Free Family Events in Colorado Springs This Week and Through October: Fossil Day, Costume Exchange, and More
October in Colorado Springs delivers a strong lineup of family events — and a good number of them are free. This week brings two worth getting on your calendar right now: the Halloween Costume Exchange on Thursday and National Fossil Day at Garden of the Gods on Friday. Looking ahead, the last week of October fills out with the Jack-o-Lantern Trail at Palmer Park and the Garden of the Gods Trunk-or-Treat, both of which draw large crowds and are worth planning for ahead of time.
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Halloween Costume Exchange — Thursday, October 9 (Free)
If your kids have outgrown last year's costumes, the Halloween Costume Exchange is worth a stop on Thursday, October 9. Bring a gently used costume, take one home. It's a simple concept and a good way to refresh before trick-or-treat season without spending full price on something that'll be worn twice.
National Fossil Day at Garden of the Gods — Friday, October 10 (Free)
National Fossil Day is October 10, and Garden of the Gods is one of the better places in Colorado to mark it. The park's sandstone formations contain visible fossil impressions, and the programming on Fossil Day brings paleontology educators and interactive displays for families. If your kids have been curious about how the red rocks formed or what lived in this region millions of years ago, this is the day to go. It's free, and the park itself is always worth the trip in October when the light hits the rocks in the early morning or late afternoon.
Cool Science Festival — Through October 18 (Free)
The Cool Science Festival is running through October 18 at venues across Colorado Springs. Programming varies by day and location — check coolsciencefestival.org for the current schedule. This is one of the longer-running free family events in COS and covers topics from chemistry to astronomy to robotics. Kids who like hands-on experiments tend to find something to hold their attention.
Late October Events
Jack-o-Lantern Trail at Palmer Park — October 24 ($5/Person)
The Jack-o-Lantern Trail at Palmer Park is one of the few paid events on this list, and it's worth it. Hundreds of carved jack-o-lanterns line a trail through the park after dark, making for a visually striking walk that holds up for both younger kids and adults. At $5 per person, it's still one of the more affordable ticketed options in the October COS calendar. Palmer Park is on the northeast side of Colorado Springs near Austin Bluffs, and parking fills quickly on weekends.
Garden of the Gods Trunk-or-Treat — October 25 (Free)
The Garden of the Gods Trunk-or-Treat on October 25 offers one of the most dramatic backdrops of any Halloween event in Colorado Springs — costumed cars and treats against the red rock formations. It's free, which makes it a popular event; arriving earlier rather than later tends to mean shorter lines. Check gardenofgods.com for the specific start time and any parking guidance as the date approaches.
Miner's Pumpkin Patch — Saturdays Through October
Miner's Pumpkin Patch is open Saturdays through the end of October for a classic fall outing. Pumpkin patches in the Colorado Springs area tend to have shorter windows than families expect, so checking their current-week hours before heading out is a good habit.
Quick Reference: October Family Events
| Date | Event | Location | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 9 (Thu) | Halloween Costume Exchange | Colorado Springs | Free |
| Oct 10 (Fri) | National Fossil Day | Garden of the Gods | Free |
| Through Oct 18 | Cool Science Festival | Multiple COS venues | Free |
| Oct 22 (Thu) | Little Learners Monster Mash | Colorado Springs | Varies |
| Oct 24 (Sat) | Jack-o-Lantern Trail | Palmer Park | $5/person |
| Oct 25 (Sun) | Trunk-or-Treat | Garden of the Gods | Free |
| Saturdays | Miner's Pumpkin Patch | Colorado Springs | Varies |
What's Next
Check individual event websites for start times and any registration requirements before heading out — particularly for the Jack-o-Lantern Trail and Trunk-or-Treat, which can sell out or hit capacity. Fossil Day programming at Garden of the Gods typically runs from late morning through early afternoon on October 10. For a full picture of COS Halloween events, see yesterday's COS Parenting Halloween guide, which covered Pumpkins in the Park, Boo at the Bridge, Boo at the Zoo, and Halloween History Detectives at the Pioneers Museum.
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