Holiday Shopping Events This Weekend!
Two great shopping opportunities await you this weekend, just in time for holiday shopping. The Hometown Holiday & Winter Market in Highlands Ranch is a FREE winter wonderland with festivities and Santa, as well as unique gift items. The Home and Holiday Show at Douglas County Events Center is part home show, part holiday shopping extravaganza!
Thursday-Sunday, December 5-8
SANTA’S IN THE HOUSE
Santa is at the Outlets all weekend long, ready to hear what your kids are wishing for. Come on out for one-stop holiday festivities! You find the best deals on everyone’s wish list, while the kids get to pose for pictures with Old St. Nick!
Outlets at Castle Rock, 5050 Factory Shops Blvd., Castle Rock
Thurs./Fri., 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Sat., 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.; Sun., 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Information: FREE
Phone: 303-688-4495
FROZEN JR. ON STAGE
Who doesn’t love Frozen? Now see it live on stage, acted by three different casts of wonderful young actors! The stage version of the story takes you even deeper into the bond between the sisters, Princesses Anna and Elsa. The familiar story is loaded with all the adventure, magic, and humor of the movie, complete with the songs you know and love!
The Castle Pines cast will perform on Thursday and the Saturday late show; the Motsenboker Campus cast will perform both Friday performances; and the Lincoln Meadows Campus cast will perform the early Saturday show and Sunday.
The Schoolhouse Theater, 19650 Mainstreet, Parker
Thurs., 6:30 p.m.; Fri., 2:30 and 7:00 p.m.; Sat. 2:00 and 7:00 p.m.; Sun., 6:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15
Phone: 303-841-4500
Friday, December 6
HOMETOWN HOLIDAY & WINTER MARKET
This winter wonderland of festivities and shopping is FREE and a fantastic way to get into the holiday spirit! While you are browsing unique gift items, you will also enter a zone of entertainment and community warmth. There will be caroling, delicious food, entertainment, and of course, Santa Claus! Bring the whole family to enjoy this festive seasonal event.
Town Center South, 9344 Dorchester St., Highlands Ranch
4:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Friday-Sunday, December 6-8
HOME AND HOLIDAY SHOW
At the intersection of the holidays and home improvement is the Home and Holiday Show in Castle Rock! More than a place to get some great decorating ideas, this is the home show that also features vendors and designs that can transform your home into a dream come true!
Douglas County Events Center, 500 Fairgrounds Dr., Castle Rock
Fri./Sat., 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Sun., 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
A CLASSIC PARKER HOLIDAY
Music is the centerpiece of holiday spirit, and this lovely community concert will deliver delightfully with traditional carols, familiar songs, and a few surprises! The beloved Parker Chorale and renowned Parker Symphony Orchestra pair up to present a program that will have you singing right along! Bring the whole family and make this a holiday tradition.
PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $24-$29
Phone: 303-841-4500
SANTA IN SPACE
Bring the kids to this special venue to see Santa—among the planes and space displays! The kids will enjoy hot cocoa, food, and activities, and you’ll have a chance to check out the exhibits at the Exploration of Flight. Everyone will be thrilled to try out experiential simulators and learn all about the future of space flight!
Exploration of Flight, 13005 Wings Way, Englewood
Fri.. 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.; Sun., 12:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $25 per family
Phone: 303-360-5360
Saturday, December 7
WINTER NATURE HIKE
If you are more in the mood for a great hike than tackling the crowds at the mall, you won’t want to miss this spectacular hike hosted by the Denver Botanic Gardens! This is a great family hike for kids ages 10 and over, as well as adults of all ages. It may seem like the “dormant” season, but your wise naturalist guides will show you the many ways that nature does NOT go to sleep!
Check out two species of Chickadees and Nuthatches that never stop in their search for food, and glimpse the last lingering hints of flowers. You will be surprised at how many evergreens there really are—not just pines and junipers and Oregon grape, but many of our native shrubs. Plants may not care how you dress, but the birds will notice, so take care not to wear white or bright colors.
