The long weekend in the Tri-Lakes runs on farmers markets, one festival on the grass at Limbach Park, and an unusual number of things happening within a short drive. Here is every event the Independent could confirm from Thursday night’s football through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7 — local first, the rest of the region after — with addresses, hours and links.
MONUMENT — Monument does not stage a Labor Day event of its own. The town’s calendar for the weekend carries one entry, “Town Hall Closed – Labor Day,” and Palmer Lake’s says the same of its offices. What the Tri-Lakes has instead is a full set of regular Saturday and Sunday fixtures, a ten-year-old music festival that happens to land on the holiday weekend, and, in Colorado Springs, a 50th-anniversary balloon festival, a 52nd-annual art festival and the last four days of the state fair.
Thursday, Sept. 3
Lewis-Palmer football hosts Pueblo East. The Rangers’ first home game of the season opens the long weekend a day early, at Don Breese Stadium. The school’s athletics site lists a 6 p.m. kickoff.
When: 6 p.m. · Where: Don Breese Stadium, Lewis-Palmer High School, 1300 Higby Road, Monument · Schedule: Lewis-Palmer Rangers Athletics
Friday, Sept. 4
Palmer Ridge football hosts Mesa Ridge. The Bears’ home game is the only Tri-Lakes event on the calendar for Friday night.
When: 7 p.m. · Where: Palmer Ridge High School, 19255 Monument Hill Road, Monument · Schedule: MaxPreps
Farther afield. The Colorado State Fair in Pueblo is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday (details under Monday, its last day).
Saturday, Sept. 5
The Hometown Market in Monument. The downtown farmers market, which its organizers describe as averaging more than 65 vendors, runs every Saturday through Oct. 3.
When: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. · Where: 66 Jefferson Street, Monument · Info: themonumentmarket.com
Black Forest Farmers Market. A producer-only market of more than 70 vendors at the corner of Shoup and Black Forest roads, with live music and a kids’ corner; the season runs Saturdays through Oct. 17. SNAP and Colorado Produce Bonus are accepted.
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. · Where: 6845 Shoup Road, Black Forest · Info: thebackyardmarkets.com
Tween tabletop role-playing games, Monument Library. A Dungeons & Dragons-style session for ages 9 to 12 in the library’s meeting room. No experience required; registration is.
When: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. · Where: Monument Library, 1706 Lake Woodmoor Drive, Monument · Register: ppld.librarymarket.com or (719) 531-6333, ext. 7005
Lions bingo. The Tri-Lakes Lions Club staffs a Saturday-morning session at the Colorado Lions’ bingo hall in Colorado Springs; the club says bingo profits fund the Colorado Lions Camp and are shared among the clubs that work the sessions.
When: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. · Where: Carefree Bingo, 3440 Carefree Circle North, Colorado Springs · Info: trilakeslionsclub.org
Farther afield, Saturday
Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off. The balloon festival at Memorial Park marks what its organizers call its 50th year with a mass ascension each morning, a balloon glow on Saturday and Sunday evenings, drone shows morning and night, and fireworks on Saturday only. The organizers put the fleet at roughly 70 balloons and advise arriving by 6:30 a.m. for the 7 a.m. lift-off. Admission is free; parking passes are sold in advance, and PikeRide runs a free bike valet. No pets, no personal drones, no glass. The schedule page lists the Saturday glow at 7 p.m.; a separate page on the same site says 7:30 — arrive for the earlier one.
When: Park opens 5:15 a.m.; lift-off 7 a.m.; afternoon session from 3:30 p.m.; glow 7 p.m.; drone show 9:30 p.m.; fireworks 9:45 p.m.; park closes 10 p.m. · Where: Memorial Park, 1605 E. Pikes Peak Avenue, Colorado Springs · Cost: Free; parking passes extra · Info: coloradospringslabordayliftoff.com
Commonwheel Artists Labor Day Art Festival, Manitou Springs. The 52nd annual juried festival of fine art and craft, with local musicians, food vendors, a prize drawing and a kids’ art booth, all three days of the weekend. Free parking and a free shuttle run from Fields Park, 114 El Paso Boulevard.
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday · Where: Memorial Park, 502 Manitou Avenue, Manitou Springs · Cost: Free admission · Info: commonwheel.com
Air Force football home opener. The Falcons open the season against Duquesne at Falcon Stadium, an 11 a.m. kickoff streamed on MW+. Air Force has never lost to a Football Championship Subdivision opponent, 29 games without a defeat, all of them at home.
When: 11 a.m. · Where: Falcon Stadium, U.S. Air Force Academy · Tickets and game notes: goairforcefalcons.com
Brantley Gilbert at the Ford Amphitheater. The country act plays the venue whose noise complaints the Independent examined in August. Doors at 6:30, show at 7:30.
When: 7:30 p.m. · Where: Ford Amphitheater, 95 Spectrum Loop, Colorado Springs · Tickets: fordamphitheater.live
Sunday, Sept. 6
Monu-Palooza X. The weekend’s main Tri-Lakes event: eight bands on one stage at Limbach Park, nine hours of music, Tron the Band opening at 11 and WireWood Station closing at 8. The gate opens at 9:30 a.m. Fifteen dollars in advance buys the day, ten for children, twenty-five at the gate, no refunds. Bring a chair and sunscreen. The full set-time table is in the Independent’s preview.
When: Gate 9:30 a.m.; music 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. · Where: Limbach Park, 151 Front Street, Monument · Cost: $15 advance, $10 children, $25 at the gate · Tickets: Eventbrite
Palmer Lake Farmers Market. The Sunday market behind Calvert’s Mini Market, listed on the town’s calendar through September.
