FRIDAY-SUNDAY

Things sparkle and glisten with bright colors and also a focus on turquoise as the three-day Pikes Peak Gem, Mineral and Jewelry Show is ready with 50 vendors from across the country. The Norris-Penrose Indoor Event Center, 1045 Lower Gold Camp Road, Friday noon-7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., $5 or $8 for multiple days. pikespeakgemshow.com

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

So many activities to experience at the cram-packed Pumpkin Harvest Festival in Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest St., 9 a.m.-8 p.m.  Just a few of the special treats: a food experience room, axe throwing, a s’mores station, build a scarecrow, prairie games, blacksmithing, a farmers market and arts and crafts. Music by Swallow Hill and acoustic instruments to try out. General admission $8-$16, VIP $35-$50. fourmilepark.org/pumpkin-harvest-festival

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

It’s a whole Arts Hullabaloo in Westcliffe this weekend. Visual and performing arts for the whole family, a “History of Custer County” chalk art competition, quick draw artists, flying handmade kites and paper airplanes and bunches more. ArtsHullaballoo.org

FRIDAY-OCT. 31

Boo at the Denver Zoo is all different in a mystical and mythical way this year, becoming 2021’s Wild Fall with 3,000 wild animals, real and imaginary. It’s described as “a new fall celebration event that offers all the family-focused fun of Boo at the Zoo, but with some enhancements and twists aimed at connecting guests to the natural—and supernatural—world.” How could Bigfoot possibly link to the real animal world? No trick or treating but there indeed is food and drink. Lots of costumed creatures and guests encouraged to wear animal costumes, but masks shouldn’t cover eyes. And it’s daytime, starting at 10 a.m. Tickets required: denverzoo.org/events/wildfall Boo at the Zoo at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs is coming up Oct. 16-17, 23-24, 29-31. Timed tickets: cmzoo.org

SATURDAY

What’s it like living downtown? So many have discovered what everyone can see on the popular Downtown Urban Living Tour. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Downtowners will be on hand to share their lifestyles at 333 ECO, The Mae on Cascade,  Pikes Peak Lofts, Casa Mundi, Fountain Live-Work Brownstone, and Kinship Landing. Admission online $10 with ticket increase Friday. downtowncs.com/event/ult

SATURDAY

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Pikes Peak Library District at Deerfield Hills Community Center, 4290 Deerfield Hills. Ballet Folklorico and Danzas Folkloricos Panamericans, Spanish story time and food trucks, 2-4 p.m. ppld.org

SATURDAY

Got a case of the blues? They’re here in the best of musical ways in the afternoon Blues on the Mesa festival on the lawn at Gold Hill Mesa, noon to 6 p.m.In between music by headliners, the youth School of Blues band Take 2 performs. Advanced General Admission available online through Thursday, $35, then day-of-show $45. Children 16 and under free with an adult. $70 VIP includes an on-site camping chair, admission to a 21+ “After Party” featuring BJ Estares & Route 61, food and a gift bag. Grounds open at 11 a.m. amusiccompanyinc.com/blues-on-the-mesa

SATURDAY

Enjoy Pumpkin Patch and Harvest Festival weekends all around the state and here are a few of the closer ones. The traditional local Venetucci Farm You-Pick Pumpkin Patch and Craft Fair is Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. except for Oct. 9. $5 for those over age 8, $12 for pumpkins. Timed tickets in advance: venetuccifarm.org/pumpkins. Pumpkin Patch and Harvest Festival, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday,  Muddy Little Cowboy Ranch, 16810 S. Peyton Highway, Cinderella Carriage, dress-up contest, hayrides, petting zoo, food trucks, two pumpkins per family, $30 per family, 683-5233. Wishing Star Farm, ​24024 State Highway 94, Ellicott. A petting zoo with lots of baby animals, hay rides, giant trampoline, group activities and fields of pumpkins. Ticket prices and times: wishingstarfarm.com Miller Farms Harvest Festival to take a tractor or hayride to the fields to pick produce daily, 13912 County Road 19, Platteville, millerfarms.net/fall-festival, $15-25. Diana’s Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze, Canon City, Friday-Sunday from 10 a.m., $13, pumpkins and gourds, Indian corn and straw bales for decorating, dianaspumpkinpatch.com. Happy Apple Farm, Penrose, Pumpkin Patch, Country Store, apple cider doughnuts, BBQ, Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4:30pm., happyapplefarm.com

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

Florence is known as the town to go to for antique finds and this is Junktique weekend. Vendors, shops are open and there are plenty of places to find a meal or a snack while you shop. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Indoors at the Rialto Theater and outdoors.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

An autumn treat for the family, Reynolds Ranch House Harvest Festival.  A petting zoo from Black Forest 4-H, gold panning, food trucks and Miners’ Pumpkin Patch fun with hayrides, a kids’ hay maze, cornhole, apple cider press and a pumpkin catapult. Western Museum of Mining and Industry, 225 North Gate Blvd., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday. $10 in advance, $12 at the door, $5 per pumpkin. wmmi.org 

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

Until the first hard freeze, the aspens are gold and the Two Mile High Club Aspen Tours are on, a benefit for the beloved Cripple Creek donkeys with donations toward their barn and their care. No jeep tours this year, tour safely in your own vehicle, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.  Information packages with a map and script for a $10 donation at the Heritage Center, 200 Bennett Ave., and the City Hall Pocket Park on Bennett Avenue. The donkeys will be there for photo ops. Volunteers at several sites to answer questions about area history and gold mining. cripplecreekdonkeys.com

SATURDAY-OCT. 31

Elitch Gardens turns into a full weekend Fright Fest all October with Family by Day, Saturdays and Sundays noon-5 p.m., and Fright by Night at dusk, 2000 Elitch Circle, Denver. Costumes fine but capes not recommended because of safety on rides. Little folks can do creepy coloring and scream it out to their heart’s content, get free candy on Trick or Treat Trail and do interactive competitions. Fright by Night is for ages 12 and over when rides and paths are in the dark, with creatures around every corner. Scary clowns inhabit a dark carnival graveyard. See park calendar for prices and information: elitchgardens.com/fright-fest

SUNDAY

Opening weekend for a busy, exciting and activity-filled Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region Arts Month. All around the area with challenges to the community to come out enjoy something new. Week 1, Oct. 3-9 is Visual and Culinary Arts; Oct. 10-16, Theater and Film; Oct. 17-23, Poetry, Prose and Comedy; Oct. 24-30, Music and Dance. So many things to experience there’s an entire website: ArtsOctober.com

NOTE: Check websites for last-minute changes and cancellations because of Covid.