The August back-to-school countdown is real — D11 starts Wednesday, August 12, and D20 follows the week after. That makes this weekend a natural bookend to summer: one of the last fully free weekends before the school-year schedule takes over. Whether you are looking to go big or keep it low-key, Colorado Springs has options for families across the price range.

Here is the full list of things to do with kids in Colorado Springs this weekend, plus our picks below.

2. Mountain Arts Festival — Woodland Park, August 8–9

Just 18 miles west of Colorado Springs in Woodland Park, the Mountain Arts Festival runs Saturday and Sunday with more than 70 artists displaying a range of work. For families, the outdoor art festival format — browsable, relaxed, in a mountain setting — makes for a pleasant weekend outing. Older children who are drawn to visual art tend to engage well with this kind of event.

When: Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9. Confirm hours with organizers before visiting.
Where: Woodland Park (approximately 18 miles from central Colorado Springs).
Cost: Confirm with event organizers.
Good for: Families with children 5 and older.

3. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Dog Days — Friday, August 7

If your family has a dog, Friday evening at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is a rare opportunity: the zoo opens its gates to leashed, vaccinated dogs during Dog Days. Regular admission applies, but the combination of animals and the excitement of bringing a family dog to see other animals is genuinely fun, particularly for school-age children. Arrive prepared with a leash, vaccination records, and a water bottle for the dog.

When: Friday, August 7. Confirm specific hours at cmzoo.org.
Where: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs.
Cost: Regular zoo admission. Dogs must be leashed and vaccinated.
Good for: Dog-owning families with children of all ages.

4. Downtown Acacia Park Farmers Market — Sunday, August 9

The downtown Sunday Farmers Market at Acacia Park runs every Sunday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM through October 25. It is free to browse, centrally located, and typically features a mix of local produce, food vendors, and artisan goods. Sunday morning market visits are a low-stress way to spend a couple of hours before the rest of the day fills up — and a good way to pick up fresh produce for the week ahead as the school year begins.

When: Sunday, August 9, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Where: Acacia Park, Downtown Colorado Springs.
Cost: Free to browse.
Good for: All ages.

5. Pikes Peak Library District — End-of-Summer Programs

The Pikes Peak Library District branches across Colorado Springs offer free programs through the end of summer, including story times, reading celebrations, and family activities. With school starting in the next 10 days for most COS districts, this weekend is a good time to visit your branch, return any summer reading books, and check what fall programming is starting up. The library is reliably air-conditioned and reliably free.

When: Varies by branch. Check ppld.org for your nearest branch hours and current programs.
Where: Multiple PPLD branches across Colorado Springs.
Cost: Free.
Good for: All ages.

What's Next

Next week in Colorado Springs: D11 first day of school is Wednesday, August 12, with free Edukit supply kits delivered to 14,000+ K-8 students. D20 starts August 17-18. The Pioneer Rodeo runs August 14-16 at Norris Penrose — a strong family activity for the following weekend.

Find free things to do this weekend in Colorado Springs and everything happening this weekend at Springs Daily.