Red White and Blue 2019

CSMNG CSMNG COLORADO SPRINGS MILITARY NEWSPAPER GROUP

A directory of military-friendly Colorado Springs businesses with special discounts, terms & offers for the military, their families, Civil Service & Department of Defense employees

COLORADO SPRINGS MILITARY NEWSPAPER GROUP

Published by

CSMNG

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COLORADO SPRINGS MILITARY NEWSPAPER GROUP

A special advertising supplement to the Fort Carson Mountaineer, Peterson Space Observer and Schriever Sentinel

CSMNG CSMNG COLORADO SPRINGS MILITARY NEWSPAPER GROUP

COLORADO SPRINGS MILITARY NEWSPAPER GROUP

CSMNG CSMNG COLORADO SPRINGS MILITARY NEWSPAPER GROUP

COLORADO SPRINGS MILITARY NEWSPAPER GROUP

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A special advertising supplement to the Fort Carson Mountaineer, Peterson Space Observer and Schriever Sentinel

Red White & Blue Book 2019

COLORADO SPRINGS MILITARY NEWSPAPER GROUP

Let Outdoor Rec at Peterson AFB turn your next girl’s day out into an adventure!

Rec at B turn l’s day venture!

Women’s Rock Climbing

July 13 • 8 a.m.-Noon $10 R4R eligible participants/$60 general price Join us at Garden of the Gods on this all-women’s trip for a day of climbing amongst some of the most stunning scenery in Colorado Springs.

CSMNG

Publisher & Executive Editor: Amy G. Sweet Editor: Bryan Grossman

COLORADO SPRINGS MILITARY NEWSPAPER GROUP

Staff Reporters: Helen Robinson - Colorado Springs Business Journal Jeanne Davant - Colorado Springs Business Journal Erinn Callahan - Colorado Springs Business Journal Scott Prater - Ft. Carson Mountaineer Griffin Swartzell - Space Observer Advertising Representatives: Tammy Fogall, Monty Hatch, Kristin DeCocq Art Director: Melissa Edwards Graphic Designer: Zk Bradley

For additional copies, contact Tim Kranz at 719-634-5905

T he entire contents of this publication are copyrighted by Colorado Publishing Company. Reproduction or use of content in any manner is prohibited without prior written consent.

Women’s Day Hike

July 27 • 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m $10 per person Join us for an all-women’s day hike in North Cheyenne Canon.

For advertising information call 719-634‑5905

235 South Nevada Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80903-1246

Women’s Intro to Backpacking

August 9-11 • Contact ODR for prices & times If you are looking to take your camping to the next level and learn how to live solely off of what you carry on your back, this introduction to backpacking trip is for you!

For more information, contact Outdoor Recreation at (719)556-4867.

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21FSS.COM

DOGS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN

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MARK DABLING BLVD.

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LAKE AVE.

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Small play groups, no more than 15 dogs Large play areas, inside and out Boarding from $36 per night, military discount available Daycare open 6:00am to 8:00pm weekdays Free puppy play up to 5 months old on Tuesdays & Thursdays Webcams, so you can watch the fun

2801 Janitell Rd. E 527 -9663

A special advertising supplement to the Fort Carson Mountaineer, Peterson Space Observer and Schriever Sentinel Red White & Blue Book 2019 3 Shutterstock

Colorado Springs ranked third-best place to live

By Jeanne Davant (Colorado Springs Business Journal)

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olorado Springs earned third place in the nation in U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 rankings of the Best Places to Live in America.

The rankings are based on data from the nation’s largest 125 metro areas on cost of living, job market, crime rates and quality of education, among other criteria.

Colorado Springs scored high marks for college preparedness among high school students and a consistently strong job market to place the city near the top of the list.

The only two cities that outranked the Springs were Austin, Tex., at No. 1, and Denver, which placed second. In overall rankings on a scale of 1 to 10, Denver and Colorado Springs tied with a score of 7.4 on the

Best Places to Live index.

“We’re very proud to be in the top three places to live in America for the second straight year,” Mayor John Suthers said. “As Olympic City USA, it’s always good to make the podium, and it’s great to see Colorado dominate the top three.”

