This comes from my friend, Dena Stevens – check it out – hope you can make it!

When: November 14th, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Where:  Holy Cross Abbey in Canon City – at the Field House

What: Expo and Gift Fair with over 60 Vendors. (Get your Christmas Shopping done early!)

Looking for something to do this weekend? Check out these events….

Fall Festival and Pumpkin Patch – at the Wishing Star Farm. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, starting at 9:00 am. Hay rides, farm animals, pony rides etc. The Wishing Star Farm is located on 6760 Ropers Point, Colorado Springs, CO 80908. (Black Forest Area) Their phone number is (719)5-5888.

Colorado’s Annual Holiday Food & Gift Festival – at the Phil Long Expo Center. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, starting at 10:00 am. Check out the Event Website to download a coupon for $2 off any Adult Admission.

45th Annual Black Forest Arts & Craft Guild Fall Show & Sale, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, starting at 9:00/10:00 am at the Black Forest Community Center. Call (719)494-1455.

Check out the Tri-Lakes Women’s Club Wine Tasting Event tonight (October 23rd). Call (719)488-2124.

Also tonight, Colorado College play Michigan Tech at the World Arena, for more Information call (719)576-2626.

On October 24th, Manitou Springs will have the 15th Annual Coffin Races and Parade. (719)685-5089.

Also on the 24th – the Colorado Baby and Kidz Expo will be held at the Phil Long Expo Center, (719)867-6635.

Halloween – “Mall-O-Ween” at the Citadel Mall, (719)591-5516.

November 4th – The Trans-Siberian Orchestra plays at the World Arena (719)576-2626.

Looking for something to do this Halloween/Fall?

Check out the Haunted Mines  – with new levels (Level 13 just opened), scares and monsters! Located on the East Side of I25 – across the north entrance to the Air Force Academy. ( Gleneagle/North Gate Exit 156a). You can purchase tickets now ($15 on Fridays and Saturdays, $13 on other Nights – according to their website); online purchasing options are being set up. There is also a discount ($3 or $2 – depending on day of the week) for the Military!

Buckskin Joe’s Town of Terror – October 15th – 18th, 21st – 25th and 27th – 31st. According to their website – not for the faint of heart. This is mostly an outdoor event – dress for the weather/season. Discount Coupons are available on the websiteas well. Located on County Road 3a (Road to the Royal Gorge).

Visit the Colorado Pumpkin Patch – open from September 25th through October 31st. Enjoy straw slides, hay pyramids, tractor rides and a straw maze. According to the website – Costs are $5 on Fridays and $7 on Saturdays. Kids under 2 years are free. Check out the site for directions, times and additional information.

Anderson Farms Corn Maze – Fall Festival2009 from September 19th through November 1st. Check out the 30 acre corn maze, the Sudoku corn maze game, the hay-rides and gem stone mining. You can buy tickets online, get coupons, maps etc. They are located at 6728 CR 3 1/4, Erie, CO 80516. My friend goes there every year – and loves it!

Story time at Barnes and Noble – 1565 Briargate, on October 31st at 11:00 am. Here two Halloween tales – “What was I scared of?” (Dr. Seuss) and “Black Cat Creeping By” (Teddy Slater). Come in Costume! It is free – but please call 719-266-9960 to verify.

Do you have any tips on Fall/Halloween Events in the area?

Think Summer is over and there’s nothing left to do? Think again… things are just getting started! Here are just some of the upcoming events:

September 24th – Coldstone Creamery: 8th Annual “World’s Largest Ice Cream Social” from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation. (It’s NEVER too cold for Ice Cream – and this one’s for a good cause!) http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/

September 26th: Eco Festival at the Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site from 10:00am to 3:00pm. For a $3 donation (to benefit Rock Ledge Ranch), you can enjoy exhibitors, music, food, workshops, etc. Check out www.pikespeakcofestival.com

September 29th: Taste of the Broadmoor Benefit Dinner, at 6:00pm. A five-course dinner to celebrate the culinary industry and the Broadmoor Culinary Apprenticeship program. Cost is $150 per person. Call (719)577-5733 for Reservations.

October 3rd: Harvest Festival at the Rock Ledge Ranch. Free Admission! You can tour Rock Ledge House, go on a hay ride, enjoy some food, listen to music, pick a pumpkin (Not everything is free.) For additional information, please call (719)578-6777.

To search for Events, ranging from Food to Music, Attractions to Nightlife, and Restaurants to Festivals, check out  http://www.coloradosprings.com/. Pick your time and see what’s available.

