Crystal Valley Blog

Once the Star in Castle Rock is lit, it’s official—the holiday season has arrived! Usher it in this weekend with a bunch of family-friendly activities designed to get you in the holiday spirit. From seasonal concerts and dance performances to chili cook-offs, you’ll find plenty to put you in a holiday mood!

Thursday-Sunday, November 18-21

FINAL WEEKEND FOR CLUE
It’s your last chance to help the detectives figure out whodunnit in this entertaining musical version of the board game Clue—the show closes on Sunday! You know the setup: six suspects, six rooms, six possible murder weapons, and only one correct combination that must be determined by process of elimination. Everyone in the audience gets a score pad to keep track of the clues and help deduce the solution. 

The Schoolhouse Theater, 19650 Mainstreet, Parker
Thurs./Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $29
Phone: 303-805-6800

Friday, November 19

CRAFTY THANKSGIVING
Treat your little ones, ages 18 months to 6 years old, to a fun craft workshop where they’ll create their very own turkey centerpiece for the Thanksgiving table! Makes a great gift for grandma or to proudly display in your own home. Children must be accompanied by a caregiver.

Kidcreate Studio Parker, 19539 Hess Rd., Parker
11:00 a.m.
Tickets: $20
Phone: 303-731-6801

WINTER WINE WALK
It will be a holly jolly shopping spree when you get to sip wine along the way! This special Winter Wine Walk features wines and special holiday concoctions from more than two dozen Downtown Parker merchants. Grab some friends and enjoy time holiday shopping together.

Price includes 10 one-ounce tastes, a wine glass, and a wine walk map.

Mainstreet at Pikes Peak Dr., Parker
4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$25

FULL MOON HIKE
You’ll appreciate the light from the full moon when you go on this guided hike in the backcountry! Without flashlights or the glow of civilization, you’ll be treated to a luminous trek through trees and bushes. Your senses will be on high alert as the naturalist guide points out how humans and animals see in the darkness versus the daylight.

Backcountry Wilderness Area Base Camp, 6005 Ron King Trail, Highlands Ranch
5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Register: $7-$10
Phone: 303-471-7052

KIDS NIGHT IN
Parents, enjoy a night out while your kids enjoy a night in! This is the perfect night of activities for kids ages 3-12—dinner, swimming, crafts, and then a screening of the movie Dumbo!

When parents return, kids will be ready for bed!

Recreation Center at Southridge, 4800 McArthur Ranch Rd., Highlands Ranch
5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Register: $25-$29
Phone: 303-471-7020

Friday-Saturday, November 19-20

DIVE INTO SOUND
This fun interactive workshop for pre-schoolers explores the world of sound. Geoff Waring’s Oscar and the Bat will be the take-off point for a journey to learn all about different sounds and how they work. Kids and their family members can then visit the make-believe sound factory to make their very own instruments, then sing and play songs. One registration includes the entire family!

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Tickets: $15-$17
Phone: 303-805-6800

BOB SAGET FOR ADULTS
He may be best known for family-friendly TV shows like Full House and America’s Funniest Home Videos, but when Bob Saget performs his outrageous standup comedy, it is definitely for adults only! For over thirty years, Saget has been embracing his dark side through standup comedy, as well as starring in his own HBO special, That Ain’t Right, and the Netflix series, Fuller House. Most recently, Saget hosted and wrote the ABC series, Videos After Dark, featuring home videos with an edgier twist.

Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Pl., Greenwood Village
Fri., 7:15 and 9:45 p.m.; Sat., 9:45 p.m.
Tickets: $42
Phone: 720-274-6800

Saturday, November 20

HAM RADIO SHOWCASE
Here’s an opportunity that doesn’t come up every day! Join the Parker Radio Association for an amateur radio showcase and learn what it takes to become an amateur radio operator. This special group of volunteers will have a tented radio station on site with both HF (High Frequency) and VHF/UHF (Very High Frequency/Ultra High Frequency) radios with antennas. Anyone attending will be able to get on the air and make both US and International contacts using the Special Event Call Sign and equipment!

Exploration of Flight, 13005 Wings Way, Englewood
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tickets: $4-$10
Phone: 303-360-5360

OOEY GOOEY SCIENCE
Head out into nature where it doesn’t matter if you spill or make a mess! This hands-on educational program for 7 to 10 year olds is the perfect excuse to get outside and learn some chemistry while having fun. 

