Happy Friday, Colorado Springs! Summer is in full swing here in the Pikes Peak region, and this weekend is packed with festivals, live music, and family fun from downtown all the way up Ute Pass. Whether you are picking a pie contest winner in Green Mountain Falls or catching a concert under the stars at Ford Amphitheater, there is something for everyone. Here is everything happening around town July 24 through July 26.
Palmer Lake Arts Fest
This free community celebration of creativity fills Centennial Park with live music, art classes and demonstrations, local vendors, and food trucks all weekend long. A special stargazing party rounds out Saturday night for anyone who wants to look up after a day of art browsing.
- Day/Time: Friday 6:00 pm until late, Saturday and Sunday 9:00 am until late
- Location: Centennial Park, 199 County Line Rd, Palmer Lake, CO 80133
- Price: Free admission
- Link: townofpalmerlake.com
Jazz in the Garden
Grab a picnic and a lawn chair for a free evening of live jazz in a beautiful garden setting just north of downtown. This beloved series has been bringing families together over great music since 2010.
- Day/Time: Friday, 7:00 pm
- Location: Grace and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 601 N. Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
- Price: Free admission
- Link: gssepiscopal.org/jazz-in-the-garden
Sunrise Vinyasa Yoga in Bancroft Park
Start your Friday with a peaceful outdoor yoga class in the heart of Historic Old Colorado City. It is a great way to stretch, breathe, and soak in the mountain morning air before the weekend gets going.
- Day/Time: Friday, 7:00 am – 8:00 am
- Location: Bancroft Park, Old Colorado City, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
- Price: Check website for pricing
- Link: shopoldcoloradocity.com
Annual Iris Rhizome Sale
The Elmohr Iris Society hosts its annual sale to benefit the Loomis Iris Test Gardens, with beautiful rhizomes available for local gardeners looking to add color to their beds next season.
- Day/Time: Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Saturday 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Location: Spencer’s Garden Center, 1430 S. Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
- Price: Free admission, rhizomes priced individually
- Link: elmohririssociety.org
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Dog Days
Bring your well behaved pup along for a special day at America’s only mountain zoo. It is a fun way to explore the zoo with your four legged family member by your side.
- Day/Time: Friday
- Location: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
- Price: Regular zoo admission applies
- Link: cmzoo.org
Kiss Me, Kate
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s Youth Repertory Ensemble closes out its run of this classic musical comedy this weekend. It is a polished, high energy show performed by talented local high school students.
- Day/Time: Friday and Saturday, 7:00 pm; Sunday, 2:00 pm
- Location: Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 30 W. Dale St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
- Price: $21
- Link: fac.coloradocollege.edu
Bronc Day Festival
Head up to Green Mountain Falls for one of the region’s most beloved small town traditions. The day kicks off with a pancake breakfast, followed by a parade down Ute Pass Avenue, then family games, live music, art and craft vendors, food trucks, and a pie contest at Gazebo Lake Park.
- Day/Time: Saturday, 7:30 am – 3:00 pm (pancake breakfast 7:30 – 10:00 am, parade at 10:00 am)
- Location: Green Mountain Falls, CO, festivities centered at Gazebo Lake Park, 100 Lake St
- Price: Free admission
- Link: broncdayfestival.org
Cat Fest Colorado
Calling all cat lovers. This feline focused festival brings on site adoptions, shopping, entertainment, and education for the whole family, with plenty of cats to meet along the way.
- Day/Time: Saturday, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Location: Norris Penrose Event Center, 1045 Lower Gold Camp Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80905
- Price: $20 general admission, free for children 5 and under
- Link: lookwhatthecatbroughtin.org
BeMySecret Cars & Anime Con
This two day indoor convention celebrates its 5th anniversary with an indoor car show, cosplay contest, anime and automotive vendors, voice actors, and plenty of family friendly entertainment.
- Day/Time: Saturday, 11:00 am – 7:00 pm; Sunday, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Location: Colorado Springs Event Center, 3960 Palmer Park Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80909
- Price: $30 single day online, $50 two day pass, kids 10 and under free
- Link: coloradospringseventcenter.com
Kinship Landing 5th Anniversary Party
Downtown’s beloved boutique hotel celebrates five years of welcoming locals and visitors alike with a full day of festivities. Stop by to celebrate a true Colorado Springs success story.
- Day/Time: Saturday, 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
- Location: Kinship Landing, 415 S. Nevada Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
- Price: Check website for pricing
- Link: kinshiplanding.com
Disney’s Frozen in Concert with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic
Watch Frozen on the big screen while the Colorado Springs Philharmonic performs the film’s Grammy nominated score live, with Pikes Peak as the backdrop. A magical night for the whole family.
- Day/Time: Saturday, 7:00 pm
- Location: Ford Amphitheater, 95 Spectrum Loop, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
- Price: Check website for pricing
- Link: fordamphitheater.live
Tracy Lawrence in Concert
Country music fans will not want to miss this show from one of the genre’s most enduring hitmakers, performing in the Pikes Peak Center’s excellent acoustics.
- Day/Time: Saturday, 7:30 pm
- Location: Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
- Price: Check website for pricing
- Link: pikespeakcenter.com
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. Charleston Battery
Cheer on our hometown club as the Switchbacks take on Charleston Battery in USL Championship action at Weidner Field. It is a great night out for soccer fans of all ages.
- Day/Time: Saturday, 7:00 pm kickoff
- Location: Weidner Field, 111 W. Cimarron St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
- Price: Check website for pricing
- Link: switchbacksfc.com
Mile High Bug Club Moth Night
Grab a flashlight and your curiosity for this after dark nature program. Volunteers set up illuminated sheets to attract moths, beetles, and other nocturnal insects for an up close look at the region’s smaller residents.
- Day/Time: Saturday, 8:30 pm – 12:00 am
- Location: Cheyenne Mountain State Park, 410 JL Ranch Heights, Colorado Springs, CO 80926
- Price: Free with park admission
- Link: milehighbugclub.org
Handball Futures Festival Championship Day
The first ever USA Team Handball Futures Festival wraps up its inaugural run with the Bronze Medal Match, Championship Medal Match, and Awards Ceremony, showcasing rising stars aiming for a future Olympic pathway.
- Day/Time: Saturday
- Location: Fountain Valley School, Penrose Athletic Center, 6155 Fountain Valley School Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80911
- Price: Check website for pricing
- Link: peakradar.com
Whatever you and your family decide to do this weekend, I hope you get outside, soak up the Colorado sunshine, and enjoy everything that makes the Springs such a special place to call home. And if you or someone you know has been thinking about making Colorado Springs home, my team and I would love to help. Reach out anytime at dan@hayespg.com.
