Entry No. 42 — the Fort Collins file — filed under: hands-on
Flingin Pots
This Fort Collins clay studio runs an adults-only 'Dirty Date Night' wheel-throwing class aimed squarely at novices and rusty potters. Over the session you each attempt to throw two pieces on the wheel, learning to center, pull walls, and shape, with glazing and firing included so the work comes back finished. Priced per couple, the studio cheekily welcomes 'all couple types.'
The story
Tucked away on Pleasant Valley Road in northwest Fort Collins, Flingin Pots doesn't operate out of a polished retail strip or an immaculate Old Town storefront. It operates as a home-based studio running on a simple premise: hand people wet clay, seat them at a spinning wheel, and let them get filthy under expert instruction. Their signature evening for two is 'Dirty Date Night'—an adults-only session designed so complete novices don't end up with a collapsed gray lump on the floor.
You aren't here for a passive craft night where someone hands you a pre-made mug to paint with pastel glazes. You sit at neighboring pottery wheels, learning the actual mechanical dance of wet clay—centering the lump on the bat, bracing your elbows on your knees, and pulling up vertical walls against centrifugal force. Instructors step in to keep your clay from flying off the wheel while teaching you how to shape two distinct pieces each.
Once your four total pots are shaped, the studio takes over the high-heat mechanics. They dry, glaze, and fire your creations in the kiln so you don't have to worry about managing raw clay at home. You leave with muddy hands that night and return a few weeks later to pick up fully vitrified stoneware that actually survived your first turn at the wheel.
What it's like
Expect a physical, splatter-prone session on the western edge of town where clean manicures go to die. Wear clothes and shoes you don't mind getting covered in wet slip, trim your nails beforehand, and pull back long hair. The studio handles the clay, tools, glazing, and firing; you just bring a date and a willingness to get messy. Slots sell out early, so book ahead, and keep in mind that your glazed pieces won't be ready for pickup until the kiln run finishes a few weeks later.
The move: Sit at neighboring wheels, get muddy together centering and pulling clay, and each walk away having thrown two real pots.
📍 Before you go Ages 18+, priced per couple, and includes glazes plus firing; finished pieces are picked up later after kiln firing. Date Night sessions are scheduled, so book ahead.
- 📍 Fort Collins
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 2614 Pleasant Valley Road, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Holiday Twin Drive-In — Located just a mile away, you can clean the dried clay off your hands and head straight to a double feature under the open sky.
- Focoleather — Double down on hands-on craft by pairing a clay wheel session with a leatherworking workshop just down the road.
- Wolverine Farm Letterpress & Publick House — Head into town afterward for a drink at a nonprofit pub and print shop dedicated to local makers and artists.
- burn. Candle Bar — Swap wheel slip and throwing grime for custom fragrance oil pouring in Old Town Square to complete a full DIY date night.
Good to know
What do we actually make during Dirty Date Night?
Each person gets to throw two separate pieces on the wheel, working through the steps of centering, pulling up the walls, and shaping the vessel.
Do we get to take our pots home at the end of the night?
No. Raw clay has to dry slowly before being glazed and fired in the kiln. You will come back to the studio later to pick up your finished, vitrified ceramics.
Is Dirty Date Night priced per person or per couple?
The class is priced per couple, covers both participants, and is strictly for adults aged 18 and over.
Do I need any prior pottery experience?
None at all. The session is geared specifically toward beginners and rusty throwers who need hands-on guidance.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · collegian.com · eventbrite.com · Yelp · Facebook
last checked: 2026-06-23