Good morning Colorado Springs! Make sure you’re wearing green this weekend because St. Paddy’s is upon us. Whether you’re chasing a pot of gold at a rave, laughing at improv comedy, exploring a new aquarium, or enjoying live music by the creek, there’s something for everyone these next few days. Get out there, try something new, and make the most of your weekend!
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:
🎶 Cask and Chisel
🚀 Nikola Tesla’s Toolbox – Launch a Rocket
😂 Pot-O-Comedy Gold Show!
🎭 The Ghost Sonata
☘️ Paddy’s Rave
🐠 Touch aquarium Jungle Reef announces opening date
🛒 Downtown Colorado Springs is getting a new grocery store
🍦 Josh & John’s Ice Cream to open first drive-thru location
🎶 Live Music
🏈 Local Sports
⛰️ Trail of the Week
Let’s jump on in
-Eric Saul
I’m using this week’s ad space to bring attention to the Rallies for Reading Charity Pickleball Tournament that is happening March 29th from 10 am - 2 pm! All proceeds will go towards the Children’s Literacy Center, whose mission is to provide one-on-one tutoring to Colorado children reading below grade level. There will be a raffle, t-shirts included with registration, and lots of fun. Hope to see some of you there!
Interested in featuring your business or event in our next ad spot? ⬆️ Fill out THIS FORM
🗓️ Your Weekend in Colorado Springs
1. Cask and Chisel
Friday, March 13, 2026 — 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort • 2 El Paso Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Price: Free
Live at the Lodge is a weekly concert series, every Friday and Saturday night at the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort. Join us for free local live music, Colorado crafted drinks, and a friendly community of regulars.
This Friday is Cask and Chisel, playing melodies that echo the rich traditions of Celtic, bluegrass, folk, and Americana.
2. Nikola Tesla’s Toolbox – Launch a Rocket
Saturday, March 14, 2026 — 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Space Foundation Discovery Center • 4425 Arrowswest Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Price: General admission plus $5 workshop fee per participant
This hands-on STEM workshop invites kids and families to build and launch their own rockets while learning about the history of rocketry and the work of Dr. Robert Goddard. Part of the Discovery Center’s ongoing “Nikola Tesla’s Toolbox” series, the activity encourages curiosity and experimentation in science and engineering through interactive learning. The program is designed primarily for children ages 7–12, though younger participants may join with adult assistance.
3. Pot-O-Comedy Gold Show!
Saturday, March 14, 2026 — 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Peak Improv Theater • 3440 N Carefree Cir, Colorado Springs, CO 80917
Price: $15 General Admission
A night of interactive improv and clean comedy presented by Oxymorons Comedy. Performers spin audience suggestions into spontaneous sketches and comedic scenes, creating a fast-paced show full of surprises. The event promises family-friendly humor, door prizes, and a lively atmosphere at the Peak Improv Theater.
4. The Ghost Sonata
March 12–22, 2026 — Various showtimes
Ent Center for the Arts • 5225 N Nevada Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
Price: $22+
Presented by the UCCS Theatre & Dance program, The Ghost Sonata by August Strindberg is a haunting expressionist drama exploring illusion, guilt, and hidden truths within a wealthy household. As a young student becomes entangled with a mysterious benefactor and his strange home, secrets begin to unravel, revealing the darker realities behind polite society. The production features student performers and brings Strindberg’s surreal and symbolic classic to the stage.
5. Paddy’s Rave
Saturday, March 14, 2026 — 9:00 PM
Black Sheep • 2106 E Platte Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80909
Price: $15–$20
Find the greenest clothes you have Bring the PLUR vibes, shamrock-shake that butt and find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. U2 will get lucky!
🏔️ What’s New in the 719
🐠 Touch aquarium Jungle Reef announces opening date
An interactive touch aquarium called Jungle Reef is scheduled to open at Chapel Hills Mall in Colorado Springs with a grand opening planned for March 20–22 after several construction delays pushed back earlier target dates. The attraction will be the company’s second location, following one that opened in El Paso, Texas in 2024. Visitors will be able to interact with and learn about a variety of animals through guided experiences, including touching and feeding some species while exploring exhibits designed to mimic their natural habitats.
🛒 Downtown Colorado Springs is getting a new grocery store
A new grocery store called Warehouse Urban Grocer is being developed in downtown Colorado Springs near Weidner Field along West Cimarron Street. Renovation permits have been filed for space connected to the Warehouse Restaurant, and the store plans to focus on locally sourced produce and meats from Colorado farmers and ranchers. While an exact opening date has not been announced, the business expects to open sometime this spring and aims to bring a fresh food option to the growing downtown area.