Suthers noted that Colorado Springs has ranked in the top five for three of the last four years.

“That’s something to be proud of,” Suthers said.

“There is a lot happening in Colorado Springs, with major catalytic projects underway which will only continue to shine the light on this city. As more people learn about our great city, and as we grow and have even more to offer residents and visitors, I’m certain we’ll remain a top contender for the Best Place to Live.”

The 125 cities were given composite rankings in de-

sirability, value, job market, quality of life and net migration.

Colorado Springs was the only city in the top three to score a 10 in the desirability category, which measures whether or not people want to live in a given metro area. To determine this, the magazine polled approximately 2,500 people across the country to find out in which of the ranked metro areas they would most like to live.

“It’s said that if you build a place where people want to visit, you’ll build a place where people want to live,” Visit Colorado Springs President and CEO Doug Price said. “Once people experience Colorado Springs firsthand, it’s easy to see why they would consider the possibility of calling Olympic City USA their home.”

San Francisco and Portland, Ore., were the only other top 10 cities to receive a 10 in desirability in 2019.

Denver, the No. 2 city, scored 8.8 in the desirability category.

The job market index measures the strength of each metro area’s job market, including unemployment rate and average salary. On the job market measure, the Springs, with a ranking of 6.8, finished second to Denver, with a score of 7.9.

On the value index, which measures housing affordability and the cost of living, the two cities were about on par, with Denver scoring 6.7 and Colorado Springs ranked 6.6.

Colorado Springs and Denver were ranked equally, at 7.0, on the quality of life index, which indicates how satisfied residents are with their daily lives and factors in crime rates, availability of health care, quality of education and commuting time.

Colorado Springs scored lower than Denver on net migration, a measure of whether people are moving into a city. Denver’s score was 7.6, compared with Colorado Springs’ 7.2.

U.S. News & World Report’s Best Places to Live rankings are intended to help readers make informed decisions as to where to settle. The rankings use data from sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Labor, plus the results of the public survey of people across the country who were asked what they believed was the most important thing to consider when making a move.

The full list of 2019 Best Places To Live rankings can be viewed on the U.S. News website.

Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame

Rodeo is truly a sport born in the history of America. It is the heritage of a unique breed of men who brought civilization to the western United States. The American cowboy of the late 1800s gave birth to the original American sport – rodeo. Rodeo is an American legend in action – a spectator sport attended by more people than nearly any other American sports competition.

The ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy was opened in August 1979 as an educational and entertaining museum designed to preserve the legacy of the cowboy contests, the heritage and culture of those original competitions, and the champions of the past, present and future.

It is located in Colorado Springs near the foothills of Pikes Peak, “Americas Mountain”. Adjacent to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, it is the only heritage center in the world devoted to professional rodeo.

At the Hall entry visitors will be greeted by the larger-than-life statue of “The Champ”, the legendary Casey Tibbs aboard the famed saddle bronc, “Necktie”. Tibbs was a nine-time world champion and one of America’s most celebrated cowboys.

Visitors can explore Heritage Hall displaying both historic and modern cowboy gear and clothing. The largest gallery in the Hall of Champions features contestants from each rodeo event. Also included are stock contractors, clowns, announcers, rodeo animals and notables.

Honorees are profiled with photographs, rodeo gear, personal memorabilia and trophies. The outside courtyard features the Hal Littrell Pavilion, honorary bronzes, retired rodeo animals and a full rodeo arena sponsored by Priefert Ranch Equipment.

The museum is open 9am-5pm, 7 days a week May thru August and Wednesday thru Sunday September thru April. For more information please call (719) 528-4764 or visit our website www.ProRodeoHallofFame.com.

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This August, the ProRodeo Hall of Fame will be inducting 12 new members into the Hall of Fame. The class of 2019 includes Commotion, one of the greatest bucking horses of all time; stock contractors Elra Beutler and his son, Jiggs; four-time world champion team roping heeler Allen Bach; two-time world champion steer wrestler Dean Gorsuch; world champion bull rider Doug “Droopy” Brown; world champion bareback rider Larry Peabody; notable Jerome Robinson; the Cody (Wyo.) Stampede Rodeo; contract personnel Tommy Lucia; and three Women’s Professional Rodeo Association inductees – barrel racers Jimmie Munroe and Sammy Thurman Brackenberry and notable Florence Youree.

