Entry No. 46 — the Pueblo file — filed under: hands-on
Elev8 Premier Glass Studio
About 45 minutes up I-25 from Pueblo, Elev8 runs a real working glass studio where beginners with zero experience get roughly three hours of torch time. Under an experienced glassblower's eye, you create your own piece start to finish, such as a marble or pendant, and take everything you make home that day. It is a hot, hands-on, genuinely memorable session rather than a passive demo.
The story
Most craft workshops give you an apron, a tiny paintbrush, and enough adult supervision to ensure you don't ruin the floorboards. Elev8 Premier Glass Studio runs on a completely different wavelength. Tucked away on East Platte Avenue in Colorado Springs, this is a working production glass shop where you are seated in front of an open torch flame with raw borosilicate glass in hand.
If you're making the 45-mile drive up I-25 from Pueblo, you aren't paying to sit behind plexiglass and applaud a demonstration. Elev8 puts total beginners through roughly three full hours of active torch time during their four-hour introductory class. Guided step-by-step by an experienced resident glassblower, you learn how to read heat, manipulate molten glass, and weld design elements into a finished pendant or marble that you take home the exact same day.
What it's like
Expect real shop heat, focused intensity, and zero fluff. You'll need to book your slot in advance for a late-morning session, and make sure to wear natural fiber clothing—synthetics and open flames do not mix. Once safety protocols are clear, your instructor gets you right onto the bench. You'll spend the next four hours leaning into the glow of the torch, melting glass rods, and shaping your own work. You will walk out with warm glass in your pocket and soot-dusted hands.
The move: Drive up for the four-hour beginner glassblowing class and each shape your own glass pendant or marble at the torch.
📍 Before you go Classes typically start late morning and run about four hours by reservation; book ahead and plan the ~45-mile drive.
- 📍 Colorado Springs
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 6331 E Platte Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80915
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- The Glass Collective by Sassy Glassy — Compare torch-based flame working with sheet glass techniques by visiting this studio less than six miles away for stained glass and fusing.
- Supernova Bar and Arcade — After spending four hours focused on intense heat and flame control, head downtown for a cold drink and vintage cabinet games.
- Gather Food Studio & Spice Shop — Turn your trip north into a full day of tactile learning by pairing torch work with a small-group cooking class in Old Colorado City.
Good to know
Do I need any previous glassworking experience?
Not a bit. The beginner workshop is designed specifically for people who have zero torch time or glassblowing history.
What do I get to make during the class?
You will shape solid borosilicate glass into your own custom piece—such as a glass pendant or marble—and take home everything you make that day.
How long is the class and when does it run?
Classes are four hours long (with about three hours of active torch work), typically start in the late morning, and require advance reservations.
How far is Elev8 Premier Glass Studio from Pueblo?
It is located at 6331 E Platte Ave in Colorado Springs, about a 45-minute drive (roughly 45 miles) straight north up I-25.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Tripadvisor
last checked: 2026-06-23