Backcountry Wilderness Area Base Camp, 6005 Ron King Trail, Highlands Ranch
11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Register: $30-$34
Phone: 303-471-7052

CHILI COOK-OFF
Have you got the best chili recipe ever? Then you’ll want to enter it in the Mile High Harley-Davidson’s holiday chili cook-off! If you simply love EATING chili, you’ll also want to come and sample all the tasting offerings! Mile-High gift cards of $25 to $100 will be awarded as prizes. Wear your favorite team jersey for a spin at the prize wheel!

Mile High Harley-Davidson of Parker, 6280 East Pine Ln., Parker
11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Information: FREE

PRE-STARLIGHTING CONCERT
Before heading over to the afternoon’s Startlighting festivities, stop by the Castle Rock branch of the Douglas County Library where kids can enjoy some games, and there will be a cello concert featuring classical renditions of favorite holiday songs!

DCL in Castle Rock, 100 S. Wilcox St., Castle Rock
12:00 – 3:15 p.m.
Register: FREE
Phone: 303-791-7323

WINTER AROUND THE WORLD
You’ll get a sampling of holiday music from all around the globe when the Denver Concert Band presents their annual holiday concert! The first half of the program is filled with classical tunes you know and love, while the second half explores the holiday season, including the piece Russian Christmas Music. This concert is fun for all ages—and rumor has it that a certain special couple from the North Pole may be in attendance!

Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons Street, Lone Tree
2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5-$23
Phone: 720-509-1000

CASTLE ROCK STARLIGHTING!
One of the biggest events of the year, Castle Rock’s annual Lighting of the Star takes place all afternoon into evening! It will be a festive day for the whole family, with caroling, dancing, food trucks, nonprofit booths, strolling entertainers, and live entertainment. The Starlighting ceremony will begin at 5:00 p.m., with the actual lighting of the Star at approximately 5:30 p.m.

Wilcox Square and Surrounding Streets, Castle Rock 
2:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Information: FREE

FIREFIGHTER CHILI SUPPER
If the cold air at the Starlighting Festival has worked up your appetite, plan on warming up and filling your stomach at the Castle Rock Professional Firefighters’ 86th Annual Chili Supper! They’ll be serving beef chili, nachos, hot dogs, drinks, and dessert. All proceeds will go to Castle Rock Fire Explorer Post 107 and Colorado Professional Fire Fighters Foundation (a non-profit organization).

Castle Rock Fire Station 151, 300 Perry St.,  Castle Rock
2:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Information

NUTCRACKER HIGHLIGHTS
This special abbreviated performance of the classic holiday tradition, The Nutcracker, is perfect for families with young children. You’ll experience the same magic of the original ballet as Clara journeys with her Nutcracker Prince to meet the Sugar Plum Fairy, but the one-hour performance is better suited to shorter attention spans. The International Youth Ballet has returned to dazzle audiences with their talent and dedication! 

Recreation Center at Southridge, 4800 McArthur Ranch Rd., Highlands Ranch
7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $8-$11
Phone: 303-471-7020

Sunday, November 21

THE NUTCRACKER—A SUITE OF SORTS
In yet another adaptation of the classic ballet, you’ll be treated to the story of Clara, whose nutcracker doll turns into a real life Nutcracker Prince. The tale then follows the pair on their magical adventure to the Land of Sweets. Performed by local talented young dancers from the Denver Academy of Ballet, this is a special holiday treat for the entire family!

Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons Street, Lone Tree
12:00 and 4:30 p.m.
Tickets: $22-$40
Phone: 720-509-1000

A COWBOY CHRISTMAS
Beloved singer-songwriter Michael Martin Murphy has been topping the charts for more than 50 years. He blends country, western, and bluegrass but is best known for his pop hits Wildfire, Carolina in the Pines, What’s Forever For, and Long Line of Love. He’s back this year with his crowd-pleasing traditional holiday show, A Cowboy Christmas!

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
6:00 p.m.
Tickets: $54 – $74
Phone: 303-805-6800

Music, Classes and More Near Crystal Valley!

Enjoy life in Castle Rock within minutes from the master-planned community of Crystal Valley – where nature is around every corner of the neighborhood! Looking for a new home you can add your signature style to? Check out the beautiful model homes from Kauffman Homes, Richmond American Homes, D.R. Horton, and Century Communities, and picture yourself in your very own dream house! With ranch and two-story models available, new homes are priced from the low $400s.