In this episode, hosts Carly and Lauren dish on the absolute best summer concert series around town. From the laid-back vibes of Meadowgrass to magical evenings at Hillside Gardens to the neighborhood charm of Porchfest, and everything in between.

Plus, you’ll hear all about the local bands they’re fangirling over, the family-friendly setups, and the one dish on our favorite new menu that we can't get enough of.

Whether you're a jazz snob, a pop princess, or just here for the food trucks and sound baths, this episode is your cheat sheet for a perfect summer of music in Colorado Springs. 

Bring a picnic blanket, crank up the nostalgia, and press play.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• MeadowGrass
• Banning Lewis Ranch concert series
• Hillside Gardens concert series
• Jazz in the Garden
• Musical Mondays at Monument Valley Park
• First & Main concert series
• Old Colorado City Music In The Park
• SofaKillers
• The Martini Shot
• Porchfest
• Hey Neighbor
• Hinterland
• BottleRock

PICKS OF THE WEEK

• Carly's Picks: Homa's menu and yurt at Shuga's
• Lauren's Picks: The Homestead Collective and Springs Bagel Company

WE LOVE OUR SPONSOR

Core Collective
Use the code SPRINGSANDTHINGS to get 3 classes for $30. Head to their website to get this offer!

Why Wait Stories

Preserve your legacy with award-winning filmmakers who turn memories into powerful, cinematic stories. From family tributes to business milestones, your story deserves to be told beautifully.

You don’t have to know Monet from macaroni art to fall in love with the art scene blooming in Colorado Springs. In this episode, we explore the city's evolving art scene with Ikebana sensei Heidi Almosara, of Yanagi Botanic Arts, whose botanical creations are as meditative as they are beautiful. 

Whether you're deep in the local gallery scene or just wondering what "Ikebana" even means, you’ll find something to love in this conversation about community, creativity, and why now’s the perfect time to dive into the arts in the Springs.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• The Lookup Gallery
• Yobel
• Surface Gallery
• The Sluice
• Bemis School of Art
• Story Coffee
• Auric Gallery

PICKS OF THE WEEK

• Carly's pick: Idyll Manor and Toodles Tearoom
• Lauren's pick: Mausam 

WE LOVE OUR SPONSOR

Core Collective
Use the code SPRINGSANDTHINGS to get 3 classes for $30. Head to their website to get this offer!

Colorado Springs is changing—and in all the best ways. In this episode, we chat with community powerhouse, Lauren Ripko of Studio Q Events, about the people, places, and passion projects making the Springs cooler than ever. From alley dance parties to city-shaping events, she’s helping build a more connected, creative Colorado Springs—and we’re here for it.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

- Taste of Pikes Peak
- Meanwhile Block
- Kinship Landing
- Fiddles, Vittles, & Vino
- Old Colorado City Christkindlmarket
- White Pie
- Youth Documentary Academy
- Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival
- Loyal Coffee
- Story Coffee
- Book: Your Brain On Art
- Shuga's
- Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
- United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum
- Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum
- Masala Mingle

PICKS OF THE WEEK

- Lauren's Pick: The Homestead Collective
- Carly's Pick: Goodie Bag App

WE LOVE OUR SPONSORS

U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor
Use promo code GOLF by 5/31 to save some bucks - just for S&T listeners.  ;)

Core Collective
Use the code SPRINGSANDTHINGS to get 3 classes for $30. Head to their website to get this offer!

Colorado Springs: where the air is thin, the vibes are high, and the golf balls fly farther!

In this tribute to golf in the Springs, we're teeing up trivia, local history, and an unforgettable interview with 2025 U.S. Senior Open Championship Manager, Keri Hardin. Whether you're a hardcore golfer or just crush it at mini golf, you’ll love the behind-the-scenes scoop on why this isn’t just any tournament coming to The Broadmoor—it’s golf’s toughest test on one of the most scenic courses in America.

Keri spills championship secrets you won’t hear anywhere else—from players traveling with their own mattresses (seriously!) to altitude training tips, family-friendly fun, unexpected course quirks, and even a bear mitigation plan.

Golf fan or not, this episode is your all-access pass to one of the biggest events hitting Colorado Springs this summer. Promo codes? Wild rituals? Food trucks? We've got it all.