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A special advertising supplement to the Fort Carson Mountaineer, Peterson Space Observer and Schriever Sentinel

Red White & Blue Book 2019

Support, connections key to a comfortable move

By Scott Prater

W

hile Service members who have recently entered the military face a daunting and unsettling time, their spouses and family members must endure a striking adjustment as well. Even established service members must begin anew when changing duty stations.

During this adjustment period, as service members deploy and spend countless hours training or away from home, their spouses must adapt to new time tables and learn new ways of managing many of the unique challenges of a military lifestyle. Thus, it’s helpful to learn about support resources.

Most if not all, military installations host a family support center, or community service organization, which can provide spouses with a variety of solutions to many of life’s most impactful challenges.

“For a family that may be new to an installation, I highly recommend they take advantage of the installation newcomers or right start orientation during the first month of their arrival,” said Christina Grooms, community support coordinator for the 460th Space Wing at Buckley Air Force Base. “They can sign up at their Army Community Service center or Airman and Family Readiness Center. During orientation, various agencies come together in one location to provide essential information to members and spouses about available services and programs.”

These helping agencies continue to offer support for spouses and families throughout the year.

“The ACS, for example, has experts that can help spouses and transitioning members with career counseling, job searching and resume critiques,” said Grooms. “They also have certified financial counselors that can assist with budgeting, building credit, and home buying.”

There are school liaison officers that can help advocate for military children working with various school districts and the transferability of credits. And, there are Military Family Life Counselors ‘MFLC’s’ that provide short-term, situational problem-solving counseling to members and families. Family Advocacy departments offer parenting classes and new-parent support programs as well.

“You name it, there are a number of available resources to address a wide range of needs.” Grooms said.

While these supporting agencies can help family

Photo By Devin Fisher Remy Apodaca, 3, plays with his mother, Samantha Apodaca, during Toddler Time at Fort Carson’s Family Nurturing Center.

Photo By Scott Prater Andrea Krebsbach, right, accepts a scholarship award from Shelby Lippold, left, Mountain Post Spouses Club president and Nicole Williams, MPSC Scholarship Committee leader, during the club’s May Social at the Elkhorn Conference Center May 17, 2018.

members navigate through administrative and logistical issues, spouses new to the military or new to an installation are often separated from family and friends, which can lead to strong feelings of isolation and loneliness.

“I think Army systems have changed so much over the years,” said Nicole Williams, a 17-year Army spouse and president of the Mountain Post Spouses Club.

“When we first entered the Army, my husband and I knew hardly anyone. The unit Family Readiness Groups (FRGs) were very active then and people plugged in that way. But, in today’s day and age, since social media is so prevalent, I feel like the FRGs have taken a step back.

They still send information out, but they post it up on social media, or in email messages, so there is nowhere near as many phone calls happening.”

Williams explained that it’s simple relevance. If someone can push information faster through social media, why would they need to call a family member and waste their time.

“That works for some people who don’t like to be bothered, but on the other side, I think we lose that personal touch with people,” she said. “Fort Carson, for example, is a wonderful post. There is a lot of training and a lot of deployments and the guys are often not home. So, having someone or somewhere else to connect with is important. If it’s not with one of the FRGs, it could be with a spouse’s club or by volunteering with another agency on post. There are many ways that a spouse can feel plugged in and connected to an area that makes it feel like home.”

While seeking out opportunities to connect with other spouses and family members may be important, those with introverted personalities may have a more difficult time taking the initiative.

“Some people laugh at me, but I check out and join all of those military-wives social media pages, Williams said. “Some may include a bit of gossip and what not, but when I see a spouse posting things, like ‘I’ve been in Colorado for three months now, my husband is away, I’m all alone and have two kids,’ my heart breaks.”

Williams typically responds to those types of messages by encouraging the poster to join their local spouses club, and sends along a link to that organization’s website.

