COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Territory Days in Old Colorado City is preparing for another massive Memorial Day weekend, with organizers expecting 20,000 to 30,000 visitors per day across the three-day event.
The festival, a Westside tradition for five decades, spans four blocks of Colorado Avenue and into surrounding side streets. Getting ready for that many people requires a coordinated, multi-phase setup effort involving vendors, local businesses, and event staff.
"It is from 23rd to 27th Street on Colorado Avenue," said Territory Days organizer Scott Schulz.
Schulz navigates the route in a red utility vehicle, fielding questions and overseeing logistics for the 250 vendors expected to set up along the corridor.
Local businesses along Colorado Avenue are also preparing for a surge in customers. At Slice 420 Pizza, they plan to serve both inside and outside the eatery.
"We come in super early to prep for all of that. We have all the extra dough, all of our orders were almost tripled. We sold about, I think it was closer to 300 slices last year, 500 beers and drinks [a day], so we had to really stock up for all of that," said Aliana Garcia with Slice 420.
The restaurant is also adjusting its layout.
"So we have cheese and pepperoni and drinks and beers outside and then only gourmet and whole pies inside so we can kind of control the flow," said Garcia.
Down the street, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is running a special on caramel apples and has already dipped 900 of them in anticipation of the crowds.
"We pretty much have to do some kind of traffic control in here because it lines all the way to the door," said Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory owner Mazie Baalman.
Baalman said the shop is prepared to make more if needed.
"Then on Sunday we'll reevaluate if we have to make more, it's easy, we'll make more," said Baalman.
Infrastructure for the event is extensive. Crews have prepositioned a truckload of cement barriers and dozens of moveable road-closed barricades.
Sixty portable bathrooms are placed on every side street, and 100 garbage cans are stationed throughout the event footprint. Extra large dumpsters are positioned on side streets to handle the volume of waste.
"Seven giant dumpsters that are roll-offs that we have on the side streets. So, if the attendance is good, we have to dump those every night too," said Schulz.
Setup unfolds in three phases. Work along the side streets happens during the day before the event opens.
Once Colorado Avenue can be closed to traffic, crews work until dark. They return at first light the following morning for several hours of final preparations before Territory Days begins.
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