Springs and Things: Your Insider's Guide to Colorado Springs Culture & Community

Only 6% of exercise science research is done exclusively on women, so most of the training advice you've been handed (looking at you, TikTok) was never built for your body. This week Carly sits down with Dr. Marissa Baranauskas, exercise physiologist at UCCS and lead investigator at the 6% Performance Lab, to fix that. Fair warning: this one's for the women. If you run, climb, ski, or grind the In...

Summer is flying by, and July in Colorado Springs is packed . In this episode, Carly and Lauren kick off a new monthly segment, a rundown of what they're excited about, what they're checking out, and what you should put on your radar for the next four weeks. In this episode: CO 150 Film Festival — Colorado is turning 150, and to celebrate, 150 films made in Colorado, about Colorado, or by Colorada...

What happens when a bird bought to guard a backyard flock becomes a full-blown local celebrity?  This week, Carly sits down with Billy-Sue Mitchell and her six-foot emu, Dennis, at their charming Colorado Springs home, surrounded by ducks, two chickens, and two dogs. Billy shares how Dennis went from a duck-harness-wearing baby to a leash-walking icon spotted everywhere from Garden of the Gods to...

Is Colorado Springs a bike town or a car town? Carly sits down with three people who are quietly reshaping how the Springs gets around: Tara McCarthy , Executive Director of PikeRide ; Torie Giffin , owner of the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort ; and Kerry Childress , a city transportation planner who turns out to be one of the unsung heroes building the bike network behind the scenes. From midnight...

This summer, we're trading coffee dates for library dates! In this episode, we go behind the scenes of the Pikes Peak Library District's Summer Adventure program, recorded live from Library 21C on kickoff day. First, we sit down with Melody Alvarez, Director of Programming, to break down everything families need to know about Summer Adventure: this year's "Unearth a Story" theme, how simple it is...

After a year and a half of spotlighting the best people and places in Colorado Springs, we're flipping the script. This week, we answer the questions listeners ask most, from what we do outside the podcast to our favorite local restaurants, most emotional interviews, and the food spots we're still grieving. In this episode: What you might not know about your two hosts The local events every Colora...

Did a monkey bite really launch the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo? Did Spencer Penrose actually ride his horse into the Antlers Hotel lobby? And why is the Shrine of the Sun named after Will Rogers instead of the man who built it? In this episode of Springs and Things, host Carly Ries sits down with Sarah Woods, Vice President of Collections for El Pomar Foundation, to dig into the archives and separate C...

Summer is almost here in Colorado Springs, and we are HERE for it. This week, Carly and Lauren share their ultimate summer must-do lists, from flower farms and llama happy hours to hidden gem restaurants and must-see theater. Whether you're a longtime local or new to the Springs, this episode is packed with ideas to make this your best Colorado summer yet. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Gather Mountain Blooms...

Did you know nearly 150,000 acres around Colorado Springs are permanently protected, and one organization has been leading that effort since 1977? In this episode, Carly sits down with Astrid Monar from the Palmer Land Conservancy to uncover the incredible scope of work happening right in our backyard. From saving the backdrop behind Garden of the Gods to building the Pikes Peak Conservation Corri...

Everything you've ever wanted to know about skincare in Colorado Springs but didn't know who to ask. Lisa Boness from Vanguard Aesthetics joins us to break down what the high altitude and intense UV are really doing to your skin, and what to do about it.  We cover the treatments that actually work (and the ones that are just hype), at-home gadgets worth your money, the right way to handle a breako...

A month away, a world schooling adventure in Peru, and roughly one thousand bowls of ceviche later, Lauren is finally back. And honestly? We have a lot to catch up on. In this episode, we're hitting the reset button with a full reintroduction: who we are, why we started this show, and what makes Colorado Springs the city we just can't quit. We're diving into rapid-fire Colorado Springs opinions: i...

The FAC is in what they're calling a "liminal year," and we sat down with three of the people leading the charge to find out what that actually means, and why it matters for this community. Michael Christiano (Director of Visual Arts and Museum) opens the conversation by unpacking how the museum is shifting its exhibition strategy, drawing more from its permanent collection while weaving in new vo...