“The idea is to get out and meet people,” she said.

“That’s always easier when you’re doing something, like

attending an event or an activity. The spouses clubs and some FRGs often contain smaller clubs within the bigger organization that focus on specific activities as well, like hiking or reading, for example. It’s easier to find others who share your interests that way.”

While adjusting to new surroundings may be uncomfortable, especially at first, spouses and family members can integrate into their new home by seeking knowledge and opportunities for interaction even prior to departing from their current home.

“The best military relocation website available is https://installations.militaryonesource.mil/, said Grooms. “This website is maintained and updated quarterly to reflect current installation information.

Every installation in the world is found on this website and everything you need to know from in-processing procedures to installation history, from directions to transportation and more can be found there. Most importantly, flexibility is the key with any move, as much as you plan and prepare for adjusting to a new location something unexpected always seems to happen. Know that you are not alone. The majority of military families have been through at least one move and they understand the stress that can come with it. Colorado is an amazing place to work and an even better place to live, make the most every minute.”

Photo By Devin Fisher Hanna Comer, 2, and her mother, Lisa Comer, spend some mommydaughter together at Fort Carson’s Family Nurturing Center.

A special advertising supplement to the Fort Carson Mountaineer, Peterson Space Observer and Schriever Sentinel Red White & Blue Book 2019 5

The Pikes Peak region offers families a wide range of events

By Griffin Swartzell, Space Observer public affairs

H

ow does one round up the family for a little time out of doors? The Pikes Peak region is rich with natural splendor, but “let’s go hiking” isn’t always an easy sell if there are kids involved. Besides, it’s nice to have something special on the schedule. Below, we’ve compiled a list of events in Colorado Springs and the surrounding area that should help families plan a summer full of adventures.

Top of the World Rodeo

June 8th & 9th

501 West Golden Teller County Road 1, Cripple Creek, visitcripplecreek.com Enjoy the highest altitude rodeo in the world, featuring two days of events. Start off with a pancake breakfast before Saturday’s rodeo parade or mutton busting events both days. Rodeo events, sanctioned by the Colorado Professional Rodeo Association, begin in the early afternoon. The event offers half-price tickets for military and veterans, and Sunday, June 9 has been declared military appreciation day at the event.

Ent is your financial home away from home

Photo By Lexi Christopher

June 15th

to Aug. 4th

Colorado Renaissance Festival

650 W. Perry Park Ave., Larkspur, coloradorenaissance.com Now in its 43rd year, the Renaissance Festival invites families to dress up in oldtimey gear and enjoy a variety of food, specialty and period goods, and entertainment. Follow the lords and ladies to catch up on the drama of the day, or dig into a turkey leg and enjoy the many performances scheduled throughout the event. The day culminates in a dramatic joust between a good knight and an evil knight. Go online for a list with each weekend’s theme.

Starlight Spectacular

June 15th

Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center, 1805 N. 30th St., trailsandopenspaces.org Celebrate 25 years of wild style with costuming and decorated bicycles on this nighttime community bike ride. Enjoy Colorado Springs by starlight on established routes stretching 16, 21 or 23 miles, or bring the kids along on an earlier 4-mile ride. Each route has rest stops with food and activities. Plus, it’s a charity event, so proceeds support the sponsoring Trails and Open Space Coalition, which works to preserve the Pikes Peak region’s trails, parks and open spaces.

Donkey Derby Days

June 21st & 23rd

Bennett Avenue, Cripple Creek, visitcripplecreek.com This three-day festival, now in its 88th year, centers around a series of donkey races, meant to pay homage to the town’s resident donkey herd. But the whole weekend’s packed with events and entertainment. The event starts Friday evening with food vendors, followed by an evening performance of a melodrama with olio.

Saturday and Sunday kick off with community pancake breakfasts. Check online for a full list of events, including parades, live music, a parade and more.

Pikes Peak Airstrip Attack

June 22nd & 23rd

Colorado Springs Airport, 7770 Milton E Proby Parkway, pikespeakairstripattack.com A trap speed competition is when drivers compete to see whose car has the highest speed at the end of the track. Pikes Peak Airstrip Attack features stock and modified street cars doing side-by-side trap speed races down a half-mile course, with many participants breaking 200 miles per hour. Great for fans of fast cars, loud noises and exotic automobiles.

