Think the Plaza goes silent for Lunar New Year? Think again. From roaring lion dances ten miles down the road to dumplings sizzling right outside your rig, the Pikes Peak region is packed with ways to ring in the Year of the Snake—no marathon drive required.
Key Takeaways
• Big festival days: Saturday, Jan 25 (Ent Center, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.) and Saturday, Feb 8 (Pioneers Museum, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.)
• Drive time from Pikes Peak RV Park: 10–20 minutes; leave before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m. to skip traffic
• Main shows: lion & dragon dances, Taiko drums, ribbon and aerial acts, indoor craft market
• Extra dance stops: 11:45 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4:25 p.m. at three Colorado Springs markets on Jan 25
• Food finds: vegan bao, jackfruit dumplings, hot pho, plus full Asian grocery 15 minutes away
• Parking: Lot D at Ent Center fits SUVs and 35-ft RVs; overflow garage on Regent Circle is free
• No car needed: Route 33 shuttle every 20 minutes; safe bike lane the whole way
• Quiet home base: Manitou Springs Plaza—stroller paths, benches, free 25 Mbps Wi-Fi, 5-min walk from RV park
• Easy manners: wear red, take red envelopes with both hands, fold $1 for the lion’s mouth
• Back-at-camp fun: clip LED lanterns to the awning, pan-fry dumplings, share oranges—skip fireworks.
In the next three minutes you’ll discover:
• The fastest routes (SUV, motorhome, bike) from our park to every performance.
• Exact showtimes that fit nap schedules, Zoom calls, and crowd-free strolling.
• Where to snag vegan bao, hot tea, or an actual seat before the drums start.
• Five easy hacks for turning your campsite into a mini lantern-lit festival.
Ready to swap cabin fever for firecrackers, crafts, and good-luck bites? Scroll on—your perfect Lunar New Year day trip starts here.
Speed-Read Your Lunar New Year Plan
The Pikes Peak RV Park sits barely ten minutes from downtown Manitou Springs and twenty from most Colorado Springs venues, yet it feels worlds away once you hear those first mountain chickadees. Leave the park before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m. and you skip nearly every US-24 and I-25 slowdown, arriving in time for coffee, stroller unloading, or a quick Wi-Fi check. Average winter drive times hover at fifteen to twenty-five minutes, even for rigs up to thirty-five feet.
Key shows cluster on two Saturdays—January 25 and February 8—so you can plan one “big day” and keep other mornings open for hot springs or Red Rock Canyon hikes. The Ent Center at UCCS kicks things off January 25 with stage shows, lion and dragon dances, Taiko drumming, and an indoor “Chinatown” marketplace from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. according to the Chinese Cultural Institute. Two weeks later, the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum hosts craft-heavy family fun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., confirmed by the museum’s event listing. Layer in roaming dragon dances at local markets—times sourced from the regional calendar—and you’ve got options morning, noon, and dusk.
Why a Quiet Plaza Makes the Perfect Base Camp
Manitou Springs Plaza has no official Lunar New Year program—local event boards were still blank as of August 21, 2025—but that’s exactly why families and retirees love it. Stroller-wide walkways, heated public restrooms, and benches facing Pikes Peak give you room to breathe between drumbeats. A quick half-mile creek-side loop keeps little legs happy without draining their festival energy bank.
Just five minutes on foot separates the plaza from Pikes Peak RV Park, meaning you can stroll out for morning espresso, sample a mineral spring, then dash back to pack snowsuits or hop on a Zoom call. Digital nomads appreciate the plaza’s free 25 Mbps network near the town clock, while culture seekers linger over the historical plaques tucked beside the chess tables. When Colorado Springs crowds start to swell, the plaza stays blissfully uncrowded—your low-stress reset point.
Year of the Snake Events You Can Reach Before the Tea Cools
January 25 is the big one. Doors open at 9 a.m. at the Ent Center for the Arts, and by 9:30 the first lion dance rolls through the lobby. Two full stage shows anchor the day—10 a.m. and 1 p.m.—with ribbon dancers, martial arts demos, and aerial acrobats filling the gaps. Adult tickets cost $18, kids under five are free, and parking is complimentary if you arrive by 8 a.m. to snag the front lot.
At 11:45 a.m. the Colorado Asian Cultural Heritage Center dragon team fires up at Shangri-La on Barnes Road, drums again at 2 p.m. outside Asian Pacific Market, and wraps at 4:25 p.m. on Union Boulevard. February 8 shifts the spotlight to the Pioneers Museum’s craft-forward Family Day, perfect for lantern-making toddlers or grandparents seeking a seat near the indoor koi mural. For food-forward travelers, January 30’s Golden Lotus Foundation dinner and the February 15 Korean buffet both require RSVPs—but reward you with multi-course spreads and warm community tables.