You probably think you know what foster care is about. A child leaves a bad situation, lands in a safe one, and that's that. But what about everything else they lose in the process: their bedroom, their dog, their neighborhood, their friends? The reality is so much more complicated than most of us realize. In this episode, Ben Schoch from Kids Crossing pulls back the curtain on what actually happe...

Colorado Springs has a music scene worth bragging about, and Steve Harris has spent years making sure people know it. As the longtime guy who books bands for the Meadowgrass Music Festival and one of the Springs' most plugged-in music advocates, Steve joins Carly to talk about the local venues and artists you should know, why the city might finally be having its breakthrough moment, and what it ac...

If you have ever stood in your kitchen on a Saturday morning wondering what to do in Colorado Springs this weekend, this episode is your new best friend. Carly sits down with Jonathan Toman of Peak Radar and the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region , to break down the annual events guide that tracks over 3,000 events across El Paso, Teller, and Fremont Counties every single year. From heritage...

Due to its popularity, we've decided to re-release this episode! Please note, however, some of the events are dated, but that design inspo is still oh so relevant :) If you’ve ever saved a home photo on Instagram and thought, “Love this…but why doesn’t it work in my house?”... this episode explains exactly why. On this week’s Springs and Things, we sit down with Elisha Niebuhr, CEO of Modern Inter...

What if your kids’ next favorite experience wasn’t a screen, but a symphony? In this episode of Springs & Things , we sit down with Joye Levy, Director of the Center for Future Audiences at the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, to talk about a program that’s changing how families experience the arts in our city. The Free for Kids program is opening the doors to live orchestral performances for th...

Long before IVF clinics were common and long before infertility was openly discussed, one Colorado Springs woman helped open the door for millions of families. In this powerful episode of Springs and Things, Carly sits down with Ellen Weir Casey, the mother of Colorado’s first IVF baby. In the early 1980s, when IVF was still experimental and often referred to as a “test tube baby,” Ellen spent yea...

Colorado Springs has always been a place people come to rest, recover, and recharge, from the early days of travelers seeking healing in the Pikes Peak region’s crisp mountain air and mineral springs to today’s thriving wellness scene. Now, VisitCOS has launched its first-ever digital Wellness Passport , and it might be one of the most relaxing ways to explore the city. In this episode of Springs...

In this highly entertaining episode, Lauren and Matt Meister (yes, THE Matt Meister), share what it’s really like behind the scenes in local TV news (including a newsroom story that is absolute nightmare fuel) and what finally pushed him to leave traditional broadcasting and launch Peaks2Plains Weather , his new digital-first weather platform built to serve Colorado Springs wherever and whenever y...

In this powerful episode of Springs & Things , we sit down with U.S. Army veteran, Paralympic bronze medalist, and world champion Melissa Stockwell to hear the extraordinary story of how she rebuilt her life after losing her leg while serving in Iraq. Melissa became the first American woman to lose a limb in active combat, and instead of letting that moment define her limits, she used it to re...

What really goes on behind the iconic walls of The Broadmoor? In today’s episode, we’re talking with the Broadmoor historian, Cindy Leonard, about the secrets, stories, and legends hiding inside Colorado Springs’ most iconic hotel. From royalty and polo matches to hidden spaces, lost swimming pools, and traditions that date back over 100 years, this conversation is packed with moments that will ma...

Ski season might be technically underway in Colorado, but that doesn’t mean the slopes are the main event this year. In this episode of Springs & Things , Carly and Lauren share their favorite things to do in Summit County when skiing conditions aren’t ideal (or when you just don’t feel like skiing at all). From cozy coffee shops and award-winning restaurants to tubing hills, art studios, snow...

Normally on Springs & Things , we’re swapping fun Colorado Springs stories…but today’s episode goes somewhere much heavier. Lauren sits down with Preston Goff from The Exodus Road , an organization combating human trafficking around the world and helping families understand what it really looks like today—especially in the digital age. They unpack the stuff most people get wrong (no, it’s usua...

Is it too early to be talking about summer camps when there is snow on the ground? You’d think.  But if you are a Colorado Springs parent, this episode might just save your summer. In this episode, we break down our favorite local summer camps, from affordable outdoor programs, to creativity-fueled options, to adventure-packed favorites, and more. We talk honestly about cost, timing, what fills up...