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. · Where: Behind Calvert’s Mini Market, 4 Highway 105, Unit C, Palmer Lake · Info: Town of Palmer Lake calendar
Summer Music Series at Goat Patch Brewing, Monument. Roma Ransom plays the beer garden in the taproom’s Sunday series, which the brewery lists through Oct. 4.
When: 2 to 5 p.m. · Where: Goat Patch Brewing Company, 1756 Lake Woodmoor Drive, Monument · Info: goatpatchbrewing.com
Game Time at Mind Quest Puzzles and Games, Palmer Lake. An open afternoon of board games at the Highway 105 shop — bring your own or use theirs, per the listing in Our Community News.
When: 1 to 5 p.m. · Where: 872 Highway 105, Palmer Lake · Info: mindquestpuzzles.com or (719) 623-7494
Farther afield, Sunday
Labor Day Lift Off, day two. Same morning program — park open 5:15, drone show at 6, lift-off at 7, skydivers at 9 — and an evening session from 3:30 p.m. with the second balloon glow at 7 and a drone show at 9:30. No fireworks Sunday. Schedule.
Castle Rock Festival Park Farmers Market. Locally raised meats, eggs, produce and baked goods from dozens of vendors, on the town’s calendar as a featured event.
When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. · Where: Festival Park, 300 Second Street, Castle Rock · Info: Town of Castle Rock calendar
Commonwheel in Manitou Springs (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and the Colorado State Fair (11 a.m. to 11 p.m.) both run Sunday; see Saturday and Monday.
Monday, Sept. 7 — Labor Day
Closed Monday
Palmer Lake town offices: closed, per the town calendar
Monument and Palmer Lake libraries: every Pikes Peak Library District location is closed Monday, including hybrid-access hours, per PPLD
Monument Town Council: with the first Monday a holiday, the regular meeting is on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall, 645 Beacon Lite Road (town calendar)
Mellow Mondays coloring night, Goat Patch Brewing, Monument. The taproom’s weekly coloring evening goes ahead on the holiday.
When: 5 to 8 p.m. · Where: 1756 Lake Woodmoor Drive, Monument · Info: goatpatchbrewing.com
Jigsaw Puzzle Meet-Up and speed-puzzling solos, Mind Quest, Palmer Lake. Two listings from Our Community News: a jigsaw meet-up at midday, and the monthly solo speed-puzzling competition in the evening — two hours to finish a 500-piece puzzle, check-in 5:45, start at 6. Registration for the competition is on the shop’s website.
When: Meet-up 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; solos check-in 5:45 p.m. · Where: 872 Highway 105, Palmer Lake · Info: mindquestpuzzles.com
Farther afield, Monday
Labor Day Lift Off, final morning. Morning session only: park open 5:15 a.m., lift-off at 7, a concert at 8, remote-control balloons at 9, park closed at 10 a.m. No evening program. Schedule.
Labor Day Vintage Base Ball, Rock Ledge Ranch. The ranch’s home team, the Camp Creek Cloud Busters, plays an 1880s-rules match against members of the Vintage Base Ball Association. The historic homes are open from 10 a.m. until first pitch; bring small bills for old-fashioned sodas and a chair for the sideline.
When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; first pitch 1 p.m. · Where: Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site, 3105 Gateway Road, Colorado Springs · Cost: Ticketed; see the ranch’s site · Info: rockledgeranch.com
Colorado State Fair, last day. The fair in Pueblo closes its 11-day run on Labor Day with shortened hours. Gate admission is $15 for adults and $7 for ages 5 to 12; children 4 and under are free with an adult. Walk-up tickets are sold only at Gates 3, 5 and 9, and every gate has walk-through weapon detectors.
When: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday (carnival to 10 p.m.) · Where: Colorado State Fairgrounds, 1001 Beulah Avenue, Pueblo · Cost: $15 adults, $7 ages 5–12 · Info: coloradostatefair.com
Commonwheel’s art festival in Manitou Springs also runs its final day Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The week after
Wednesday, Sept. 9: Monument Comprehensive Plan 2040 open house, noon to 4 p.m., Town Hall · Monument Planning Commission, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 12: Palmer Lake Wine Festival, 1 to 5 p.m., Palmer Lake Recreation Area
All of it: The Independent’s community calendar
Missing something? Events can be submitted to the calendar at monumentindependent.com/submit-event, or emailed to [email protected].
Sources & further reading
The Independent’s own coverage: Eight Bands, Nine Hours: Monu-Palooza Returns to Limbach Park — the set-time table and ticket details for Sunday · At the Ford Amphitheater, the Complaints Track the Wind — background on the venue hosting Saturday’s concert · the community calendar
Tri-Lakes listings: The Hometown Market in Monument · Black Forest Farmers Market · Pikes Peak Library District event record and holiday closures · Tri-Lakes Lions Club · Town of Palmer Lake calendar · Goat Patch Brewing, Monument events · Town of Monument community events · Lewis-Palmer Rangers Athletics football schedule · Palmer Ridge football schedule (MaxPreps) · Our Community News, September 2026, “Our Community Calendar,” pp. 22–23, and the Monument Library column, p. 15
Regional listings: Labor Day Lift Off schedule, FAQ and parking · Commonwheel Artists Co-op festival information and parking and shuttle · Visit Colorado Springs, Labor Day weekend · Air Force Athletics game notes · Ford Amphitheater shows · Rock Ledge Ranch · Colorado State Fair, Plan Your Visit · Town of Castle Rock calendar