Can you say Sesquisemiquincentennial? It takes a little practice from our experience, but don’t worry, you have all year to work on it — and celebrate it. You’ve probably heard there are some big festivities planned across the country for America’s 250th birthday on July 4, but it’s also Colorado’s 150th on Aug. 1. The Centennial State officially joined the union in 1876 during the U.S.A.’s centennial year. (As for Colorado Springs, we’re 155. Remember our Sesquicentennial celebration back in 2021?)
“Colorado Springs is uniquely situated to celebrate this anniversary,” says Matt Mayberry, the cultural services manager for the City of Colorado Springs and director of the Pioneers Museum. “We are the home of Pikes Peak America’s Mountain. We are the birthplace of America the Beautiful, and we have a deep connection to time immemorial, to the people who lived here in the Pikes Peak region. The opportunity to celebrate is important and, just as you do with wedding anniversaries or with birthdays, to think about what brought us here to this moment and where we want to go from here.”
Mayberry points out that there are many big milestone celebrations happening this year in Colorado Springs too. This year is the 10th anniversary of the Olympic City USA brand. It is the 50th anniversary of the Labor Day Lift Off balloon festival. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo turns 100 this year. The Colorado Springs Philharmonic kicks off its 100th anniversary season in the fall. It is the 120th anniversary of the El Paso County Fair this summer. The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum marks 130 years. And this is the 220th anniversary of Zebulon Pike’s attempt to climb Pikes Peak during his expedition to map the Western Territories.
Along with those events and organizations, the America 250 – Colorado 150 initiative with be spearheading statewide celebrations and collaborating to inspire local celebrations all around Colorado, including the Pikes Peak region. Some of those are happening now, and you can expect more to fill the calendar as we move into spring and summer. Here are some highlights to watch for and ways to celebrate the America 250 – Colorado 150 Sesquisemiquincentennial.
Colorado-Wide Celebrations
The Colorado Tourism Office has rolled out a series of passport programs to make it easier for locals and visitors to explore Colorado’s heritage, creativity and sense of adventure across the state. The digital passports invite people to discover hidden gems, check in at participating locations and earn rewards. They also include chances to win $500 in United Airlines travel credits, and each check-in earns an entry to the grand prize drawing for 150,000 United MileagePlus miles at the end of the year.
Mountain Town Passport
The Mountain Town Passport celebrates the charm and energy of Colorado’s high-country communities. Participants can explore gondola rides, boutique shops, galleries and scenic streetscapes across favorite mountain getaways.
Dine and Drink Passport
Colorado’s dining scene continues to rise and earn national recognition for its culinary achievements. But the good spots are not limited to Denver, the Springs and ski towns. The Dine and Drink Passport will introduce you to new restaurants, bars, wineries and more all over the state, with discounts and deals all along the way.
Arts & Culture Passport
The Arts & Culture Passport showcases Colorado’s creative spirit through galleries, theaters, cultural centers, murals and designated Creative Districts. Locations include the Aspen Art Museum, Colorado Springs Creative District, Silverthorne Performing Arts Center and the Southern Ute Cultural Center. This one is a great guide to Colorful Colorado.
64 County Challenge
Want to explore the entire Centennial State? This passport gives you destinations to explore in every county, guiding you to backroad gems, small towns, historic districts and more.
Find all the Colorado Passports at colorado.com.
Colorado Springs Celebrations
Many America 250 – Colorado 150 celebrations are coordinated across the state, including the Springs.
The CO150 Film Festival
The Colorado150 Film Festival will highlight the most notable films with Colorado ties that were set, shot or featured top-line talent since 1876. Beginning in June, more than 30 independent, community-based venues throughout Colorado will screen a selection from the best 25 films, as chosen by Colorado film programmers, theater managers, creative district administrators and other industry professionals. In addition, Colorado film fans will be able to help fill in the list of the top Colorado 150 movies by voting for their favorite Colorado-related film. That’s live now, so you can see the list and vote for your favorites at colorado150film.com.
Stories in the Sky Drone Shows
The large-scale Stories in the Sky drone shows will light up Colorado skies all year all over the state. The tour kicked off last fall at a CU Buffs football game in Boulder and is traveling across the state all year. Each of the Stories in the Sky series will feature custom animations unique to the host location, like trains steaming across the plains in Fort Morgan or snow-capped peaks over Breckenridge. We’re betting Pikes Peak will be featured in the Springs. You can find out this summer on July 16 during the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo.
You can find the full schedule of Stories in the Sky Drone Shows at historycolorado.org.
Pikes Peak and Colorado Day
America’s Mountain will play a big role in Colorado Day, the state’s official birthday on Aug. 1. There will be a Sunrise Morning allowing predawn access to the summit. And watch for a special ceremony and events on the peak that day.
Pikes Peak is also aiming to set a new mark recognized by Guinness World Records for the number of summit visits at Pikes Peak this year. Mayberry says the goal is 2 million. “So we want to encourage people to climb the mountain, drive up the mountain, ride on the cog railway, get to the top of the mountain during the course of the year, but especially on Aug. 1,” he says.
More Local Events
Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum Exhibitions
The Pioneers Museum will feature two full exhibitions tied to America 250 Colorado 150 this year, as well as many events and series. The first exhibition, Marking Time — The Meaning of Centennial, is already open. It explores how we collectively have celebrated these type of events in the past, both nationally and locally. There is also a We The People: Colorado at 150 Lecture Series currently running. You can see all the ways the Pioneers Museum is looking back and looking forward during this Semisesquicentennial year at cspm.org.
Fourth of July
America’s birthday is obviously going to go big this year, and so will local firework shows. In the Springs, those will once again center on the Star-Spangled Symphony & Fourth of July Fireworks at Ford Amphitheater. Get all the info at coloradospringssports.org.
Peak Radar
Local organizations will be hosting their own America 230 – Colorado 150 events and festivities all through the year. You can keep track and plan where to go at Peak Radar’s special page at peakradar.com.
Good Morning America
Colorado Springs will be featured on Good Morning America on April 10 as part of their America the Beautiful, 50 States in 50 Weeks series. Keep an eye out at goodmorningamerica.com.
To find more info or get involved in America 250 – Colorado 150 events and celebrations, go to pikespeakarea150.com.