We’ve combined the comfort of local banking with the convenience of nationwide access. s Local and base service centers s CO-OP ATM locations nationwide s Deployment and PCS checklists s VA mortgages and personal loans s Financial education resources Open your account online or stop by one of our base service centers: Buckley AFB 365 N. Telluride Street, Aurora Peterson AFB 490 Otis Street, Building 1345, Colorado Springs Schriever AFB 101 Falcon Parkway, Colorado Springs

Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and Fan Fest

June 28th & 30th

July 9th - 13th

Pikes Peak/Downtown Colorado Springs, ppihc.com Every year, drivers race cars and motorcycles up the 12.4 miles of roadway that leads to the top of Pikes Peak, hitting speeds higher than 70 M.P.H. It’s a sight to behold, and folks can set up blankets or camp chairs somewhere on the mountain to do just that. Limited parking and high demand make camping not only smart, but a fun way to make a weekend of it. Those who can’t make it up the hill can enjoy the annual Fan Fest on Friday, June 28, which features a motorcycle stunt show and more, sprawling over ten blocks of downtown Colorado Springs.

Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo Days

Downtown Colorado Springs/Norris Penrose Events Center, pikespeakorbust.org What better way to kick off the 79th annual Springs rodeo than with a parade?

That takes place downtown and kicks off four days of rodeo events, including bull riding, roping, barrel racing and more. Military personnel get discounts on grandstand tickets, too.

Continued on page 7

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A special advertising supplement to the Fort Carson Mountaineer, Peterson Space Observer and Schriever Sentinel

Red White & Blue Book 2019

Careers still an uphill battle for military spouses

By Helen Robinson (Colorado Springs Business Journal)

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mong military spouses, the unemployment rate is 16 percent — four times the national average.

And of those with work, many are settling for part-time jobs when they’d rather work full-time.

It’s a familiar problem for women and men married to active duty service members. Deployments and frequent moves mean their career paths are constantly interrupted, good jobs are harder to find — and without roots, contacts and local networks, professional advancement is an uphill battle.

Military families need dual incomes and meaningful work as much as civilian families, but statistics show that’s still just a dream for many (see chart below).

“It’s often difficult for military spouses to find new jobs every time they [move] to a new duty station, which can happen every two to three years,” Janet Farley, Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center employment specialist and intern facilitator, said in an email.

Maintaining employment can be such an obstacle, Farley said, many spouses are opting to “geo-bach” — staying behind to continue on their career path while the service member moves on to the next military assignment.

“While that may be professionally beneficial, it comes with its own set of personal challenges,” she said. “Underemployment is a huge issue as well. Spouses who do relocate with their military service member may find jobs but they often settle for jobs well beneath their skill set. This can be incredibly frustrating.”

Finding jobs and careers that are transferable or portable is a real challenge, according to Special Assistant to the Mayor Katie Lally, who serves as military community relations liaison and the co-chairwoman of the Military Spouse Career Committee.

“Spouses may have to start all over again every time they move, and there is an innate hesitancy to mention that our spouse is serving our country for fear we won’t get hired,” she said. “That’s a shame. So, the primary challenge is the [employer] education piece. Statistics show that the average length of employment in our country is about four years. If ... an employer can get three extremely productive years from a talented military spouse, what would hold you back?”Local experts agree military spouses are a valuable untapped resource, and Colorado Springs organizations are focused on educating employers, expanding opportunities for military spouses, and helping both groups connect.“I would say Colorado Springs is actually one of the more veteran- and military-spouse friendly

communities … so I don’t think it’s a very dire situation, but the same challenges that military spouses face everywhere [also] happen here,” said Lindsay Teplesky, who, as deputy director of the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program, helps transitioning military members and spouses find civilian jobs.

A military spouse herself, Teplesky points to her own experience as an example.“I’m a licensed clinical social worker by trade so every time we move, I have to get a new license if I want to work in that field — and not all the states are very friendly for that,” she said. “That’s one of the challenges that all of us face who have any kind of professional licensure.”Military spouses with higher levels of education face greater challenges in finding employment, Teplesky said.

