at https://gofan.co/event/1173301?schoolId=CHSAA.

Fans can enter at Gate 1 on the north side of the stadium (along Pitkin Street), at Gate 2 on the west side or via Gate 3 on the southeast side near the corner of West Lake Street and Meridian Avenue.

Canvas Stadium gates will open at 10 a.m., an hour before the 4A state championship game.

Where to park at Canvas Stadium for 4A/5A title games

On-campus parking is free and available all day Saturday.

Parking for each game is divided into several lots.

Fans primarily attending the Class 4A championship game between Palmer Ridge and Erie should park on the southeast side of campus in these lots:

• Lake Street Parking Garage (570)

• Commuter Lot (575)

• College Avenue Garage (577)

Fans primarily attending the Class 5A championship game between Cherry Creek and Columbine should park on the north-central and west side of campus in these lots:

• Moby Arena Lot (195)

• Lory Student Center Lot (310)

• Morgan Library Lot (425)

ADA parking is also available in lot 240, immediately west of Canvas Stadium.

The following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic:

• Pitkin Street immediately north of the stadium

• West Lake Street immediately south of the stadium

• Meridian Avenue north of the stadium between Pitkin and Hughes Way

Here is a map of the parking situation, with 4A lots highlighted in red and the 5A lots in blue.

You can also visit chsaanow.com/news/2023/9/27/football-state-championship-information.aspx (and scroll down) to see the parking map.

What fans can, can't bring to Canvas Stadium for Colorado football championships

CSU’s clear bag policy for athletic events will be in effect. All fans will have to pass through a metal detector while entering the stadium.

What's NOT allowed in Canvas stadium:

• Backpacks, purses, fanny packs or computer/camera bags

• Coolers

• Luggage or briefcases

• Seatbacks with solid frames

• Any bag larger than the required size

What IS allowed in Canvas stadium:

• One clear, plastic, vinyl or PVC bag smaller than 12-by-6-by-12 inches, including clear, plastic freezer bags of one-gallon or smaller.

• Small clutches (smaller than 4 ½ by 6 ½ inches), with or without a strap, or bags of an appropriate size containing medically necessary equipment

• Blankets and jackets

• Cameras and binoculars not in a carrying case

Concession stands at Canvas Stadium will be open and operating during both games.

There will be a trophy ceremony after each game, though fans are not allowed on the field.

How to watch 2023 Colorado 4A/5A football title games

The games will air live on Altitude Sports. Find how to watch in your region.

Both games will also be livestreamed through National Federation of State High School Associations if you can't make it in person.

The games will be streamed live on the NFHS Network's CHSAA page at nfhsnetwork.com/sports/football/colorado.

A subscription is required to watch. Monthly passes are $11.99 and annual passes are $79.99. The subscription gives you access to all CHSAA sports events that are streamed.

The Coloradoan will also have live coverage from the event, including score updates, photos and more.

Schedule for future Canvas Stadium state championship games

The state title games will continue to be played on the first Saturday of December, barring CSU football hosting a conference championship game.

The Class 3A football championship will also come to Fort Collins, joining 4A and 5A through at least 2027.

Here are the anticipated dates for the 2024-27 Colorado state football championship games at Canvas Stadium.

• Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024

• Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025

• Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026

• Saturday, Dec. 4, 2027

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: What to know for Colorado state football championships at Canvas Stadium