Good morning Colorado Springs! 🇺🇸 It’s Memorial Day weekend, and that means a well-earned three-day stretch to slow down, get outside, and kick off summer in the 719. The weather is finally settling into that warm, sunny rhythm, and the city is full of life with festivals, live music, outdoor gatherings, and people heading into the mountains and parks to make the most of it.
Edit: Sorry to my subscribers, I always get Labor day and Memorial day mixed up 🤦♂️
Do you know of any artists, eateries, or local happenings that deserve a spotlight in The 719 Direct? Send them my way at [email protected].
In today’s 719 Direct:
🎶 MeadowGrass Music Festival (17th Annual)
🧘♀️ Friday Yoga in the Garden
🎭 A Colorado Rodeo and Appalachian Spring
🎮 Video Game Rave
🎨 Junk Crafts Night
🎶 Live Music
🏈 Local Sports
⛰️ Trail of the Week
Let’s jump on in
-Eric Saul
🗓️ Your Weekend in Colorado Springs
1. 17th Annual MeadowGrass Music Festival
Friday, May 22, Saturday, May 23, Sunday, May 24, 2026 — All Day
La Foret Conference & Retreat Center, 6145 Shoup Rd., Black Forest, CO
Price: $55-$300+
MeadowGrass Music Festival is the premiere music festival to kick off summer in the Pikes Peak region. Always held over Friday, Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend. MeadowGrass is known for attracting up-and-coming talent from the region and all over the world. Set in a stunning outdoor setting, this family-friendly weekend features live music, local food and craft brews, yoga, hikes, and workshops.
2. Friday Yoga in the Garden
Friday, May 22, 2026 — 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Garden of the Gods Park, Jaycee Plaza (Central Garden, off Parking Lot 2), 1805 N. 30th Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Price: $20 per guest
Join Yoga Manitou for a yoga class in front of the Kissing Camels! Yoga Manitou focuses on offering yoga that is accessible to all, community oriented, and fun. Plan to meet at the Jaycee Plaza (stone circle along the paved pathway in the Central Garden, off of Parking Lot 2). Bring water, sunscreen, and a mat if you have one. A limited number of mats can be borrowed for the class. Registration required; program is weather dependent.
3. A Colorado Rodeo and Appalachian Spring
Thursday, May 21, 2026 — 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts, 190 South Cascade Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Price: $37–$64
Presented by Colorado Ballet Society. A Colorado Rodeo is set in 1949, when the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo returns to the Broadmoor Polo Grounds thanks to entrepreneur and philanthropist Spencer Penrose. The story follows Jessi, a young girl of the west who dreams of becoming Rodeo Queen, and Champ, a young cowboy who becomes smitten with her as they each compete for their respective titles. Appalachian Spring, one of Aaron Copland's World War II-era populist works, depicts a simple country wedding, following a young couple arriving at a newly-built farmhouse ready to start their lives together, with each new dance growing more uproarious than the last before the familiar Simple Gifts brings the day to a close.
4. Video Game Rave
Saturday, May 23, 2026 — Doors: 8:00 PM, Show: 8:30 PM
Black Sheep, 2106 E. Platte Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80909
Price: $21.12–$28.05
An electrifying night of electronic music heavily influenced by iconic video game soundtracks and chiptune aesthetics. Video Game Rave delivers a captivating blend of electronic dance music, chiptune, and remixes of beloved video game scores, creating a lively party atmosphere with engaging visual spectacles that sync with the pumping beats — immersing the audience in a nostalgia-fueled, futuristic dance experience.
5. Junk Crafts Night
Friday, May 22, 2026 — 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Rootbound Art Salon, OCC, Colorado Springs, CO
Price: $30
Presented by Hobnob Hobby Club. Come make your own personalized lighter, motel keychain, or pair of sunglasses using a variety of charms, beads, and rhinestones. A great way to get off your screen, into the real world, and make something with your hands — all while hobnobbing with other friendly people from the community.
