It’s a summer tradition. Bring your blanket or lawn chairs. Pick up dinner and drinks from a lineup of delicious food trucks on site. Catch up with neighbors you haven’t seen during the rush of busy schedules. Let the kids roam free. And dance like nobody’s watching.
This is Music on the Mesa.
The series has long been one of Colorado Springs’ best summer music events featuring top local bands, but it has always been more. Music on the Mesa has always been a perfect time to connect or reconnect with friends, family, neighbors, yourself — with home. After all, strong communities create better lives, so why not make new friends at a free summer dance party?
“Music and the arts have been woven into the soul of Gold Hill and Gold Hill Mesa since the beginning,” says Stephanie Edwards, Executive Vice President and CMO of Gold Hill Mesa and founder of Music on the Mesa. “Bringing people together and adding beauty to the environment are part of our mission and core tenets of our Traditional Neighborhood Development.”
More than just another master-planned community, Gold Hill Mesa has been created intentionally as a healthy, sustainable community alternative to conventional suburban sprawl. From its origins in 2006, the Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) began with reclaiming and revitalizing the historic hillside overlooking downtown Colorado Springs. TND principles have guided the original Gold Hill Mesa and new Gold Hill designs, filling them with front porches, alleyway garages, wide sidewalks, greenways, parks, trails and, of course, community spaces like the large, grassy amphitheater where friends and neighbors gather for Music on the Mesa concerts.
“I love that we can grab a couple of chairs and walk down to the concert,” says resident Tiffany Schmid. “It’s easy to pick up dinner from a food truck and sit back and enjoy live music on a beautiful summer evening. My favorite part is running into friends and neighbors and having time to chat and catch up.”
While residents benefit most from their backyard concerts, you don’t have to live in Gold Hill to enjoy the sunset concerts.
“Whether it’s Music on the Mesa, Art on the Mesa or other events, we want Gold Hill Mesa and Gold Hill to create community for everyone,” Edwards says. “We believe creating connections through the arts, music, outdoors, food and events helps to strengthen the Colorado Springs community overall. It’s what Gold Hill and Gold Hill Mesa are all about.”
That kind of openness attracts neighbors who care about each other.
“It’s a great opportunity to meet new neighbors and people who don’t live in the neighborhood,” Schmid says. “I love it when I run into people I know who don’t live in Gold Hill Mesa. Everyone is welcome!”
Music on the Mesa 2026 Schedule
When can you join the fun? The series runs this year from June 13 to Sept. 19. And the calendar features a pair of new, one-day music festivals in September. Here’s a rundown of the 2026 Music on the Mesa schedule:
Groove Goddess
June 13, 4-7 p.m.
The all-star, all-female R&B-funk-soul supergroup features nine seasoned members from popular Colorado bands who groove to classics we all love.
Funkology
July 18, 4-7 p.m.
This booty-shakin’ band puts the fun in funk and always brings the dance party.
The Peak Big Band
Aug. 15, 4-7 p.m.
The 18-piece Peak Big Band will bring a high-energy afternoon of powerful brass, smooth jazz and big band excitement for the whole family. Expect everything from the timeless swing of Glenn Miller to classic Santana, Guns N’ Roses and more.
Soapdish
Sept. 5, 4-7 p.m.
Soapdish always delivers a frenzy of fun and nonstop dancing, featuring power-pop and rock favorites from the ’80s to today.
Boots on the Mesa Festival
Sept. 12, 12-6:30 p.m.
Honky-tonk takes over Gold Hill all afternoon for this boot-stompin’ one-day music fest. The three-band lineup will bring a full range of country styles, from the outlaw sounds of Ryan Crys and the Rough Cuts to the country-pop-rock singalongs of Ashlee & the Longshot Revival to the Red Dirt Country and Southern rock specialties of the Jason Wulf Band.
The Tony Luke Band
Sept. 19, 4-7 p.m.
The infectious sounds of the Tony Luke Band span all the feels of classic blues, R&B, funk, rockabilly and more.
Rock’n The Mesa Festival
Sept. 26, 12-6 p.m.
Turn it up! Gold Hill will rock its way out of the 2026 music series with this new festival. The Denver-based Steely Dead tours nationally with their unique blend of Steely Dan and the Grateful Dead. If Led Zeppelin had a female lead singer, they would have sounded just like Zeppelin Alive. And Grizzly Gopher will deliver a wide-ranging repertoire that spans everything from classic rock to modern pop hits.
Whether you come to one show or all of them, we’ll look forward to seeing you on the Gold Hill Mesa Community Center Lawn at 142 S. Raven Mine Drive.
For all the details on Music on the Mesa, including food truck and drink vendor lineups, visit musiconthemesa.org. For more info on Gold Hill living, go to goldhill.com.
