Crystal Valley Blog

It’s not too late to cram in some final summer activities before school starts and the leaves begin to turn. Days are still hot, so why not spend a refreshing morning paddling on Reuter-Hess Reservoir? Or you could take the family to a movie in the park or check out Castle Rock’s good old-fashioned Street Party. There’s still plenty of summer fun left in and around Crystal Valley!

TODAY through August 15

WIN AN $8,000 LANDSCAPE MAKEOVER!
Ready to give up your sprinklers and recycle your watering cans? Enter Castle Rock’s ColoradoScape Makeover contest, and you could win an $8,000 water-wise lawn makeover! 

The winner will receive a personalized landscape re-design by a team of experts who will transform your water-sucking yard into a a vibrant, colorful and seasonal landscape that is more conducive to our arid Colorado environment. To enter, post a 15- to 30-second video about “why your yard sucks” on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, using the tag @CRgov.

The Town of Castle Rock
Now through August 15
Information: FREE

TODAY/TONIGHT, August 8

JAZZ AT THE MANSION
This is one classy evening! Ladies, pull out your favorite cocktail dress, and gents, polish those shoes—and make your way over to the Highlands Ranch Mansion for a night of soulful jazz! Heidi Schmidt’s incomparable vocals will take your breath away. 

Backed by a live band, Schmidt will perform the jazzy hits and classic songs you love, while the historic Highlands Ranch Mansion provides the perfect backdrop for a jazz performance. This event is intended for a 21 and older audience.

Highlands Ranch Mansion, 9950 E. Gateway Dr., Highlands Ranch
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$25
Phone: 720-348-9509

Thursday-Friday, August 8-9

TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE BAR
Stargazing at an outdoor party with live music—what could be better? When all of the above occurs at a castle! The Cherokee Ranch presents a stellar show—just by looking up! The Castle Pines Astronomy Club will have two telescopes for viewing the night sky from the castle tower, and a cash bar will be on hand for libations and delicious bites. Topping it off is a live guitarist to set the mood! Reservations are required, and all guests must be 21 and over. 

Cherokee Ranch, 6113 N. Daniels Park Rd., Sedalia
Thurs., 5:30 p.m.; Fri., 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $22 – $30
Phone: 303-688-5555

Friday, August 9

SUMMER STREET PARTY
You know summer is in full swing when it’s time for Castle Rock’s annual Street Party and concert under the lights! Fun for the entire family, there will be FREE bounce houses for the kids, local food vendors, and great live music all evening.

Don’t miss your chance to party with your friends and neighbors before summer disappears!

Festival Park and Wilcox Square, Castle Rock
6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Phone: 303-688-7488

DRAGONS IN THE PARK
Many How to Train Your Dragon fans consider the third film to be the best of the bunch. See if you agree when Highlands Ranch screens How to Train Your Dragon 3 at their Movies in the Park series, in beautiful Civic Green Park. Bring a blanket and your family and friends! Nothing is more fun than an outdoor movie!

Civic Green Park, 9370 Ridgeline Blvd., Highlands Ranch
8:30 – 10:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE

Friday-Sunday, August 9-11

FREAKY FRIDAY ON STAGE
Everyone knows and loves the Disney films, based on the popular 1972 novel, about what happens when a mother and daughter swap places with each other, each trapped in the other’s body. To make matters worse, the mother is upright and uptight, while her daughter is a free spirit who borders on the irresponsible. To break the spell and get back into their own bodies, the two must first come to an understanding of each other.

This entertaining musical stage adaptation features a book by the writer of the beloved TV hits Friday Night Lights and Parenthood, with music and lyrics by the creators of Next to Normal. Produced by the renowned Inspire Theatre Company, the production features talented young performers from their Theatre Training Program.

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15
Phone: 303-805-6800 

Saturday, August 10

RACE FOR REECE
If you feel good after completing a 10K or 5K run or a one-mile walk, you’re guaranteed to feel even better about completing this one. Reece Rubino was born in 2007 and diagnosed with Type 1 Spinal Muscular Atrophy at three months old. His parents were determined to find out everything they could about the disease and do their part to contribute to research that would benefit Reece and his condition.

