FORT CARSON, Colo. — Soldiers from Fort Carson help prepare breakfast for thousands of community members at the annual Western Street Breakfast in downtown Colorado Springs, June 18, 2025.
Service members volunteered to cook and serve nearly 1,100 pounds of pancake batter, 1,500 pounds of eggs, 10,000 sausage patties, 88 gallons of syrup, 500 gallons of coffee, 7,500 pints of milk and 2,500 pints of juice, according to the Western Street Breakfast committee.
Maj. Gen. David Doyle, former commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, welcomed the crowd to the street breakfast and introduced Maj. Gen. Patrick J. Ellis and thanked them for their support of Fort Carson.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we appreciate your support of our Soldiers and our mission at Fort Carson,” said Doyle. “Today I am giving up command to an amazing leader, Maj. Gen. Patrick Ellis, who will be the commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson.”
Approximately 60 Soldiers started setting up for the event at midnight so they could begin serving food at 5:30 a.m.
For some Soldiers it is their first time at the street breakfast.
“This is my first time working at the street breakfast, but it is a really great experience,” said Sgt. Ciera Conway, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div. “This is a good way to show the people of Colorado Springs we support the community.”
The downtown Colorado Springs roads were blocked off and 1,100 bales of hay were placed for attendees to sit on while they ate breakfast and listened to live music from Exit West, Flying W. Wranglers along with a performance by the Sweetwater Native American Hoop Dancers.
Children participated in the Western dress-up contest, practiced roping skills on hay bales and visited the kiddie coral where they received free cowboy hats and bandanas.
Fort Carson has been supporting the street breakfast for 60 years.
“I’ve never seen a partnership or a commitment between a city and the local military like Colorado Springs,” said Col. Erik Oksenvaag, Fort Carson garrison commander.
The Western Street Breakfast kicks off the start of rodeo season throughout the Pikes Peak region.
Over 200 members of the Pikes Peak Range Riders left the breakfast site on horseback for their annual four-day ride around Pikes Peak. It is the 77th year the Pikes Peak Range Riders have made this ride to promote the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo.
The rodeo runs July 8-12 at the Norris-Penrose Event Center, with July 9 dedicated to honoring Fort Carson.
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