Family Events in Colorado Springs This Week: August 16-23, 2026

D20 starts tomorrow. The summer schedule is officially giving way to the school year. But Colorado Springs has a full week of family activities before fall routines take over — and most of them are free or low-cost.

Here is what is worth knowing about this week.

Today — Sunday, August 16

Garden of the Gods Nature Scavenger Program

The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center hosts a nature detective program this morning at 11 AM. Children learn to identify animal tracks, scat, and other wildlife signs left by the animals that live in the park. Best suited for ages 8 and up. Admission to Garden of the Gods is always free. The visitor center is located at 1805 N. 30th St., Colorado Springs.

Wednesday, August 19

Free Concert at Bancroft Park, Old Colorado City

Old Colorado City's free outdoor concert series continues Wednesday evening at Bancroft Park, 6 PM. The historic west side neighborhood offers a walkable area with coffee shops and dining nearby. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs. Bancroft Park is located at 2409 W. Colorado Ave.

Saturday, August 22

Olympic City USA Food Tour and Museum Experience

A guided food and history tour through downtown Colorado Springs, ending with a museum experience at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame. The tour departs at 10 AM from downtown. Check visitcos.com for ticket availability and current pricing — tours fill up during peak season.

Ongoing Through August

CMZoo Tails, Tunes and Tastes

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's evening summer series continues through the end of August, pairing zoo access with live music and food vendors. It is one of the more unique family outing options in Colorado Springs — checking the CMZoo schedule at cmzoo.org will show the remaining dates and times for August.

Looking Ahead: Monday, August 24

CMZoo Little Paws Preschool Opens

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo opens its inaugural class of Little Paws Preschool — a state-accredited nature-based outdoor preschool for ages 3-5 — on Monday, August 24. Registration is still open. See our full story for enrollment details and tuition information.

What's Next

After August 24, the COS events calendar shifts fully into fall programming — school sports, fall farmers markets, and the start of harvest season activities across the Pikes Peak region. COS Parenting will have the weekly family events roundup ready every Sunday. If you know of an upcoming event families in Colorado Springs should hear about, share it in the comments.