Wednesday, July 14
Wellness Walk. Scheduled for July 7 at the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center at 9 a.m. Meet at the lower level and choose a one, two or three-mile hike. Maps are available. Healthy living tips and mindfulness exercises to enhance your walk. Dress for the weather, wear comfortable shoes and bring plenty of water. Free admission.
New Gift Shop Hours. The Ute Pass Historical Society has new hours! The gift shop will be open Wednesdays 10-noon; and Thursdays through Saturdays 11-4. Stop by and check out our great selection of historical books, cards, art and jewelry. While here, ask about taking a free guided tour of the five historic buildings in History Park. The gift shop is located at 231 E. Henrietta Avenue, next to the Woodland Park Library. Call 719-686-7512 Watch the trailer for the Teller County dude ranch Video coming out later this year.
Lawn Concert Series. Scheduled for July 14 and featuring Celtic music by the Skean Dubh Band. This will be held at 6 p.m. at the Manitou Springs Library Carnegie Building, 701 Manitou Ave. Bring lawn chairs or a blanket.
El Paso County Summer Concert Series, featuring New Horizons Kids Band is scheduled for July 14 at 6 p.m. at the Bear Creek Park Terrace, 21st Street at Argulis Blvd. Bring a lawn chair or blanket.
Thursday, July 15
The Teller County Commissioners will meet on July 15 at 9:15 a.m. in the Centennial Building in Cripple Creek. The commissioners now allow in-person attendance. In addition, their meetings are available for viewing, via Zoom. For more information, visit the county government’s website.
Gallop in the Garden, Scheduled for July 15 at 3:30 p.m. This is a 5K Fun Run/Jog/Walk in Garden of the Gods. Meet at the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center. There is free admission, but facial coverings required.
Chuck Wagon Chat. Scheduled for July 15 at 1:30 p.m. at the Garden of the Gods’ Jaycee Chuckwagon Plaza. Join Park Interpreter Bowen Gillings for a discussion on how to explore the park and Leave No Trace, hear some of his favorite stories about the garden, and answer questions. Free and open to the public.
Manitou Springs Summer Concert Series, featuring Front Range Big Bend. The concert is scheduled for July 15 at 7 p.m. at the Bud Ford Pavilion at Soda Springs Park, 42 Park Ave. Bring a lawn chair or blanket.
The Woodland Park City Council will meet on July 15 at the council chambers, starting at 7 p.m. Meeting are now held in-person, but they are available too for viewing online. For more information, call 719-687-9246.
Friday, July 16
Tee-off Time. The Shining Mountain Golf Course is open for daily play for the 2021 season, and the course is in great condition. In addition, the clubhouse bar is open, along with the driving range and chipping area. In addition, the restaurant is now open on a limited basis from Thursday through Sunday. Driving carts are now available. Call 719-687-7587 for more information.
Furbaby Friday. Scheduled for July 16 at 9 a.m. at the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center. Bring your furry friend, check in at the visitor center and get a free map of pet friendly areas in the park and register for the giveaway.
Farmers Market. Scheduled every Friday from now through September at N. Center Street near Memorial Park in Woodland Park from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Our Vendors come from all over Colorado and provide a variety of products to choose from. Including, Colorado fruits and vegetables, fresh baked bread, honey, coffee, food trucks, and more. We have space for 100 vendors, providing a large variety of products. For more information, call Lara Maas (Shadwick) at 719-400-9986.
Parent’s Night Out Enjoy a night out while your kids have a blast at the pool at the Woodland Aquatic Center. Your kids will swim, play games and eat pizza. Suitable for ages 6-17. Scheduled for July 16 from 3:30 to 7 p.m. For more information, call 719-687-5225.
Under the Colorado Moon and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Live performances have returned to the Butte Theater in Cripple Creek, with their summer melodrama show, Under the Colorado Moon and the Golden Age Musical, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Both shows extend through the summer until mid-August. For reservations, call 719-689-6402 or visit ButteTheater.com.
Gold Rush Days. Scheduled for July 16-18 in Victor and features a spree of games, historic tours, demonstrations and unique celebrations. Considered one of the best summer festivals in the high country. 2021 marks the 127th anniversary of Victor. This historic celebration offers an opportunity to step back into the past and enjoy the sights and sounds of the mining activities that are at the heart of Victor’s beginnings. See related story in this week’s TMJ.
