Colorado Springs Entertainment

Despite its reputation as a bastion for contrastive ideals, Colorado Springs has a decent nightlife, with a wide range of things to do after dark. The entertainment scene is spread around the city and extends to the neighbouring towns of Manitou Springs and Old Colorado City. Don’t expect to find world-class cultural performances here, but there is one of the best brewpubs in the country, however. To find out what’s happening during your visit, pick up a copy of one of the town’s two free entertainment guides: Springs or The Independent.
 

Nightlife

There are dozens of nightclubs, bars and brewpubs in Colorado Springs. Most of them are concentrated in the downtown area; however, the bohemian enclave of Manitou Springs and the rugged Old Colorado City also have their fair share of interesting nightlife spots. Don’t expect to party too hard in this conservative town, but there should be enough to keep you entertained. If you enjoy a good pint, head to Phantom Canyon Brewery in the heart of downtown. The atmosphere is almost as good as their beer, especially their award-winning India Pale Ale. 

Theatre and music

For a small city, Colorado Springs has some extremely nice performance arts venues. The newest building is the 8,000-seat Colorado Springs World Arena, which hosts a number of big name country and rock concerts as well as a variety of sporting events. Another prominent venue is the 2,000-seat Pikes Peak Center, which is renowned for its acoustics. The city’s symphony orchestra and dance theatre use the centre for their regular performances, and well-known touring entertainers of all kinds also schedule their shows here.

The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Centre is an historic venue that hosts a wide range of smaller events. A children’s theatre programme, the local repertory company, dance performances and musical concerts all perform here throughout the year. Finally, there’s the historic City Auditorium, which often hosts big-name concerts or other events.

Festivals

Colorado Springs has plenty of interesting artistic and cultural festivals to keep things exciting in this Western American city. Most of them occur during the summer, when the weather is at its finest.

• Territory Days Celebration is an annual event held in nearby Old Colorado City to celebrate the heritage of this western city. A parade, country music and plenty of food create a distinctly western atmosphere (May).
• Pikes Peak International Auto Hill Climb was first held in 1916, and continues to be one of the most popular car races in America. This week-long festival culminates in a dramatic race to the top of Pikes Peak (July).
• Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo is a professional rodeo, and the largest of its kind in the city. Bareback and saddle bronco riding, bull riding and wild horse races are the highlights of this action-packed event. Carnival rides, live music and western food help lighten things up (July).
• Colorado Balloon Classic is the biggest hot air balloon festival in Colorado. Each year, dozens of colourful balloons fill the morning skies, creating an amazing spectacle (September).
• The Festival of Lights is an annual parade to help warm up the spirits of residents during the height of winter. Live music, arts and crafts as well as food and other fun events make this the highlight of the winter season (December).