Don't forget to stay until the end of the episode to get a promo code for the event!!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

- Patty Jewett
- Broadmoor Golf Course
- Top Golf
- X-Golf
- Tribe Golf
- Drive, Chip, and Put Experience
- The Sports Corp

PICKS OF THE WEEK

- Meraki Springs
- The Loft

WE LOVE OUR SPONSOR

Core Collective

These pilates classes are designed to help you build strength and flexibility, improve your posture and mental health, and reduce stress.
If you use the code SPRINGSANDTHINGS, you can get 3 classes for $30. Head to their website to get this offer!

Who says fun has to cost a fortune? We’re flipping the script and diving into free and low-cost gems Colorado Springs has to offer. 

From donation-based yoga to hidden waterfalls, from free summer camps to secret museum passes, we’ve got you covered—without spending a dime (or at least very few of them).

And hey, we’re kicking off our own no-spend challenge—so join us! Share your favorite free finds and let’s make this the season of doing more with less.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

- Film In The Community by Rocky Mountain Women's Film
- Concrete Couch (Citizen Science, Fab Lab, free summer camps, etc)
- Seven's Gate Free Yoga
- Paint Mines Interpretive Park
- Bear Creek Nature Center
- Starsmore Visitor and Nature Center
- DCPA Access
- Final dress rehearsal at Fine Arts Center
- Pikes Peak Culture Pass
- Geocaching
- Helen Hunt Falls
- Pikes Peak Library District activities and events

PICKS OF THE WEEK

- Kidpower Colorado Springs
- Yobel
- The Look Up Gallery

WE LOVE OUR SPONSOR

Core Collective

These pilates classes are designed to help you build strength and flexibility, improve your posture and mental health, and reduce stress.
If you use the code SPRINGSANDTHINGS, you can get 3 classes for $30. Head to their website to get this offer!

If your house is screaming chaos but your soul is craving calm, this episode is your spring cleaning spirit guide.

We’re chatting with Colorado Springs’ own organizing wizard, Jen Campo, of The Simple Sort, about how clearing the clutter can clear your head. From laundry chairs that became permanent furniture to junk drawers that have their own zip code, we cover it all—without judgment. 

Get ready to ditch the mess, reclaim your time, and maybe even breathe a little easier in your own home. This episode is like a deep exhale for your life…

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Kinship Landing
• Homa Cafe and Bar
• Frankly Coffee
• The Exchange
• OCC Brewing

PICKS OF THE WEEK

• UpaDowna Headlamp Hikes
• Dog Days At The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

WE LOVE OUR SPONSOR

Core Collective
These pilates classes are designed to help you build strength and flexibility, improve your posture and mental health, and reduce stress.
If you use the code SPRINGSANDTHINGS, you can get 3 classes for $30. Head to their website to get this offer!

Have you ever wondered about the hidden stories that make Colorado Springs so unique? Whether you're a die-hard history buff or someone who thinks museums aren't quite your scene, this episode is about to change your perspective.

We sat down with Leah Davis Witherow, the Curator of History at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, and uncovered some of the most fascinating, quirky, and surprising moments from Colorado Springs' past. From the untold tales of the people who shaped this city to the secrets tucked away in everyday landmarks, this conversation is an absolute must-listen.

We got into the must-know things about the city's past, including:

• The juiciest thing the museum walls would discuss if they could talk
• The weirdest law in Colorado Springs history
• The biggest historical Colorado Springs myth debunked
• The craziest artifact the museum has
• Where in Colorado Springs to look for dinosaur footprints (probably not where you think)
• A fierce woman from the city's past who deserves more recognition
• The three people from Colorado Springs's past Leah would invite to a dinner party
• The real reason Colorado Springs used to be a "dry" town
• The "it" spot in Colorado Springs 100 years ago
• The intent behind 50% of the Story

Plus so much more. So, be sure to tune in!

MISC MENTIONS IN THIS EPISODE

• Red Rock Canyon Open Space
• The Broadmoor
• Tokki

PICKS OF THE WEEK

• Colorado Springs Monopoly
• Odds and Ends Emporium Puzzle Club Membership

AWESOME SPONSOR ALERT

We are thrilled to have Core Collective as our very first sponsor!! Pilates is a great way to improve your physical and mental health. Their classes are designed to help you build strength and flexibility, improve your posture and mental health, and reduce stress. On top of that, they're offering one heck of a deal!