Smart Moves: Parking, Shuttles, and Snow-Day Backups
Driving an SUV or minivan? Lot D at the Ent Center holds 300 spots and rarely fills before 8:15 a.m., even on festival day. Motorhomes up to thirty-five feet fit in the outer rows; bring an ice scraper, a folding shovel, and a bag of traction sand just in case a surprise snow squall rolls off Pikes Peak. If you miss the lot, pivot to the free overflow garage on Regent Circle—a five-minute walk plus elevator access.
Prefer wheels-free? The city’s Route 33 shuttle loops every twenty minutes between downtown Colorado Springs and the Pioneers Museum starting at 9:40 a.m. Cyclists can pedal the seven-mile shoulder route along Colorado Avenue, but daylight hours only; dusk rides require high-vis gear and good bike lights. Rideshare pickups near the Ent Center bottleneck after each stage show, so set your pin one block east on Austin Bluffs Parkway to cut the queue in half.
Micro Guides for Every Traveler Type
Parents juggling nap windows should aim for the 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. lion-dance drum calls at the Ent Center. Family restrooms on Level 1 are stroller-friendly, and free ear protection is available at the info desk. SUVs find quick in-and-out spots on the west edge of Lot D, easing that toddler-dash back to the car when tantrums hit.
Retirees thrive on unhurried comfort. Arrive forty-five minutes before showtime to claim low-step chairs stage right, where ushers keep aisle space clear for mobility aids. If downtown exploring is on the agenda, the free Route 33 shuttle drops you at the Pioneers Museum entrance and avoids the search for downtown RV parking altogether.
Millennial adventure seekers chase both flavors and feeds. Track down Bao Down’s tofu char-siu or Rice & Shine’s jackfruit dumplings for Insta-ready vegan fuel, then shoot the 12-foot LED dragon arch at dusk when the blue-hour glow pops. Sunset hits Red Rock Canyon Open Space at 5:23 p.m., four minutes from the RV park—hashtags practically write themselves.
Digital nomads need bandwidth and buffers. Verizon and AT&T both clock –70 dBm 5G inside the Ent Center lobby, peaking at midday when crowds drift to lunch. Kraemer Library’s third-floor study pods, two minutes uphill, give you soundproof walls for 3:15–3:45 p.m. Zoom calls while the main stage resets. Schedule uploads before 5 p.m.; post-show surge can throttle speeds.
Simple Etiquette That Wins Smiles and Selfies
Red is the color of luck, so pack a scarf or beanie in that shade and you’ll blend right in with performers. When someone hands you a red envelope, receive it with both hands and tuck it away for later—cracking it open on the spot is considered rude. During lion dances, folding a dollar bill lengthwise and presenting it at shoulder height is an easy way to wish the troupe good fortune.
At food stalls, lay chopsticks flat across your bowl rather than sticking them upright; the latter mirrors funeral incense and dampens the festive mood. Greet vendors or dancers with a cheerful “Happy Year of the Snake!” and watch faces light up that you knew the year’s zodiac. Small gestures go a long way toward authentic connection—and sometimes extra dumplings.
Eat, Shop, Stock: The Asian Food Circuit
Asian Pacific Market on Wooten Road is your one-stop pantry for fresh dumpling wrappers, sticky-rice cakes, and whole roast duck. The in-store deli slings hot bao and Vietnamese banh mi—ideal grab-and-go between dance sets. Shoppers hauling groceries back to the RV appreciate the wide aisles and free parking big enough for motorhomes.
For sit-down meals, Korean Garden simmers comforting bibimbap while Saigon Café ladles pho that warms winter-chilled hands. Call ahead on festival days to cut wait times; both restaurants note peanut oil use on their menus, so allergy questions are common and welcome. Manitou Avenue eats lean Southwestern, so stocking up in Colorado Springs and cooking back at the rig keeps traditions—and budgets—intact.
One-Day Itinerary: From Morning Steam to Lantern Glow
Kick off at 8 a.m. with breakfast burritos from a Manitou café, then wander the plaza to taste mineral spring water that naturally bubbles at 70°F. The short stroll awakens kids without wearing them out, and the dads-with-strollers circuit is a friendly local scene. Mountain air carries a faint hint of pine, sharpening appetites for the day ahead.
By 11 a.m. head back to the RV for layers and snack packs, rolling out at noon toward Asian Pacific Market. The 2 p.m. lion dance pulses right in front of the produce aisle, so young watchers can press close while caregivers nab lucky-candy treats. At 3:30 p.m. pivot to the Pioneers Museum for lantern crafts and calligraphy stations before wrapping the loop homeward. Grill dumplings at 5:30 p.m., then cap the night with vintage pinball at the Penny Arcade—five-minute walk, endless neon glow.
DIY Festival Vibes Back at the Rig
Battery-powered paper lanterns clip easily to awning poles and satisfy most RV park flame rules. Kids can spend chilly evenings cutting red paper into good-luck couplets or folding origami snakes, doubling as décor when taped to the door. Pan-fry freezer-aisle dumplings in pairs—an old symbol of togetherness—and serve with quick soy-vinegar dip for campground applause.
