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🏔️ Coffins, Pumpkins & a Zoo Full of Costumes

Good morning, Colorado Springs. 👋

Welcome to the very first COS Scoop: a free Thursday email with the best things to do, eat, walk and ride around the Springs. No news dumps, no politics. Just the good stuff, scooped up so you can spend your weekend doing instead of scrolling.

Fall is showing off right now, and Halloween season around here has a distinctly Colorado flavor. (Where else do people race coffins down a mountain-town main street?)

Onto this week's Scoop:

• ⚰️ Big Saturday: coffin races in Manitou + pumpkins in Old Colorado City
• 🎃 Patch season: two pumpkin farms worth the drive before Oct. 31
• 🦒 Trick-or-treat with giraffes: Boo at the Zoo
• 🍂 One easy fall walk that never gets old

Let's get into it.
— The COS Scoop crew

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⚰️ This Weekend's Big One

Emma Crawford Coffin Races & Festival: Manitou Springs

🗓️ Saturday, Oct. 24 · Fan Zone opens 10 a.m. (700 block) · Parade at noon · Races follow (approx. 1–2 p.m.) · After-party entertainment 2–5 p.m.
➜ View details

Costumed teams race homemade coffins down the 900 block of Manitou Avenue. It's the 32nd year of a tradition the Manitou Springs Chamber started in 1995, and it pulls 10,000+ spectators. The backstory is pure Colorado: Emma Crawford came to Manitou in 1889 for the mineral springs and asked to be buried atop Red Mountain. After she died in 1891, her sweetheart and eleven townspeople carried her coffin up the 7,200-foot slope.
Pro tip: Parking in Manitou gets tight fast. Use the event's free shuttles and check the road-closure map before you go.

Pumpkins in the Park: Old Colorado City

🗓️ Saturday, Oct. 24 · Noon–6 p.m. · West Colorado Avenue
➜ View details

Old Colorado City goes full harvest-festival: a pumpkin patch, pumpkin painting, face painters, fall crafts and the whimsical "Spooky Magic Town." Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's ZOOmobile is coming too, with an afternoon of up-close animal encounters. It's an easy pair with the coffin races: Manitou in the morning, Old Colorado City in the afternoon.

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🎃 Pumpkin Patch Season (Last Call: Oct. 31)

Venetucci Farm Pumpkin Fest: South of Colorado Springs

🗓️ Weekends through Oct. 31 · Fridays 9:30 a.m.–2 p.m. · Saturdays & Sundays 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. · 5210 S. U.S. Hwy. 85
➜ View details

A generations-old Springs tradition. General admission is $8 (ages 3 and up) and covers the hayride, hay pyramid, storybook barn, artisan market (Sat/Sun), food trucks and farm shop. Each weekend has a theme: Oct. 24–25 is Witches & Wizards (dress up!), and Oct. 30–31 is the Costume Party & Pup-kin Fest, the only weekend dogs are welcome on the farm.
Pro tip: Bring your own wagon or backpack for hauling pumpkins. Their wagons are limited.

Long Neck Pumpkin Farm: Northeast Colorado Springs

🗓️ Fridays–Sundays through Oct. 31 · Fri & Sat noon–5 p.m. · Sun 11 a.m.–5 p.m. · 7595 California Dr.
➜ View details

A family-run farm with hayrides, a hay slide, duck races, farm animals, tractor swings and plenty of photo spots, spread across the Pumpkin Yard, Cottonwood Grove, the Meadow and a farmers market. Tickets must be reserved ahead of time and cover all activities and parking (kids under 24 months are free).

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🦒 Costumes On

Boo at the Zoo: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

🗓️ Oct. 23, 24, 25, 30 & 31 · 4–8:30 p.m. · 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Rd.
➜ View details

Trick-or-treat at 25+ treat stations on the side of a mountain. Many stations hand out non-food items, so kids with allergies can join in. Advance timed tickets are required (no walk-ups, and zoo members need Boo tickets too). Ride the Sky Ride for $3 a person if you're in line by 7:30 p.m.

Air Force vs. UConn: Falcon Stadium

🗓️ Saturday, Oct. 31 · 1 p.m. MT · USAFA
➜ View schedule

Halloween football at the Academy. Wear a costume to the tailgate and you'll fit right in.

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🍂 One Easy Fall Walk

Perkins Central Garden Trail: Garden of the Gods

📍 1805 N. 30th St. · Free · Park open 5 a.m.–10 p.m. through Oct. 31, then 5 a.m.–9 p.m. starting Nov. 1
➜ Trail info

A paved, easy 1.5-mile round trip with less than a 30-foot rise, right at the base of the park's tallest red-rock formations. Stroller- and grandparent-friendly, and gorgeous at golden hour when the rocks glow. Want a guide? There's a daily 10:30 a.m. nature walk from the Visitor & Nature Center ($5, reservations required).

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👀 On Our Radar

Día de Muertos at the Fine Arts Center: Sun., Nov. 1 (12:30–4:30 p.m.) & Mon., Nov. 2 (4–8 p.m.) · 30 W. Dale St. · Free and open to the public. ➜ Details

In Their Honor Veterans Day Parade: Sat., Nov. 7 · 11 a.m. · Marching south on Tejon Street from St. Vrain to Vermijo. ➜ Details

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🍦 SCOOP Hub

🌶️ Next week: The Green Chile & Breakfast Burrito Issue
🚲 Coming soon: Easy Walks + Bike Trails Before the Snow
📣 Advertise with COS Scoop
📬 Know an event we should feature? Just hit reply.

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📬 Before You Go

That's our first Scoop. Thanks for being here from day one. 🙌 If this made your weekend plans easier, forward it to one friend who's always asking "what is there to do around here?"

However you spend it, coffin-side, pumpkin-hunting or on the trail, we hope it's a great one.

Until next Thursday,
— The COS Scoop crew

Springs Resources
🏛️ Garden of the Gods hours & trails · 🦁 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo events · 🏈 Air Force football schedule