“Entry level, minimum-wage-type positions are always available wherever you go. ... I think [the challenges facing highly educated military spouses are] probably a natural extension of the challenges you have anyway when you have a higher level of education — you’re competing for a smaller pool of jobs in the first place, but then you add the fact that it’s constantly disrupted. If you’re in an entry level or minimum wage job, continuity of community is not essential, because you can work for King Soopers here, or you can work for King Soopers somewhere else.

For higher level folks where your network is important, as well as how long you spend with an employer, that continual upward progression piece is more of a factor.“When you move and take a position you’re overqualified for because you’re just trying to get your foot in the door somewhere, it’s like you’re taking one step forward, two steps back,” she added. “[Employers] look at that and say, ‘What is this hodge-podge of employment?’ That’s part of the challenge.”Lally said Colorado has a commitment to occupational licensing reform for

military spouses, and the MSCC this year worked with Rep. Terri Carver to submit and pass House Bill 18-1095, which exempts military spouses who are educators from the state reciprocity requirement to have three consecutive years of teaching in a single prior location.

Carver said Colorado has joined a consortium of states in the National Conference of State Legislatures and, led by the Department of Regulatory Agencies, is working to streamline licensure processes, expand reciprocity and standardize licensing criteria.“A state like Colorado where we also have a demand for skilled workforce … to be able to ease these bottlenecks and have those with great qualifications be able to participate in our labor market — that is a win/win for our local economy, in El Paso County but also statewide,” Carver said.

In May, Colorado Springs was designated by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as the nation’s third Military Spouse Economic Empowerment Zone, joining San Antonio and Tampa, Fla., in the program. MSEEZ is a grassroots effort to combat military spouse unemployment and underemployment, promoting collaboration among local business, civic and military communities to establish employment networks.

As low unemployment makes hiring more challenging, military spouses represent “an untapped pool of candidates” for local companies, said Pikes Peak Workforce Center Executive Director Traci Marques.“I think we have a lot of great resources in our community available to [military spouses],” she added, “and we don’t do a good enough job of sharing that information.”The Pikes Peak Workforce Center has a military relations specialist, as well as a Military, Veterans and Spouses Coalition which partners with nonprofits and businesses to help transitioning service members, veterans and spouses find meaningful employment.

At Fort Carson, the fellowship program allows for spousal participation. Partnering

with PPWFC’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act grant allows “displaced homemakers” (those who have lost their last job through no fault of their own — often because of a military move) to qualify for federal funding for a paid internship. And Fort Carson’s Soldier for Life Program includes spouses in all transition programs, helping them connect with businesses and industries in their career fields.Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center recently launched a MilSpouse Career Program where spouses can access career counseling services, skills training, career readiness workshops and employer events. Mt. Carmel also provides services to spouses and veterans under the House Bill 16-1267 Veterans Service to Career Pilot Program and its Veteran Reintegration Program.

The Military Spouse Career Committee highlights existing local and national career resources available to military spouses, educates hiring managers and supports legislation.

The recent Military, Veteran and Military Spouse Employment expo attracted more than 700 job seekers and 175 companies.“I would venture to say [employers] caught on quickly to the secret that military spouses are extremely good hires,” Lally said. “They are educated (88 percent have post-high school education, 34 percent are college grads, 15 percent with postgraduate degrees), they are adaptable, very competent at stress management, and they bring diverse backgrounds and creative thinking to the workplace.

However, not all employers have received the message, and there is more work to do to educate businesses on the benefits of hiring a military spouse.”Colorado Springs has “amazing collaborative efforts going on to support military spouse employment,” Lally added. “Other than needing to change some hiring perspectives, and doing more for license reciprocity, we’re in really good shape.”