🍦 Josh & John’s Ice Cream to open first drive-thru location
Colorado Springs ice cream favorite Josh & John’s Ice Cream announced it will open its first-ever drive-thru location this spring at 870 Garden of the Gods Road, at the site of a former Dutch Bros coffee shop. The company, which opened its first shop in 1986 and now operates three locations in the city, says the new drive-thru will offer a more convenient way for customers to enjoy its ice cream.
🎶 Live Music
Thursday 3/12/2026
Jazz Thursdays — Downtown Colorado Springs — ~ 5:00 PM
Beers & Beats with Craig Walter — Cerberus Brewing Co. — ~ 6:30 PM
Pure Prairie League & Pablo Cruise — Phil Long Music Hall at Bourbon Brothers — ~ 7:00 PM
Open Mic Night — Sunshine Studios Live — ~ 7:00 PM
Frog & Fiddle — Armadillo Ranch (Manitou Springs) — ~ 7:00 PM
Friday 3/13/2026
The Mitguards — Rico’s Café & Wine Bar — ~ 6:00 PM
Cask & Chisel — Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort — ~ 6:00 PM
Craig Walter — Cerberus Brewing Co. — ~ 6:00 PM
Dead Floyd (Grateful Dead & Pink Floyd tribute) — Phil Long Music Hall — ~ 6:00 PM
Rence Fest (Day 1) — Lulu’s Downtown — ~ 7:00 PM
Friday the 13th Darkwave Industrial Night — Sunshine Studios Live — ~ 7:00 PM
Disco Revue — Stargazers Theatre & Event Center — ~ 7:00 PM
Saturday 3/14/2026
Katie Hale & the P47s — Rico’s Café & Wine Bar — ~ 6:00 PM
Hakken Krax Howl — Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort — ~ 6:00 PM
Bruce Cockburn — Phil Long Music Hall at Bourbon Brothers — ~ 6:00 PM
Rence Fest (Day 2) — Lulu’s Downtown — ~ 4:20 PM
Colorado Springs Philharmonic: Grieg Piano Concerto — Pikes Peak Center — ~ 7:30 PM
Eternal Temples — Armadillo Ranch (Manitou Springs) — ~ 8:00 PM
The Last Gang — Vultures — ~ 8:00 PM
Paddy’s Rave (EDM/DJs) — The Black Sheep — ~ 8:30 PM
Just Dance Band — Good Company Restaurant & Bar — ~ 8:00 PM
DJ Diablo — Cleats Bar & Grill West — ~ 8:00 PM
🏈 Sports
🏒 College Hockey (Colorado College)
Colorado College Tigers (Men’s Hockey) — Friday, 3/13/2026 — vs. Western Michigan | Ed Robson Arena, Colorado Springs, CO | ~ 7:00 PM (NCHC Tournament Quarterfinal series)
Colorado College Tigers (Men’s Hockey) — Saturday, 3/14/2026 — vs. Western Michigan | Ed Robson Arena, Colorado Springs, CO | ~ 6:00 PM (NCHC Tournament Quarterfinal series)
Colorado College Tigers (Men’s Hockey) — Sunday, 3/15/2026 — vs. Western Michigan | Ed Robson Arena, Colorado Springs, CO | ~ 6:00 PM (if necessary — playoff series Game 3)
🏀 College Basketball (NAIA / Small College Tournament)
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference / regional college basketball tournament games — Thursday–Saturday, 3/12–3/14/2026 — various matchups | Colorado Springs area colleges / venues | times vary (regional postseason competition)
🏃 Running / Community Race
Local weekend running events & training races — Saturday–Sunday, 3/14–3/15/2026 — Memorial Park & city trail systems | Colorado Springs, CO | morning start times (~ 8:00 AM typical)
🏔️ Trail of the Week
🌲 Mays Peak from Bear Creek
📍 Location: Bear Creek Cañon Park (near Manitou Springs / Colorado Springs, CO)
🛤 Length: ~6.1 miles round-trip
⛰ Elevation Gain: ~1,627 ft
⭐ Difficulty: Moderate
⏱ Estimated Time: ~3 hr 25 min
🔄 Trail Type: Out & Back
🏞 Best For: Hiking, trail running, mountain biking, creekside scenery, mountain views
A scenic and moderately challenging route starting near Bear Creek Cañon Park, this trail follows forested paths and creekside sections before climbing steadily toward Mays Peak in the Cheyenne Mountain area. Hikers pass through mixed terrain including shaded woodland and exposed ridges with views of Tenney Crags and the surrounding foothills. The trail is popular for hiking, running, and mountain biking, and is open year-round, though dogs must be kept on leash. Portions of Bear Creek Trail (#666) are currently closed for cutthroat trout habitat restoration until 2027, so hikers should turn around at the mapped endpoint where the trail approaches private property
🙏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.