About this Event
Welcome to Fort Worth.
Coffee Fest is coming to town, and we’re kicking off the weekend the best way we know how: bringing the coffee community together for a night of friendly competition, good coffee, and a little bit of chaos.
The 2026 Fall Throwdown brings together local coffee shops, industry partners, sponsors, baristas, coffee professionals, and coffee lovers for a 32-person head-to-head bracket the night before Coffee Fest begins.
Whether you’re competing, cheering on a friend, visiting Fort Worth for the weekend, or just looking for a good reason to hang out with the coffee community, you’re invited.
The Competition
32 competitors will go head-to-head through a single-elimination bracket until only one remains.
Competitor Entry: $15
1st Place — $1,000 Cash Prize + Sponsor Goods
2nd Place — $300 Cash Prize + Sponsor Goods
3rd Place — $200 Cash Prize + Sponsor Goods
Competitor spots are limited to 32 total entries, so register early if you want a place in the bracket.
Coming to Watch?
Spectators are welcome!
You don’t have to compete—or even work in coffee—to come hang out. The Fall Throwdown is about celebrating the people who make Fort Worth’s coffee scene what it is and welcoming coffee people visiting from around the country for Coffee Fest.
Come grab a drink, meet some new people, cheer on the competitors, and experience a little bit of Fort Worth coffee culture before Coffee Fest officially begins.
Celebrating Fort Worth Coffee
Fort Worth has an incredible and growing coffee community, and this event is being brought together with the help of local coffee shops, community partners, and sponsors who believe in it.
Our goal is simple: create a night where our local coffee community can come together, have some fun, and welcome everyone traveling into Fort Worth for Coffee Fest.
Come compete. Come watch. Come meet the community.
Let’s kick off Coffee Fest weekend together.
Agenda
Round 1 — Hearts
Info: We’re starting with the foundation of latte art: the heart. Competitors will go head-to-head pouring their cleanest, most balanced heart to earn a spot in the next round.
Round 2 — Minor Figures Oat Milk Tulip Round
Info: Things get a little more challenging in our sponsored Minor Figures Oat Milk Round. Competitors will pour tulips using Minor Figures Oat Milk, putting their stacking, control, and consistency to the test.
Quarterfinals — Rosettas
Info: The final eight take on the rosetta. This round is all about flow, definition, symmetry, and control as competitors fight for a place in the semifinals.
Semifinals — Swans
Info: The semifinals bring out the swans. With only four competitors remaining, precision matters more than ever as each barista tackles one of latte art’s most recognizable advanced designs.
Finals — Free Pour
Info: No assigned pattern. No safety net. The final two competitors can choose their own design and put everything on the table for one last pour.
This is the championship round — creativity, difficulty, execution, and overall presentation all come into play as we crown the 2026 Fall Throwdown Champion.
Event venue & nearby stays
Sons Coffee, 250 West Lancaster Avenue, Fort Worth, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.