Cherokee Ranch & Castle, 6113 N. Daniels Park Rd., Sedalia
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$25
Phone: 303-688-5555
MEET MRS. CLAUS
For a cozy holiday afternoon, bring the kids to the Hilltop Schoolhouse in Parker for a visit with Mrs. Claus! She will be serving delicious Christmas cookies and hot chocolate, and looks forward to reading from the large selection of books from the 1900s. Afterwards, kids will make their own ornaments with Mrs. Claus’ expert help! Please bring a donation of $5 or a new gift for a child in the local area.
Hilltop Schoolhouse, 5748 Flintwood Rd., Parker
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Information: FREE (donation encouraged)
Phone: 303-660-1616
STORIES AND S’MORES
Christmas storytelling around a fire, complete with s’mores and hot chocolate—what could be better? Bring your own blanket or lawn chairs to get comfortable, and make sure to dress for the weather.
Kids will love hearing stories from Buddy the Elf, characters from Frozen, and members from the local fire and police departments. Santa will wrap up the event with ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.
Festival Park, 300 Second St., Castle Rock
5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Phone: 720-724-2010
POLAR EXPRESS – FREE SCREENING
A fun family event to get in the holiday spirit! The Polar Express will be screened on the Extreme Screen followed by a special visit from Santa. If you are feeling wild, stay for the elf visit after you talk to Santa!
While this event is FREE, it is also a fundraiser for a great organization called Shoe4Africa, which has built the first pediatric cancer hospital in all of sub-Saharan Africa. 9 out of 10 children with cancer in Africa die from it, while 9 out of 10 children in the U.S. with cancer survive. This hospital and your generous donation can change the statistic for African children!
CU South Denver, 10035 S. Peoria St., Lone Tree
5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE (donation suggested)
Saturday – Sunday, December 7-8
A VERY CHERRY CHRISTMAS
Your favorite holiday tunes will be performed by the Cherry Creek Chorale and the Lone Tree Symphony Orchestra! This festive concert displays the talent of your friends and neighbors, the musicians and vocalists who make up these renowned community treasures.
The program will feature Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus from The Messiah, as well as lovely choral tunes such as Ocho Kandelikas, Jingle Bells, and more.
Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree
Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $14-$26
Phone: 720-509-1000
Sunday, December 8
JINGLE AND MINGLE
Mickey’s Christmas Carol on the Giant Screen is the front and center event at this holiday party especially for kids! Santa will also be available for photo opps, and kids will enjoy fun holiday-themed activities and crafts. Milk and cookies will be served—with coffee for parents—and there will even be a Happy Elf cash bar for guests that are 21+. Kids ages 3 and under are free.
CU South Denver, 10035 S. Peoria St., Lone Tree
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15
Phone: 303-315-9434
SANTA CARES
Some kids need a little quiet time more than others—and Santa knows. He has set aside this special time at the Outlets at Castle Rock for a warm, quiet environment with sensory activities that will help reduce behavioral triggers associated with this bustling time of year for a perfect picture with Santa.
The center will be providing a warm and quiet wait space, eliminating the need to stand in line and providing special activities such as coloring books and special sensory books from the Douglas County Library that will keep children engaged and prepare them for their visit with Santa.
Outlets at Castle Rock, 5050 Factory Shops Blvd., Castle Rock
10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Register: FREE
Phone: 303-688-4495
CHRISTMAS PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
The award-winning Colorado Springs Children’s Chorale will take you on a journey starting in the streets of Victorian England to current day holiday scenes and finally into a world we all wish to see.
‘Tis the Season—Past, Present & Future includes Old English carols as well as current holiday favorites. There is something for everyone in this wide-ranging program. Pikes Peak Center will be beautifully decorated, putting you in the holiday spirit even before the concert begins, with music from the CSCC’s youngest group, the Choral Academy, in the lobby at 2:15.
Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs
3:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$25
Phone: 719-960-4725
Holiday Season in Crystal Valley!
Living in the master-planned community of Crystal Valley means there’s always something happening nearby — especially now, during the holiday season. You can get back to nature and still have easy access to all your favorite activities in the Castle Rock area. With beautiful model homes from D.R. Horton, Century Communities, Kauffman Homes, and Richmond American Homes, it’s easy to picture yourself in your own new home, priced from the $300s.
