As Colorado approaches its Aug. 1 birthday, let’s celebrate 150 years by exploring our state. Whether you were born and raised in Colorado or just moved here, there’s a good chance you don’t know all the interesting facts about our state. First, Colorado’s shape is not the simple rectangle we all thought. It’s actually a 697-sided polygon shape (a hexahectaenneacontakaiheptagon). Although latitude and longitude defined its borders, 19th century surveyors were using limited technology and created numerous small zigzags. That turned the straight lines into many short, straight segments between boundary markers. Superlatives Colorado’s average elevation is 6,800 feet above…
Author: Rhonda Van Pelt
Read More
Green Mountain Falls was pretty much business as usual in early May. The occasional vehicle traveled along Ute Pass Avenue, the main drag through the town that sits northwest of Colorado Springs. Waterfowl paddled in the pond, and snow still lurked in shady spots. Something big was on its way, though. Workmen were rearranging picnic tables at the Farm Stand near Lake Street, and soil nearby had been excavated to add parking spaces. And Scott RC Levy was in his office, preparing for the 18th annual Green Box Arts Festival, running July 4–19 this year. Levy became Green Box’s executive…
Theatreworks and the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center announced their 2026–27 theater seasons just days apart, so this seems an opportune time to learn more about the people who help decide what audiences will see on two of the region’s largest stages. The late, great Murray Ross was artistic director at Theatreworks, which he founded in 1976. After his death in 2017, Caitlin Lowans was producing artistic director until 2025. Max Shulman, who grew up in Boston before living in New York, has been part of Theatreworks for about eight years; he was named artistic director after Lowans departed. 2026–27…
WTF! Awww, don’t clutch your pearls. That stands for the Women’s Theatre Festival, and it’s returning to the Millibo Art Theatre in mid-March. What started as the Six Women Playwriting Festival in 2006 has evolved to encompass more than just staged plays. The festival also welcomes innovative performances in music, dance, performance art, film, poetry, clowning and physical theater — all birthed by Colorado’s female creatives. “Although great strides have been made, women’s voices in performance and playwriting remain seriously under-produced and unheard by the traditional theater community,” says Jim Jackson, Millibo’s co-founder. The call for entries went out all…
The nonprofit real estate organization, based in Minneapolis, specializes in creating, owning and operating affordable live/work spaces for artists and creative entrepreneurs. Artspace has six other Colorado projects in progress or completed: two in Loveland and one each in Carbondale, Ridgway, Salida and Trinidad. Colorado has more than any state other than Minnesota, which is home to 18 projects. Most Artspace properties are in existing, often historic, buildings that were at risk for demolition. “What is exciting for me and for Colorado Springs is that I am not aware of any place that has such an inclusive concept approach,” Claar…
These are the movies I watch year after year because their stories and performances have withstood the test of time. For me, it’s just not an authentic holiday season without them.It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)I have to admit, I find most of this classic film depressing as our hero, George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart), sinks deeper and deeper into trouble and despair. But with the help of an angel, Clarence (Henry Travers), George realizes that he’s positively impacted so many lives and his community. If he hadn’t saved his younger brother after he fell through the ice … if he hadn’t…
By Rhonda Van Pelt and Theresa Woods Whether it’s an all-night dance party or a healing experience, find somewhere to celebrate 2026 among these offerings. Electric Safari · cmzoo.org Cheyenne Mountain Zoo • 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Road, Colorado Springs • Dec. 25–Jan. 1 • 5–8:30 p.m. See all of the zoo sparkle with more than 85 light sculptures, inflatable animals and a holiday-safari themed drone show. Rhapsody in Blue · csphilharmonic.org Pikes Peak Center • 190 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs • Dec. 30 & 31 • 7:30 p.m. Welcome 2026 with a musical portrait of another era: George…
The holiday season is the perfect time to explore the vibrant creative community right here in Colorado Springs. Whether you’re searching for a unique handmade gift, planning a special experience, or simply want to support local makers and artists, our city offers an abundance of treasures waiting to be discovered. From artisan workshops to cozy boutiques, these locally-owned businesses combine quality craftsmanship with personal service that the big-box stores simply can’t match. Each shop tells its own story and reflects the passion of the entrepreneurs who’ve made Colorado Springs their home. Local Creative Shops & Experiences Bemis School of Art…
Holiday Shopping Guide – SoCo Insider Pet lovers on your shopping list are sure to love a portrait of their furry or feathered friend. Pet Portraits & Custom Art Willow Creek Pet Portraits Alicia Rohlfing, owner of Willow Creek Pet Portraits (willowcreekportraits.com), learned her craft through mentorships, workshops and education through the Professional Photographers of America. Perhaps more importantly, she’s a lifelong animal lover. Her portraits bring out the personality of her subjects. Rohlfing offers some tips for potential clients. “Don’t get frustrated when your pet isn’t ‘performing’ or behaving. They can sense it, and the tension can make the…
Angela Hartshorn is a witch. No, really. She dresses in black, whips up herbal remedies and often wears a pointed hat she made herself. And, of course, she has a black cat — as any self-respecting witch should.But she doesn’t wave a wand or wiggle her nose like Samantha on “Bewitched” to make magical things. Hartshorn works hard on her creations, which she sells on Etsy, her website (hartandhornstore.com) and from her shop, Hart & Horn, in the Manitou Art Center. She’s had a studio at the MAC for about 14 years. There, she’s created imaginative products including hair clips shaped…