Things to Do in Pueblo Sept. 17-25: Go bicycling, gaze at red pandas, gorge on Pueblo chile

Saturday, Sept. 17

Bike the Bessemer Tour

Starts at 1587 36th Lane | 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. | The Palmer Land Conservancy will lead an easy, 11-mile educational bike ride to showcase Pueblo County’s premier agricultural lands and water resources. Stops at local farms and farm stands will enable participants to purchase some fresh produce and the conservancy staff will shuttle it back to their cars. Following the ride, participants can enjoy a farm-to-table lunch featuring locally sourced ingredients. Cost is $50 per person. Register at palmerland.org.

Walk to End Alzheimers at Gateway Park on the River Walk

101 S. Union Ave. | 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.| The Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's is raising funds and awareness for the fight against Alzheimer's and all other dementia. Visit alz.org/walk for more information and to register.

Diversify Whitewater paddling skills day at Lake Pueblo State Park

640 Pueblo Reservoir Road | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.| The first session is 9 a.m. to noon, lunch runs from noon to 1 p.m. and the second session runs from 1-4 p.m. The event is open to anyone age 3 or older who identifies as Black, indigenous, a person of color or ally. The event is free. Register online.

Red Panda Day at Pueblo Zoo

3455 Nuckolls Ave. | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Celebrate International Red Panda Day with special zookeeper chats, lots of crafts, and information on a zoo favorite. Participation is free with zoo admission. Admission is $14 for adults, $11 for seniors or military, $10 for children ages 3-17 or $7 for military children. Up to four people with an EBT card can get Museums for All admission for $3.

Artisan Textile Co. Fashion Show at Renewed Wholesale

720 S. Main St. | 5-9 p.m. | Celebrate creativity and beauty with guest artists from the Handweavers Guild of Pueblo and professional weaver and designer Lois Weaver. Gregory Howell of Kadoya Gallery will be master of ceremonies and Metrognome, a local jazz ensemble, will perform from 7-9 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Reservations are required as seating is limited. Tickets are available for $5 at eventbrite.com.

Free Museum Day at El Pueblo History Museum

301 N. Union Ave. | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | The Smithsonian-sponsored free museum day allows participants to download one ticket per email address. The ticket provides general admission for two people. Get tickets at smithsonianmag.com.

Tom Taylor Artist Talk at Sangre De Cristo Arts and Conference Center

210 N. Santa Fe Ave. | 5 p.m.| Tom Taylor, also known as The Poet Spiel, will read from his work "Revealing Self." The event is free and open to the public. Find out more at sdc-arts.org.

Sunday, Sept. 18

Fundraiser breakfast at Our Lady of the Meadows

23 Starling Drive | 8:30-10:30 a.m. | Knights of Columbus members will host the breakfast in the church basement featuring scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, green chile, coffee and orange juice. Cost is $7 a plate.

Tuesday, Sept. 20

Pickleball Courts Ribbon Cutting at Mineral Palace Park

151 E. 19th St. | 10 a.m. |The city of Pueblo will celebrate the grand opening of eight new pickleball courts. The project has been in the works for more than five years. Pickleball is among one of the fastest growing recreational sports in the country and players use plastic wiffle balls and paddles similar to ping pong or table tennis. The rules and play of the game are a combination of table tennis, badminton and tennis. Pueblo County Pickleball Association members will demonstrate the sport and the public is invited to join in following the ceremony.

Friday, Sept. 23 – Sunday, Sept. 25

28th annual Chile & Frijoles Festival

Union Avenue | 3 p.m. to midnight Friday, 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday | This annual event celebrating Pueblo's favorite pepper will feature live entertainment, more than 180 street vendors, roasted Pueblo chile sales, a chili and salsa showdown, hot air balloon festival, Chihuahua parade and jalapeno eating contest. Presale tickets are $5 on the Greater Pueblo chamber website or $6 at the gate.

Saturday, Sept. 24

17th annual Pueblo West Eagles Benefit Car Show at Lovell Park

362 E. Hahn's Peak Ave. | 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. | The event lineup will feature a car show, music, silent auction and food sales. Entry fee is $20 for cars and free for spectators. Proceeds will benefit Halfway Home Pueblo, a nonprofit youth resource center dedicated to educating and mentoring children.

Chile Festival Fly In at Pueblo Memorial Airport

31201 Bryan Circle | Visitors should arrive by 9:45 a.m. or 1:45 p.m. | This event for recreational pilots includes a shuttle to the Pueblo Chile and Frijoles Festival, which runs at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. with last return of the day at 5 p.m., as well as free admission to the festival, free admission to the Pueblo Weisbrod Aviation Museum and special fuel pricing from Freeman Jet Center. Call 719-553-2760 for details.

Ballet Folklórico dance groups at El Pueblo History Museum

301 N. Union Ave. |11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Folklorico dancers from Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Denver, California and Illinois will perform on the museum's front lawn. The event is free with chile festival admission.

NeighborWorks of Southern Colorado home raffle final ticket sales

Located at the Chile & Frijoles Festival on Union Avenue | 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday| For the price of a $100 raffle ticket, Puebloans can enter to win a $365,000 home on the city's west side as NeighborWorks of Southern Colorado celebrates its 45th anniversary. The three-bedroom, two-bath home at 2407 W. 19th St. in the Hyde Park Gardens subdivision will be raffled during the 5:30 p.m., Sept. 30, annual fundraising dinner at the Pueblo Convention Center, 320 Central Main St.

Want us to include your event in this calendar? Send details by email, with "Things to Do" in the subject line, to tharmon@chieftain.com. The calendar is available online and is published in the paper on Fridays.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo activities Sept. 17-25: Chile and Frijoles Festival approaches