In celebration of its deep historic past, Old Colorado City kicked off its Territory Days street fair Saturday with a bang: bringing live music, great food, local vendors and a lively sense of community.

This Memorial Day weekend marks the 48th anniversary of Territory Days, Colorado Springs’ longest-running event.

Territory Days works to remember Old Colorado City as the first territorial capital of

Colorado and highlights its history as a mining staple of the West.

“I grew up on this side of town. I know a lot of people that have lived in this area and have been

here a long, long time — more so than other parts of the city, and the sense of community here is infectious,” said Guillermo Alvarado, owner of Cucuru Gallery Café.

Nestled in the heart of the neighborhood, adjacent to Bancroft Park, Cucuru Gallery Café has been a staple for the past 19 years. Alvarado highlighted the importance of the annual weekend celebration for the locals, as well as people new to the area.

“This (Territory Days) is good for the community, because it reflects on the history of the area, and helps people connect with the areas they live in — especially for people who just moved here. It’s a great way to learn what Colorado Springs is all about,” Alvarado said.

“It’s become such a family, fun-oriented event that is really the root of a good community. It’s grown very popular with families, and to see all the kids out here, it’s a wonderful thing.”

Deep in the sea of vendors and food trucks Saturday was artist Andrew Ellingson, a Springs local for the past 35 years. Focusing his creative endeavors on Colorado’s vast wildlife with a colorful twist, it’s only fitting for his work to be featured at Saturday’s celebration.

“I’ve been coming here (Territory Days) since I was a kid. This is my first time here as a vendor, and the crowd is even better on the other side!”

When asked how he’s witnessed the celebration change over the years, Ellingson said he’s seen an evolution in the numbers.

“It’s gotten busier, much more people are here today than I’ve ever seen! I feel like this event reflects the community — culturally, and how much the population has grown here,” Ellingson said.

Sound Advice, a classic rock band local to the Pikes Peak region, could be heard playing at the 25th Street North Stage Saturday afternoon. A dance party commenced outside Slice 420, a pizza joint at the intersection of Colorado Avenue and 25th.

Allison and Bryan Murphey could be seen twisting and turning to the beat — each holding a giant turkey leg.

“We both work remotely to travel as much as possible on our weekends,” Bryan said, “a friend of ours had been (to Territory Days) a few years back and raved about how good of a time they had. We just had to check it out for ourselves.”

A young couple from Amarillo Texas, the two have devoted the past couple of years to traveling to neighboring states on the weekends, looking for a more intimate approach to visiting new places.

“We love finding events like these as a way to truly experience an area and learn more about a community,” Allison said,

“Of course, every place has its tourist traps, and they can be really cool — but for us events like these give us a better feel for a place — we get to enjoy it like locals, meet more people casually, and experience new things we wouldn’t have otherwise, and man – Colorado Springs knows how to party!”

You can check out Territory Days for yourself as it continues for the remainder of the holiday weekend.