Saturday, July 17
Gold Camp Trolley Tours. The Gold Camp Victorian Society will present again the Original Historical Gold Camp Trolley Tours. The tours, which began on Saturday May 29, continue every Saturday through Labor Day weekend. Each tour starts at 1 p.m. from the District Museum in Cripple Creek. These 90-minute tours are led by our Victorian hostesses and feature many of the characters from Cripple Creek’s storied history, as depicted by members of the Gold Camp Victorian Society. Please join us for the only historical trolley tour in Cripple Creek. A donation of $10 is requested. These tours are fun for the whole family. Space is limited, so arrive early to reserve your seat.
Mueller Hikes and Activities. Kick off summer at Mueller State Park, one of the secret gems of the state’s park system. While most state parks are overloaded with visitors due to the pandemic. Mueller provides ideal trails without massive crowds. Typical weather this spring at Mueller can provide some great outings. A full schedule of naturalist programs can help you to look, learn and enjoy the surroundings. Enjoy guided hikes and special programs. For more information, call 719-687-2366.
Fossil Beds Activities. The Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in Florissant is open year-round. The Monument is now open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument offers 15 miles of beautiful, yet lesser known, hiking trails to explore, a free Junior Ranger Program, three short self-guided trails, a park video and museum exhibits, and bookstore. Coronavirus restrictions, though, apply, and the indoor museum exhibits and the theater will remain closed throughout the summer. The park video, though, is available at the Fossil Bed’s website. Visitors also can enjoy massive petrified redwood trees in an outdoor exhibit. The visitor center is open Wednesdays through Sundays. For additional information, please call (719) 748-3253 or visit our website: www.nps.gov/flfo or on Facebook or Twitter at /FlorissantNPS.
Sunday, July 18
SUN-Day in the Park with the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society. beginning at 9 a.m. on July 18. It will be held at Garden of the Gods Visitor Center. Meet at the center on the north side of the building. Stop by for a telescope viewing of the Chromosphere layer of the sun and other surprise viewings. Learn how a telescope works and enjoy solar sidewalk astronomy and some daytime observing of the first quarter moon. Free and open to the public.
Upcoming
Ice Cream Social. Scheduled for July 19 at 1 p.m. at the Ute Pass Library, 8010 Severy Road, Cascade. Come celebrate National Ice Cream Month and summer with a tasty treat and socialize with friends, family and your community.
Pearl DeVere Celebration and Bed Race. This is the second annual Bed Race and celebration in Cripple Creek, aimed at honoring one of the mining district’s infamous legends. For more information, visit Cripple Creek.com.
Gold Camp Adventures. Tours of the Cripple Creek & Victor Mining District will be offered this summer from the Victor Lowell Thomas Museum. The new tours will highlight gold rush history and gold mining. The tours will be conducted using transportation and drivers from Parks & Recreation and an experienced tour guide from the Victor Lowell Thomas Museum. All of the tour proceeds from the new tours will benefit Parks & Recreation and the Victor Lowell Thomas Museum, furthering the missions of both community-minded organizations as a win-win fundraising option for both. The tours will provide the chance to learn about the district’s unique gold rush history – including gold mining old and new, pioneers, and ghost towns. Tours can be packaged with a walking tour of the Sunnyside Cemetery near Victor on select Saturdays this summer as well as with museum admission and gold panning. For more information, call Ruth Zalewski at 719-689-5509.
Bronc Day. The 83rd Bronc Day will occur on Saturday, July 31 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is one of the longest historical events running in Southern Colorado. It began in 1939 to welcome cowhands, tourists and families who were coming to the Ute Pass area to rodeo, vacation or work the summer trades. It led to some fun times and Bronc Day became an annual day that people set aside to attend as part of their summer experience and family memories!
Over the years, it has expanded with kids’ games, gold panning. lots of vendors selling their wares and fabulous food from our local merchants. All this along with live entertainment: singing, Victorian dance lessons, western costumes, rubber ducky races on the creek and much more. It truly is the friendliest day and the most fun event for your family to enjoy!
The Grand Marshall for this year’s parade is Clay Gafford- a long time Bronc Day participant and Green Mountain Falls resident. There is no admission fee. So put July 31st on your calendar for a drive to the beautiful town of Green Mountain Falls and the 83rd Annual Bronc Day Festivities.