Skip fireworks; city ordinances frown on sparks this close to forested slopes. Confetti poppers or LED sparklers keep the celebration bright without drawing ranger attention. For a final touch, pass mandarin oranges to neighboring campers; the golden color hints at wealth, and the gesture turns strangers into festival friends.
Firecrackers fade, lanterns dim, and the last dumpling disappears—but the glow of Lunar New Year can linger a little longer when your rig is waiting creek-side at Pikes Peak RV Park. Our full-hookup sites place you a five-minute stroll from the plaza’s quiet charm and a twenty-minute coast from every lion dance in Colorado Springs, so you can trade highway miles for extra helpings of bao, fireworks photos, or one more spin at the Penny Arcade. Spots fill quickly around festival weekends—secure your place under Pikes Peak’s winter moon today. Book online or give us a call, then start planning the Year of the Snake exactly where celebration meets comfort: right here at Pikes Peak RV Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Manitou Springs Plaza truly stroller-friendly for the Lunar New Year afternoon we’re planning?
A: Yes—the plaza’s wide, level concrete walkways, curb ramps at every corner, and heated public restrooms make it easy to roll a single or double stroller from Pikes Peak RV Park to the chess-table lawn without encountering stairs or gravel.
Q: What time do the first lion and dragon dances start on the main festival Saturday?
A: On January 25 the lion dancers kick off at 9:30 a.m. inside the Ent Center lobby, with additional sets at 11:45 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4:25 p.m., while full stage shows anchor the day at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., so you can choose a slot that fits nap windows or work breaks.
Q: Where can we park an SUV or 30-ft motorhome without stress?
A: Lot D at the Ent Center opens at 6 a.m. and rarely fills before 8:15; its outer rows handle rigs up to 35 ft, and if those are taken you can pivot to the free Regent Circle garage five minutes away and still keep everything within easy walking distance.
Q: Are there seats close to the performances for those with limited mobility?
A: Ushers reserve low-step chairs and a few bleacher spots stage right at each venue; arrive about 45 minutes early to settle into a padded seat with clear sightlines and space for a cane, walker, or portable oxygen.
Q: Does the free Route 33 shuttle stop near the plaza and festival venues?
A: Yes, Route 33 loops every 20 minutes from 9:40 a.m. to 6 p.m., linking downtown Colorado Springs, the Pioneers Museum, and a stop two blocks from Manitou Springs Plaza, so you can leave your rig at the RV park and ride in heated, ADA-compliant buses.
Q: How reliable is Wi-Fi and cell service if I need to jump on a Zoom call between shows?
A: The plaza broadcasts a free 25 Mbps network near the town clock, while Verizon and AT&T average –70 dBm 5G inside the Ent Center lobby, so a headset and a tucked-away bench by the fountain or a library study pod will keep your video call smooth.
Q: I work mornings—are there afternoon performances worth catching?
A: Absolutely; the 1 p.m. stage show, the 2 p.m. lion dance at Asian Pacific Market, and the 3 p.m. ribbon-dance demo mean you can log off at noon and still enjoy three major acts before dinner.
Q: Is there a quiet spot near the festivities to take a private phone meeting?
A: Kraemer Library’s third-floor study rooms are two minutes uphill from the Ent Center, offer soundproof doors, strong Wi-Fi, and power outlets, making them perfect for a 15- to 45-minute call while drums reset.
Q: Which Lunar New Year food stalls are vegan-friendly?
A: Look for Bao Down’s tofu char-siu buns and Rice & Shine’s jackfruit dumplings, both marked with green stickers, plus the produce-aisle deli at Asian Pacific Market where vegetable spring rolls and vegan bao steam in separate baskets.
Q: Is there an Instagram-worthy lantern release or nighttime spectacle?
A: While no sky-lantern launch is planned due to fire rules, the 12-ft LED dragon arch outside the Ent Center lights up at dusk and the plaza fountains glow red from 5:30 p.m., giving you that blue-hour pop without sparking any embers.
Q: Can I safely bike from Pikes Peak RV Park to the plaza and back after dark?
A: The 0.8-mile stretch of Manitou Avenue has a painted bike lane and good street lighting, but if you ride after sunset be sure to use front-and-rear lights and high-vis gear to stay visible to cars and shuttles.
Q: How early should we roll in to beat crowds but avoid a dawn wake-up?
A: Leaving the RV park around 7:45 a.m. slides you past US-24 traffic, lands you in Lot D by 8 a.m., and still lets kids or retirees enjoy a leisurely breakfast before the first lion roars.
Q: What if a surprise snow squall hits—are events cancelled?
A: Most performances are indoors and proceed snow or shine; keep a folding shovel and traction sand in motorhomes for the parking lot, but unless major highways close, the dancers simply stomp harder and the show goes on.
Q: Are the events budget-friendly for families and fixed-income travelers?
A: Yes—entry to Manitou Springs Plaza and the Pioneers Museum crafts is free, Ent Center festival tickets run $18 for adults with kids under five free, and parking, shuttles, and most lion-dance pop-ups cost only the lucky dollar you feed the lion.