Wild Goose Saloon Parker Closed — Chris Fest Benefit May 16-17 + How to Help

Wild Goose Saloon, Parker's popular live music venue and BBQ joint, closed on February 22, 2026. The space at 11160 S Pikes Peak Dr is now listed for sale.

A two-day benefit fundraiser — Chris Fest — runs May 16–17, 2026 at the Oriental Theater in Denver. Details and ticket link below.

Update — May 16, 2026: A new tenant has been announced for the 11160 S Pikes Peak Dr space. Read the latest: JP's Sports Bar Coming to Parker, Taking Over Wild Goose Saloon Space.

Behind the closure is a difficult story.

What Happened

Chris Dellinger, co-owner alongside his wife and music partner Lola Black, was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer in November 2025. The cancer had spread to ten vertebrae, several ribs, lymph nodes, one femur, and his pelvis (Westword, Mar 19, 2026). He's been juggling medical bills, doctor's appointments, and trying to keep the business running — but it became too much.

"The Goose is closed. We have been struggling for months financially and haven't been able to catch up on any of our bills. That along with my cancer diagnosis have brought us to where we are," Dellinger shared in a social media post. "I apologize to all of the bands and we will do everything in Lola and I's power to make sure we take care of our employees."

Per the Westword interview, the closure decision came from a silent business partner with connections to the landlord — Chris and Lola were blindsided. They had been juggling Chris's chemotherapy (which started March 5, 2026) with attempts to keep the venue running.

About Wild Goose Saloon

Wild Goose Saloon opened in 2021 as a hybrid concert hall and BBQ restaurant. The venue featured a professional-grade indoor stage with a capacity of 450, plus a smaller outdoor patio stage.

It quickly became a go-to spot for live country, rock, and tribute acts in the south metro area. The calendar was packed — line dancing, trivia nights, karaoke, comedy shows, and touring artists like Scotty Austin (former lead vocalist of Saving Abel), Freddy Jones Band, and local favorites.

For many in the Parker music scene, Wild Goose was the room. Chris gave countless local bands their first real stage.

Chris Fest — Sat May 16 + Sun May 17, 2026 (Oriental Theater, Denver)

The Denver music community organized a two-day benefit fundraiser to help with Chris's medical costs.

• When: Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17, 2026
• Where: The Oriental Theater, 4335 W 44th Ave, Denver, CO 80212
• Day 1 doors: 4:30pm (show 5:30pm) · all ages, bar with ID
• Day 2 doors: 4:00pm (show 4:30pm) · all ages, bar with ID
• Tickets (Day 2 direct): General Admission $24.77, Two-Day Pass $36.40, VIP Reserved High-Top Table for Four $223.58 — via theorientaltheater.holdmyticket.com/tickets/460890
• All Chris Fest listings: theorientaltheater.com/events
• Day 1 lineup (May 16): Grunge Lite, Lola Black, Hoodrat · openers Intermission 303, Grind Cat Grind, Lola Schmaltz · Special Guest MC: Uncle Nasty
• Day 2 lineup (May 17): Those Crazy Nights, Trash, Stormescence · with Neon the Bishop, Thick Lizzy, Kentucky Straight Band · Special Guest MC: Bobby Roze

How to Help: GoFundMe

The Tabatha-Brainard-organized GoFundMe has now raised more than $80,000 from 685+ donors — past its original $75,000 goal. Chris had no health insurance at the time of diagnosis (his coverage had lapsed while he focused on keeping the Wild Goose afloat), and chemotherapy plus hormone therapy costs continue to grow.

If you can give, the page is here: Support Chris Dellinger's Cancer Battle.

Sources

• Westword, "Wild Goose Saloon Closes as Owner Fights for His Life," Michael Roberts, March 19, 2026 — confirms Lola Black as co-owner, silent-business-partner closure, Feb 22 closure date, Chris's musical history, cancer-spread specifics, Chris Fest planning. westword.com/music/wild-goose-saloon-parker-closed-40858270
• The Oriental Theater event listings — Chris Fest Day 1 + Day 2 lineups, ticket pricing: theorientaltheater.com/events
• GoFundMe "Support Chris Dellinger's Cancer Battle" — current donor count + dollar total: gofundme.com/f/support-chris-dellingers-cancer-battle
• Parker Chronicle, March 3, 2026 + CelebrityAccess, Feb 24, 2026 — initial closure coverage

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Wild Goose Saloon was located at 11160 S Pikes Peak Dr, Parker, CO 80138.

Directory: Wild Goose Saloon on DougCo Directory

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