The Rubino family decided to reach out to their community and organize a 10K/5K race and one-mile walk to benefit their family’s fight to keep Reece at home and in the care of his family. So Reece’s Roundup was created, with all funds from the race going into the Reece Rubino Fund. These funds help supplement all the things their health insurance will not cover and are a great blessing to this family.

7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Philip S. Miller Park, Challenge Hill, 1375 W. Plum Creek Pkwy., Castle Rock
Registration: $35-$55

LATE SUMMER HIKE
Late summer is an excellent time to observe the bounty of both flora and fauna in the hills of Cherokee Ranch, hosted by tour guides from the Denver Botanic Gardens.

You may see three different species of hummingbirds as they stop to feed to store up energy on their way to Central America for the winter. Or maybe you’ll glimpse a Mountain or Western Bluebird with their young. There is no better place to soak up the sun than on a late summer plant hike and bird-watching adventure! 

Cherokee Ranch, 6113 N. Daniels Park Rd., Sedalia
8:00-10:00 a.m.
Tickets: $20-$25
Phone: 303-688-5555

GET INSPIRED BY RUDY
Fans of football and underdog stories will love this inspiring movie about a boy with a dream of playing football for Notre Dame who doesn’t stand a chance. Rudy will make you want to get up off the couch and follow your own dream!

Better than a drive-in and much cheaper than the cineplex, Movies in the Park are the fun FREE way to see movies this summer! The town of Parker presents a screening of Rudy this week at dusk in O’Brien Park. Pack a picnic, bring a blanket or lawn chairs, and sit back and enjoy the show!

O’Brien Park, 10795 Victorian Dr., Parker
6:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Phone: 303-841-4268

LOST 80S LIVE CONCERT!
This is the authentic way to relive the best Modern Rock from the 1980s—with the original bands and artists! The amazing lineup includes the real bands, straight from the decade when life was fun! 

This dynamic outdoor concert features A Flock of Seagulls with Wang Chung, Missing Persons, The Tubes, The Motels, Farrington and Mann, original members of When in Rome UK, The Vapors, Book of Love, Boys Don’t Cry, Escape Club, Real Life, and Dramarama! Dig out your favorite 80s-inspired clothing and head over to Fiddler’s Green for a night of your favorite tunes from yesteryear!

Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Greenwood Village
6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $26.50-$79.95
Phone: 303-623-7876

Sunday, August 11

PADDLE DAYS AT RUETER-HESS RESERVOIR
By now you’ve probably heard all about Rueter-Hess Reservoir’s Paddle Days. Why not see for yourself how refreshing it is to get out on the water?

Load up the family, call your friends, and bring your own raft, kayak, or paddle board for a morning of fun and exploration on the reservoir. Registration is required.

Rueter-Hess Reservoir, Hess Road, one mile east of I-25 at the Castle Pines Parkway exit
7:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Registration: $10
Phone: 720-733-3569

HIGHLANDS RANCH FARMERS’ MARKET
Everyone loves fresh-from-the-farm Colorado produce, and August is the time to get it at its peak! Treat your family to a morning of quality time, perusing booths full of fruits and vegetables, breads, pastas, sauces, flowers, and more. Don’t forget your shopping bags—you may end up buying more than you can carry!

Town Center South, 9288 Dorchester St., Highlands Ranch 
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m
Cost: FREE

THE GUESS WHO
Canada’s most famous rock band from the 1960s is still around and better than ever! You’ll think you’ve gone back in time to when concerts really did rock you to your core. When paired with the magnificent outdoor venue, The Amphitheater at Philip S. Miller Park, this evening will be an over-the-top entertainment experience!

The Amphitheater at Philip S. Miller Park, 1375 W. Plum Creek Pkwy., Castle Rock
6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$55
Phone: 720-724-2010 

Still Summer in Crystal Valley!

Away from it all, but close to everything, the master-planned community of Crystal Valley offers access to scads of “it’s still summer” things to do weekdays and weekends! If you’re in the area, stop by the amazing model homes from Century Communities, D.R. Horton, Kauffman Homes, and Richmond American Homes, and find out why our community is among the top five fastest-growing in the state with new homes priced from the $300s.