A special advertising supplement to the Fort Carson Mountaineer, Peterson Space Observer and Schriever Sentinel Red White & Blue Book 2019 7 Continued from page 5

Blues Under The Bridge

July 13th

Colorado Avenue Bridge, 218 W. Colorado Ave. bluesunderthebridge.com For the last 13 years, 91.5 KRCC has transformed the Colorado Avenue underpass into the most happening blues club in the city. This year, attendees will have the chance to enjoy Tab Benoit. Benoit took home the B.B. King Entertainer of the Year award in 2007 and 2012, and he was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2010. Also headlining, Nikki Hill has been described as the proverbial daughter of Tina Turner and Little Richard.

Colorado Springs PrideFest

July 13th & 14th

America the Beautiful Park, 126 Cimino Drive, cospridefest.com Support equality, inclusivity, diversity and community at the Springs’ annual Pride festival. The event packs America the Beautiful Park with vendor tents ranging from advocacy to business services to pride merchandise. There’s also food and live performances, and families are encouraged to bring picnics. Don’t miss the Sunday morning pride parade, which passes through downtown and ends at the park.

Enjoy Hands-on Activities

El Paso County Fair

July 13th -20th

Tinker, Build and Experiment

County Fairgrounds, 366 10th St., Calhan, elpasocountyfair.com To say this year’s county fair has a little of everything feels like a cop-out. But fair events range from live music to bull riding to a demolition derby. Anyone interested in animals can enjoy milking demos, a petting zoo, duck racing and more. There’s a carnival. And that doesn’t encompass the various competitions and exhibits. Plus, all active duty military, veterans and dependents with military ID get in free.

Featured Guests Interactive Exhibits And More!

Aug. 23rd & 25th

Aug. 31st to Sept. 2nd

Colorado Springs Comic Con

Chapel Hills Mall, 1710 Briargate Blvd., cscomiccon.com Take a trip down memory lane or dive into a landscape of today’s hottest film, comic, cartoon and pop culture. This convention includes an array of panels, artists and vendors, plus gaming events. Guests include William Shatner of Star Trek Fame, Robert Englund from The Nightmare on Elm Street and many others.

There’s even a Kids Con with events for younger attendees.

Labor Day Lift Off

Memorial Park, 1605 E. Pikes Peak Ave., coloradospringslabordayliftoff.com Enjoy Labor Day with the Springs’ annual hot air balloon festival, which packs Memorial Park with balloons in all colors and shapes. In years past, the event has hosted massive fabric faces ranging from Hagar the Horrible to Darth Vader, to say nothing of the vivid colored and patterned balloons. Stay through the day for a range of activities and entertainment, including wakeboarding and live music. Stick around at dusk to watch the balloon glow, a picturesque ending to a colorful day.

Learn More: DiscoverSpace.org 4425 Arrowswest Drive • Colorado Springs • Colorado • 80907 719.576.8000

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Aug. 23rd to Sept. 2nd

Colorado State Fair

State Fairgrounds, 1001 Beulah Ave., Pueblo, coloradostatefair.com Let’s start with the music. Past performers at the state fair have included Foreigner, Weird Al Yankovic and Shinedown, so this event pulls world-class talent. Attendees can also enjoy rodeo and motorsports events. There’s a massive carnival full of rides, too, not to mention animals and all the fried food anyone could want.

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A special advertising supplement to the Fort Carson Mountaineer, Peterson Space Observer and Schriever Sentinel

Red White & Blue Book 2019

Military Discounts Available Now! Located in the heart of Denver and celebrating 129 years of fun, Elitch Gardens is Colorado’s only world-class combination theme and water park. Visitors to the park this season can enjoy the first artist-driven dark ride Meow Wolf’s Kaleidoscape. The ride is a mind-bending voyage of creative discovery through transforming, artist-designed landscapes. There’s something for everyone, with 54 rides and attractions, including 14 pint-sized adventures, thrilling roller coasters and an entire water park. This year, there’s more entertainment than ever before with exciting family shows, Dive-In Movies, a free summer concert series and three stunning fireworks extravaganzas that will light up the Denver skyline, plus Fright Fest in October! And don’t miss the breathtaking views of Denver atop the 20-story Observation Tower or while plummeting 200 feet on the Tower of Doom. Elitch Gardens is open April 20th through November 2nd. Visit ElitchGardens. com for more information. Visit your local base for discounted ticket information.