🏔️ What’s New in the 719
🍜 Colorado Springs has a new authentic Chinese spot! Shanxi Noodles focuses on authentic cuisine from China’s Shanxi province, led by owner Julia Fan, who also operates Mugi Ramen & Poke. The overall focus is on delivering a more regional Chinese dining experience than typical American-Chinese fare, with an emphasis on fresh preparation and distinctive northern Chinese flavor profiles.
🎶 Live Music
Thursday 5/21/2026
Jazz Thursdays: Ricky Sweum Trio — Mining Exchange Hotel (Dizzy Charlie’s series) — ~5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Unplugged at the Lodge — Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort — ~5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
The Sleeping Giants — Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub — ~6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Collin McAfee — Tokki — ~6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Craft For a Cause (live music set) — Red Leg Brewing Company — ~6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Blackthorn Unplugged Irish Session — Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub — ~7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Friday 5/22/2026
MeadowGrass Music Festival (Day 1 — multiple stages) — La Foret Conference & Retreat Center — ~12:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Jiluka w/ VCTMS, TSS — Black Sheep — ~7:30 PM
Tab Benoit — Phil Long Music Hall at Bourbon Brothers — ~7:30 PM
Living Dead Girl (metal/alt touring lineup) — Sunshine Studios Live — ~6:00 PM
Tenderfoot Bluegrass — Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort — ~6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Red Leg Brewing Live Acoustic Set — Red Leg Brewing Co. — ~6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Tokki Live Singer-Songwriter Night — Tokki — ~6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub Live Acoustic Set — Jack Quinn’s — ~6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Blackthorn Irish Session — Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub — ~7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Jagged Little Pill (musical with live orchestra) — Fine Arts Center at Colorado College — ~7:30 PM
Saturday 5/23/2026
MeadowGrass Music Festival (Day 2 — full lineup) — La Foret — ~12:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Turnpike Troubadours (w/ Avery Anna) — Ford Amphitheater — ~7:30 PM
Video Game Rave — Black Sheep — ~8:00 PM
Pink Fuzz — Whats Left Records (in-store live set) — ~6:00 PM
Sunshine Studios Late Show (rotating touring metal/alt) — Sunshine Studios Live — ~7:00 PM
Buffalo Lodge Acoustic Patio Set — Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort — ~5:30 PM
Jack Quinn’s rotating live set — Jack Quinn’s — ~6:00 PM
Jagged Little Pill (final weekend run) — Fine Arts Center — ~7:30 PM
Sunday 5/24/2026
MeadowGrass Music Festival (Final Day) — La Foret — ~12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Blues Review: Reckless and Blue (live blues showcase) — Louie Louie’s Piano Bar — ~4:00 PM
A Moment for Yourself Sound Bath (live musical sound performance) — Singing Bowls of the Rockies — ~5:30 PM
Jagged Little Pill (closing performance) — Fine Arts Center — ~2:00 PM
🏈 Sports
No live sporting events are happening this weekend that I can find
🏔️ Trail of the Week
🌲 Seven Bridges Trail (North Cheyenne Cañon Park)
📍 Location: North Cheyenne Cañon Park (Colorado Springs, CO)
🛤 Length: ~3.5–4.0 miles (out-and-back)
⛰ Elevation Gain: ~1,000 ft
⭐ Difficulty: Moderate
⏱ Estimated Time: ~2–3 hours
🔄 Trail Type: Out-and-back
🏞 Best For: Creek hiking, shaded forest scenery, waterfall crossings, photography, moderate trail running
This trail follows North Cheyenne Creek deep into North Cheyenne Cañon Park, starting in a shaded canyon filled with ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, and constant flowing water. The route is named for the seven wooden bridges that cross back and forth over the creek, each marking a natural milestone as the canyon narrows and the terrain gradually climbs. Early sections of the hike are relatively gentle, with wide paths and frequent creek access, making it popular for families and casual hikers.
🙏Thank you!
Thanks for tuning in everyone, hope you have a great time checking out some of these events. I’ll see you back here next week with more of Colorado Springs’ best happenings. Contact me at [email protected] if you have an event that you think would be perfect for this publication.