Welcome to Grand Junction BeaconFest: A Celebration of Age!

Welcome to BeaconFest, Colorado’s biggest and funnest celebration for seniors and their families! Get ready for a fun-filled day of learning and entertainment as we celebrate everything that’s great about getting older! (I promise there’s plenty!) BeaconFest is also our way of celebrating BEACON readers and the businesses devoted to helping them live their best lives after 50. If you’re reading this before the show, don’t miss out! Mark your calendars for Thursday, April 16, 2026, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Grand Junction Convention Center, 159 Main St. Whether you’re a BeaconFest regular or joining us for the first time, here’s a sneak peek of what to expect at this year’s show:

EVERYTHING IS FREE!
No other senior expo around has live music, delicious food samples and a full schedule of educational seminars—all for free!

VENDORS GALORE
Visit directly with more than 100 local, state and national exhibitors, including home improvement experts, housing representatives, health care providers, real estate agents, financial advisors, senior clubs and more!

LIVE MUSIC
We have an exciting lineup of entertainment throughout the day! On the main stage, catch favorites like Peggy Find updated schedules, vendors, parking info and more at BeaconFest.com Malone, King ’N Trio and Javier de los Santos, along with Donny Morales from Montrose. In the foyer, enjoy the barbershop harmonies of Canyon Grand Barbershop Quartet and Center Stage Quartet. You’ll also hear the graceful sounds of Robin Freed and the Harps in Motion Ensemble, lively rock ’n’ roll swing on by Mike Gazdak on accordion and Coral Skye’s soulful vocals and acoustic guitar. Be sure to find Willy Tuz, who will be making free balloon hats throughout the day.

INFORMATIVE SEMINARS
Hear from local experts on important topics, including Medicare, fraud prevention, long-term care programs, breakthrough medical treatments and more.

BIG GIVEAWAYS EVERY 30 MINUTES!
Enter to win thousands of dollars in door prizes, including vacation packages, hot springs soaks, furniture, restaurant gift cards and more. To save time, fill out your door prize form before the event and drop it off at the BEACON booth when you arrive. You’ll find the form on page 5. You must be present to win, so explore the show or grab a seat—your name might be next! With winners drawn every half hour, your odds are a whole lot better than the lottery, that’s for sure. And don’t leave early: At 2:30 p.m., we’ll wrap things up with “Let’s Make a Squeal,” the game where all unclaimed door prizes will be given away to the audience in a madcap rendition of Monty Hall’s “Let’s Make a Deal.”

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
They may not seek the spotlight, but we’re proud to recognize some of our community’s most dedicated senior volunteers during our Volunteer of the Year ceremony. Gather near the stage at 1 p.m. as we honor these remarkable individuals and thank them for the difference they make in our community.

VOTE FOR THE BEST BOOTHS!
 Show some love to our exhibitors by casting your ballot in the Seniors’ Choice Awards. Tear out the ballot on page 5 or pick one up at the entrance, then vote for Best Overall Booth, Booth with the Friendliest People and Booth with the Best Freebies. Winners will be announced in the next issue of the BEACON and at BeaconSeniorNews.com

THANK YOU!
BeaconFest is our way of saying thank you for reading the BEACON. Please thank our vendors and sponsors, too. We couldn’t do it without them.