Manitou Springs Library Lawn Concert Series: Jeremy Facknitz

The Pikes Peak Library District is proud to present the 2025 Manitou Springs Library Lawn Concert Series! Concerts will be on Wednesdays in June and July, 6 - 7:30 p.m.  

This season's concert series will be held outdoors on the lawn of the newly renovated Manitou Springs Carnegie Library.  Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy the music of this summer concert series.

This first concert of the series features the music of Jeremy Facknitz. From his website: 

Jeremy Facknitz has been entertaining audiences with his lovingly crafted music and high-energy performances for over a quarter century. Since the 2002 break-up of his Detroit-based band "The Ottomans" (they earned a 2001 Detroit Music Award for Best New Alternative Band, beating out "The White Stripes"), Jeremy has performed primarily as a solo act, marrying folk-rock and jazz stylings to showcase his intimate stories of life, love, and self-discovery.  

But from 2003 to 2017, those stories seemed to fall on deaf ears. Facknitz carved out a living performing at bars, coffeeshops, and corporate events while teaching lessons on the side. "I was happy to be making a living performing music, but my original music wasn't being heard - and as the years passed I found myself more and more frustrated playing to little more than the din of drunken conversation." Things came to a head on July 17th, 2017 when Jeremy was diagnosed with viral meningitis. "I came face to face with my mortality, and I realized it was time for a change. I quit performing at bars and spent the next year making the leap to house concerts, touring, and performing solely for listening audiences."  

The leap has paid off. Jeremy was named a top 24 finalist in the 2020, 2022 and 2025 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Songwriting Competitions at Kerrville Folk Festival. His song "Smilin' At The Future" made him an Empower (Posi) Music Award Winner in 2023.

While occasionally performing with his 6 piece band in Colorado, Jeremy continues to tour solo - performing at house concerts and listening rooms in the United States, Canada and Europe. His 6th solo album "Smilin' At The Future" was released March 31st, 2023 to worldwide critical acclaim.

Find out more about him and his music at jeremyfacknitz.com. (Photo credit: Steve Willis)

In case of inclement weather, concerts will be cancelled, with announcements on ppld.org.