Happy Thursday, Colorado Springs. The mornings are starting to carry that first crisp edge of fall, the aspens up around Pikes Peak are just beginning to turn, and it is a fantastic weekend to get outside before the season fully shifts. Whether you are into live music, youth sports, motorsports, or a good old fashioned community festival, there is a lot happening around El Paso County and the Pikes Peak region this weekend. Here is everything worth putting on your calendar.
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. San Antonio FC
Cheer on the Switchbacks as they take on San Antonio FC under the lights at Weidner Field. It is a great way to kick off the weekend with the whole family, with concessions, a lively crowd, and professional soccer right in the heart of downtown.
- Day/Time: Friday, September 11, 8:00 PM
- Location: Weidner Field, 111 W Cimarron St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
- Price: Tickets start at $28
- Link: switchbacksfc.com
Ted Vigil: A Tribute to John Denver
Ted Vigil brings the music of Colorado’s favorite adopted son to life with an uncanny vocal resemblance and a full band behind him. Expect a warm, sing along evening filled with classics like “Rocky Mountain High” and “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” a fitting soundtrack for a fall weekend in the mountains.
- Day/Time: Friday, September 11, doors at 6:00 PM, show at 7:00 PM
- Location: Stargazers Theatre and Event Center, 10 S Parkside Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80910
- Price: $28 general admission (includes fee)
- Link: stargazerstheatre.com
Dot Days Community Festival
Dot Days is a brand new, three day community festival hosted by the Heller Center for Arts and Humanities honoring a beloved Colorado Springs arts advocate. Each day has its own theme, with nature hikes, hands on kids activities, live music, storytelling, a community art gallery, and shared meals. It is free, welcoming, and a wonderful way to spend time outdoors as a family.
- Day/Time: Friday, September 11, “Our Place in Nature,” 2:00 to 8:00 PM. Saturday, September 12, “Feeling Place,” 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Sunday, September 13, “Connected Futures,” 2:00 to 6:30 PM
- Location: Heller Center for Arts and Humanities at UCCS, 1250 N Campus Heights Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
- Price: Free, registration requested
- Link: heller.uccs.edu/dot-days-calendar
Air Force Falcons Football vs. North Dakota State
Falcon Stadium comes alive for a Saturday night home game as Air Force takes on North Dakota State. Between the flyovers, the marching band, and the energy of the crowd, it is one of the best family sporting traditions the Pikes Peak region has to offer.
- Day/Time: Saturday, September 12, 8:00 PM
- Location: Falcon Stadium, 49001 Stadium Blvd, U.S. Air Force Academy, CO 80840
- Price: Check goairforcefalcons.com for current ticket pricing
- Link: goairforcefalcons.com
Pikes Peak Youth Fishing Derby
Kids ages 6 to 15 are invited up to Crystal Reservoir on Pikes Peak Highway for a morning of fishing, prizes, and mountain scenery you cannot beat. Advance registration is recommended, and admission up the highway is included for participating families.
- Day/Time: Saturday, September 12, 8:30 to 11:00 AM
- Location: Crystal Reservoir, 5089 Pikes Peak Highway, Cascade, CO 80809
- Price: Free for registered youth ages 6-15, with highway admission included for the family
- Link: coloradosprings.gov
Pawtoberfest
The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region hosts this fall favorite with adoptable dogs, local vendors, food, and games in a beautiful historic setting on Printers Hill. It is a feel good way to spend a Saturday afternoon, and you might just go home with a new family member.
- Day/Time: Saturday, September 12, 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- Location: Union Printers Home at Printers Hill, 101 S Union Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80909
- Price: Free for kids 5 and under; general admission $20; 21 and up tasting ticket $55
- Link: hsppr.org
No Child Left Inside
Cheyenne Mountain State Park opens up hands on nature activities for kids from kindergarten through 12th grade, no registration required. It is a great low key way to get the family into the outdoors and learning about the park’s trails and wildlife.
- Day/Time: Saturday, September 12, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
- Location: Cheyenne Mountain State Park, 410 JL Ranch Heights, Colorado Springs, CO 80926
- Price: Free, standard park daily vehicle pass required (typically $4 to $17 depending on plate type)
- Link: cpw.state.co.us
Gleneagle Spirit 5K Run, Walk and Kids Fun Run
This neighborhood favorite in the Gleneagle area combines a timed 5K with a free kids fun run, t-shirts, and a festival like atmosphere at the finish line. It is a great starter race for families who want to be active together.
- Day/Time: Saturday, September 12, kids run at 8:15 AM, 5K at 9:00 AM
- Location: Antelope Trails Elementary School, 15280 Jessie Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
- Price: Kids fun run free for ages 14 and under; 5K registration $44.35 at race week pricing
- Link: gleneaglespiritrun.com
Cheyenne Mountain Library Open House
Pikes Peak Library District throws open the doors of the Cheyenne Mountain branch with a building wide scavenger hunt, crafts, entertainment, and free food from local vendors. It is a fun, free morning stop for families with young kids.
- Day/Time: Saturday, September 12, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
- Location: PPLD Cheyenne Mountain Library, 1785 S 8th Street, Suite 100, Colorado Springs, CO 80905
- Price: Free
- Link: ppld.org
Cruise Above the Clouds Car Show
Now in its 33rd year, this classic car show fills the streets of downtown Woodland Park with beautifully restored cars, trucks, and hot rods. It is an easy scenic drive up Highway 24 and a great way to spend a fall Saturday.
- Day/Time: Saturday, September 12, parking opens at 7:00 AM, show runs 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- Location: Downtown Woodland Park, CO 80863
- Price: Free for spectators; $35 per day to enter a vehicle in the show
- Link: cruiseabovetheclouds.com
The Rush Tribute Project
For classic rock fans, The Rush Tribute Project brings note for note renditions of Rush’s most iconic songs to the Pikes Peak Center stage for one night only. It is a high energy evening for longtime fans of the genre.
- Day/Time: Saturday, September 12, 7:30 PM
- Location: Pikes Peak Center, 190 S Cascade Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
- Price: Tickets start around $46
- Link: pikespeakcenter.com
Colorado College Women’s Soccer vs. Kansas State
Cap off the weekend with Division I soccer as Colorado College hosts Kansas State at Stewart Field. It is a fun, low cost way to introduce kids to college athletics right here in town.
- Day/Time: Sunday, September 13, 1:00 PM
- Location: Stewart Field, Colorado College, 14 E Cache La Poudre Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
- Price: Check cctigers.com for admission details
- Link: cctigers.com
El Paso County Raceway Fan Fest for World of Outlaws
Ahead of Monday’s World of Outlaws Sprint Cars event, El Paso County Raceway hosts a Fan Fest where you can get an up close look at the cars, meet drivers, and soak in the motorsports atmosphere. It is a fun preview event for race fans of every age.
- Day/Time: Sunday, September 13, 12:00 PM
- Location: El Paso County Fairgrounds, Calhan, CO 80808
- Price: Check bstpromotions.com for pricing
- Link: bstpromotions.com
That is a full slate for the weekend of September 11 through 13. However you spend it, I hope you get some good time outside and with family before the season turns. And if you or anyone you know has been thinking about buying or selling a home in Colorado Springs, my team and I would love to help. Reach out anytime at dan@hayespg.com.