What are your plans for next weekend? Not sure yet? You might want to check out the Harvest Festival in Canon City on September 26th and 27th. The Holy Cross Winery opens their doors, with wine tasting, delicious food and entertainment.

Admission is free – but you will have to pay for tickets to taste the wine, as well as for food. All in all – it’s a great festival. (Be sure to bring a designated driver!)

Check out the site: http://www.abbeywinery.com/index.php/harvest-fest/event-schedule

What do you think? Are you going to take a trip to Canon City?

Looking for something to do in Colorado Springs? Ready to enjoy the summer and have fun? Check out the following:

American Soldier tribute – A photo tribute to the American Soldier – at the Phil Long Expo Center, from Saturday through September 13th. For more info call 867-6635.

Outdoors activities more “your thing”? Check out White Water Rafting Trips. Call 526-5366 for more info. Trips are $40 per person and include transportation, gear and guides.

Enjoy the Colorado State Fair- from August 28th through September 7th at the State Fair Grounds in Pueblo. For tickets, call Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or go online at http://www.ticketmaster.com .

From July 8th through the 11th, you can enjoy the 69th annual Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeoat the Norris-Penrose Events Center Arena. The Fort Carson Night is July 8th. Tickets start at $10 for Adults and $7.50 for Children. Call 576-2626, go online at http://www.ticketswest.com or go to any King Soopers Customer Service.

Free entry to National Parks: The weekend of July 18th/19th and August 15th/16th - Entrance Fees to many national parks and monuments in Colorado will be waived.

Fort Carson’s annual Independence Day Celebrationwill happen July 3rd, from 4-10:30 pm at Ironhorse Park. The event is free and the public is invited.

For an Old Fashioned Fourth of July, check out the Rock Ledge Historic Site on July 4th from 9am to 5pm. This includes speeches, carnival games, ice cream, a Civil War encampment, Buffalo Soldier bivouac etc. Solders and retired military get in for half price by showing ID. Regular admission is $2-$6.

Thanks to Nel Lampe and the Mountaineer for compiling this info!

If you’re like the majority of people – you’re looking for a good deal, even when eating out. If you plan ahead, you’ll find quite a few bargains out there.

Consider joining Restaurant Clubs – which might offer to feed you for free on your Birthday, email you coupons for appetizers and/or special deals.

Check online for coupons to your favorite Restaurants (two-for-one, $$’s off), as well as coupon booklets that arrive in your mailbox.

Buy an Entertainment book- if you really want to save a lot (make sure that the coupons are for places you use!). In addition, many Highschools offer coupons for a variety of Restaurants and Services (usually sold door to door or brought home by your Teens).

Another way to save – go to lunch instead of Dinner. Lunch prices are usually quite a bit less, and often lunches includes additional add-ons like soup or salad (included in the price).

And finally – check out the appetizers. Specially if you’re not “starving” – many of today’s appetizers are quite large – large enough really to substitute for a meal.

By now everyone has heard about Nadya Suleman and her 14 children. Now we come to find out that she may have used part of the payments she received for a Disability to pay for the Fertility Treatments that added 8 more children to her family, in addition to the 6 children she already had.

On top of that – she is expecting the help of the cash strapped California Government, as well as the general public, by setting up a website, which accepts donations from you. (Taxpayers may have to cover octuplet mom’s  cost)

In my opinion, this is the “best” example of what is wrong with our society – from the selfish, irresponsible behavior of this “mom”, to the Doctor who helped her get pregnant with 8 children, to the system itself, gearing up to pay even more to this women.

Any responsible parent will not have more children than they can take care of.  And try to get foodstamps or help from the Government if you are finding yourself unemployed! Good Luck. None of this seems to apply in this case. This women (N. Suleman) got what she wanted – more kids (never mind she won’t be able to take appropriate care of them), possible additional payments from the Government – allowing her to increase her studentloans even more…and to top it off – the general public will get to pay for her insane behavior.

Maybe we need to ask the Fertility clinic to help this women pay for her children? After all….they were only too happy to help her get pregnant… But the only one being held responsible will be the taxpayer – not this unemployed “Mother”. (In my opinion – she really is a disgrace to all those mothers who are trying their best to take care of their children.)

With Valentines Day, Spring Break and Easter coming up, you might be looking for some things to do and places to see. To make it a little easier, check out the following sites:

Upcoming Events and Things To Do

Colorado Springs.com

Cripple Creek Events

Woodland Park Community Calendar

Colorado Springs Fine Art Center

Just wonderins: What are YOUR favorite things to do in and around Colorado Springs?