If you use the code SPRINGSANDTHINGS, you can get 3 classes for $30 now through the end of 2024! Head to corecollectiveCOS.com to get this offer!

We thought we were starting a podcast about hidden gems and quirky local lore…

Turns out, the real treasure of Colorado Springs? The people.

In this episode, we sit down with Nicole Nicoletta — executive director of Rocky Mountain Women’s Film, former mayor of Manitou Springs, and one of those people who just makes the city better by being in it.

We talk about powerful storytelling, the kind of films that actually change the way you see the world, and the way RMWF builds community through conversation, popcorn, and sometimes tears.

If you’ve ever wanted to meet the heart behind one of the most impactful organizations in town — or if you just need a sign to finally go to Shorts Night — this is it.

Pop some coconut oil popcorn and press play. This one’s special.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

- Concrete Couch
- Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival
- Film Club
- Film In The Community
- The Mining Exchange

FILMS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE

- Mama Bears
- The Lunch Date
- I Am Ready, Warden
- Hear and Now
- T-Rex

PICKS OF THE WEEK

Lauren's Pick:
- Spring Fling at Eve's Revolution on April 5

Carly's Pick:
- Rocky Mountain Women's Film Pop Up Cinema at Ivywild is showing Blink on April 1
- Bristol's Prohibition Party on April 5

WE LOVE OUR SPONSOR

Core Collective
These pilates classes are designed to help you build strength and flexibility, improve your posture and mental health, and reduce stress.
If you use the code SPRINGSANDTHINGS, you can get 3 classes for $30. Head to their website to get this offer!

Brunch lovers, this one’s for you!

Carly and Lauren are joined by Colorado Springs foodie and brunch expert Meagan Thomas, aka Springs Native, for a mouthwatering deep dive into the best breakfast spots around town. From buffet strategy at the Broadmoor to hidden gems, hangover cures, and one brunch horror story you won’t believe (seriously… gross!), it’s all served with a side of laughs and local love.

Grab your mimosa and tune in! If you love brunch as much as we do (or just want the inside scoop on the best local eats), this one’s for you. Warning: you will be hungry by the end.

OUR REAL THOUGHTS ON THE FOLLOWING BRUNCH SPOTS

• The Broadmoor Brunch
• Urban Egg (details about Urban Underground)
• Garden of the Gods Market and Cafe (Garden of the Gods Gourmet)
• Patty Jewett Bar and Grill
• Caddie's
• 503W
• Odyssey Gastropub
• Jax Fish House and Oyster Bar
• The French Kitchen Crepe Thursday
• Dad's Donuts
• La Concha
• Mountain Shadows Restaurant
• Switchback Hillside
• Provision Bakery
• Alfonso's
• King's Chef
• Monica's Taco Shop
• La Casita
• Tacos El Amigo
• Story Coffee
• Dos Dos
• Mojoes Cafe

PICKS OF THE WEEK

• Lauren's Pick: Mad Hatter Saturday
• Carly's Pick: 21st Annual Pikes Peak Herb Fest

WE LOVE OUR SPONSOR

Core Collective
These pilates classes are designed to help you build strength and flexibility, improve your posture and mental health, and reduce stress.
If you use the code SPRINGSANDTHINGS, you can get 3 classes for $30. Head to their website to get this offer!

We’re diving into one of the most unique places in Colorado Springs—Concrete Couch! Join us as we chat with Thomas Pantoja about the vibrant art, hands-on programs, and unexpected treasures (ferrets included!) at Concrete Coyote.

Plus, we’ll share our latest food finds, a can't-miss event for chocolate lovers, and the one hidden hiking trail you probably shouldn’t tell anyone about. 

Subscribe now and get ready to explore the heart and soul of the Springs!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Jake and Telly's Market (same parking lot as the restaurant)
• Eleven18
• Night Ramen

PICKS OF THE WEEK

• Lauren's pick: Marie Antoinette at The Ent Center for the Arts at UCCS
• Carly's pick: Kidpower's Chocoholic Frolic

WE LOVE OUR SPONSOR

Core Collective

These pilates classes are designed to help you build strength and flexibility, improve your posture and mental health, and reduce stress.
If you use the code SPRINGSANDTHINGS, you can get 3 classes for $30. Head to their website to get this offer!