COLORADO SPRINGS — The first-ever Garden of the Gods Art Festival will take place at Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site in Colorado Springs this weekend.
More than 100 vendors, including potters, painters, jewelers, leather workers, and woodworkers, are getting ready to show off their creations on Saturday and Sunday. Liz King, the festival director, said the family-friendly event will also include live music, a beer garden, and food trucks.
Melissa Keown, Rock Ledge Ranch Park Operations Administrator, said the festival will bring art back to the site. The park was home to a different art show for 30 years before it was retired during the pandemic.
“For the last couple of years we’ve actually been looking for someone to take over doing an art show here," said Keown.
Mallory Bakst made the trip from Wyoming to sell custom felt hats to festival-goers this weekend.
“I block them, stitch them, brand them, style them, design them all from scratch," she said. "This is my first experience doing just a straight art show which is really, really exciting.”
On Friday afternoon, Julie Leidel set up her Colorado-inspired paintings inside her booth ahead of the event.
"I have a lot of mountain paintings, but pretty much just anything about the natural landscape. I love how diverse our beautiful landscape is," she said. “It’s going to be a wonderful weekend. There’s food and music and lots of art.”
The festival is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $10 and children under 12 get in free. Seniors 65+, military, and police discounts of $2 per ticket are available with onsite ticket purchase. A portion of the proceeds from the festival will go back to Rock Ledge Ranch.
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