Crystal Valley Blog

You know Halloween is just around the corner as haunted houses, haunted trails, and a pumpkin festival show up in the Castle Rock area! This weekend also offers great music from Sinatra to the Wizard of Oz! An autumn hike and the Highlands Ranch Craft Fair round out the fall events!

TODAY/TONIGHT, October 10

PARANORMAL PARTY- FOR ADULTS ONLY!
The Highlands Ranch Mansion takes on a spooky glow as Halloween approaches, and you won’t want to miss this frighteningly fun party, complete with a cash bar!  Professional paranormal investigators will be on hand to uncover the ghouls who reside in this real haunted house!

The festivities begin with a welcome reception in the ballroom and an open house where you can roam the halls in search of the many interactive spirits thought to be haunting this 100-year-old mansion. Following the reception, a spooky presentation about the haunted history of the Highlands Park Mansion and REAL evidence of paranormal activity captured right here! Then it’s “lights out” as you join the team of expert ghost hunters for a live ghost hunt IN THE DARK! You must be at least 21 to attend. Advance registration is required.

Highlands Ranch Mansion, 9950 E. Gateway Dr., Highlands Ranch
6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Tickets: $35-$40
Phone: 720-348-9509

Thursday-Sunday, October 10-13

COLLABORATIONS IN ART
Spend a long afternoon immersing yourself in contemplative art! The professionally curated PACE Center Art Gallery features Tell Me A Story, an exhibit that explores the question of where art comes from and the concept of tapping into one’s psyche for inspiration. Jennifer Meyerrose and Craig Marshall Smith are featured in Collaborations, a collection of abstract paintings with eight diptychs and four triptychs.

PACE Center Art Gallery, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
Thurs.-Sat., 9:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.; Sun., 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Phone: 303-805-6800 

NOTCHING UP ART EXHIBIT
Artists are always looking for ways to take their work “up a notch,” so this exhibit features artists who have recently upped their game in some way. Come in and peruse the adventurous strides of visual artists who are always looking for new ways to create something new!

Schoolhouse Theatre, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
Thurs.-Sat., 9:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.; Sun., 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Phone: 303-805-6800

Friday, October 11

SINATRA SENSATION
Start spreadin’ the news—the best Sinatra show in the country is back, with as Ol’ Blue Eyes himself! What better setting for those classy old tunes than a candlelight Italian dinner in a castle? Dress to the nines, grab your own Rat Pack, and make it a night you won’t forget! Dancing and audience participation is encouraged! There’s even a Meet & Greet photo opp!

Cherokee Ranch & Castle, 6113 N. Daniels Park Rd., Sedalia 
7:00 – 9:30 p.m.
Tickets: $85
Phone: 303-688-5555

Friday-Saturday, October 11-12

HAUNTED TRAIL AFTER DARK
Not only houses can be haunted! Some of the spookiest experiences are out in the wild after dark—like Castlewood Canyon State Park’s Haunted Trail! Come on out for an evening of ghost stories, tricks and treats, and of course, the spooky trail! Take a guided hike on the trail or enjoy a hayride.

Castlewood Canyon State Park, 2989 S. Highway 83, Franktown
7:00 – 9:00 p.m
Cost: FREE ($7 vehicle entrance fee to enter park)
Phone: 303-688-5242

Friday-Sunday, October 11-13

PUMPKIN FESTIVAL
Come out to pick a pumpkin and stay for the Festival! Chatfield Farms is the Botanic Gardens’ sister location—right in the neighborhood! Your ticket price includes access to the 10-acre pumpkin patch, as well as family and children’s activities. 

There will be local craft and artisan booths, food trucks, a beer vendor, as well as live bluegrass and children’s music. There’s even a magician on site! Kids will love the horse-drawn hayrides, pony rides, carnival games, a mini-maze and face painting. 

Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield, 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Rd., Littleton
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tickets: $4 – $10
Phone: 720-865-3500

WORKIN’ 9 TO 5
What a way to make a living! Dolly Parton’s classic song highlights the problems of three female office workers who are preyed upon by their creepy male chauvinistic boss. The movie from 1980 starred Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin in the uproarious feminist comedy. Don’t miss this lively stage version that’s just as funny, and just as sharp as the original!

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $29-$34
Phone: 303-841-4500

Saturday, October 12

FALL NATURE HIKE
This two-hour hike hosted by Denver Botanic Gardens will take you through spectacular vistas of the most colorful season in Colorado! The Cherokee Ranch is ablaze with burnished bronzes, purples, and golden hues. The expert guide will point out sumac and plums turning color in the gullies, oaks in shades of red and brown, and blooms on blazing stars, senecio, aster and goldenrod. 

With some luck you’ll also catch a glimpse of some of the many bird species, including the spotted towhee, scrub jays, and stellar jays. This hike is recommended for adults and children ages 10 and over.

Cherokee Ranch & Castle, 6113 N. Daniels Park Rd., Sedalia 
9:00 a.m.
Tickets: $20 – $25
Phone: 303-688-5555

BARKS AND BREWS
Attention puppy parents: if you’re also a beer aficionado, this event is custom made for you! Enjoy an afternoon of beer tasting, food truck fare, and live entertainment with the company of your four-legged best friend. You’ll meet and mingle with other pet owners and have a chance to relax at this pet-friendly center! 

Outlets at Castle Rock, 5050 Factory Shops Blvd., Castle Rock
12:00 – 3:00 p.m. 
Cost: FREE
Phone: 303-688-4495

CREEPY CRAWLIES AT THE ROCK
Get in the Halloween spirit with this FREE family-friendly creep-out event! Everyone loves squealing at creepy crawlies like snakes, spiders, toads, and hissing cockroaches (yuck!)

They’ll all be on hand, along with a spooky owl or two, as experts from Nature’s Educators tell you fun facts about these creatures.

Festival Park, 300 Second St., Castle Rock
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Cost: $10 – $20 suggested donation

THE WONDERFUL MUSIC OF OZ
It could be argued that the best part of the The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is the music—and this evening brings all the happy tunes to life with talented Broadway vocalists! You could Follow the Yellow Brick Road Somewhere Over the Rainbow If You Only Had a Brain! This magical concert is great fun for the entire family!

Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree
8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $40 – $60
Phone: 720-509-1000

Saturday-Sunday, October 12-13

HIGHLANDS RANCH FALL CRAFT FAIR
This unique craft show features exhibitors and crafters who are mostly from the Highlands Ranch area, who have gone through a rigorous jury to ensure uniqueness of product and quality of craftsmanship. If you’re tired of seeing the same recycled goods from other shows, be ready to be pleasantly surprised by the freshness of the products here!

This two-day show features a diverse collection of exhibitors creating anything and everything handcrafted. Items include jewelry, bath products, pottery, wooden crafts, floral arrangements, wreaths, baby and children’s articles, fused glass, and hand knit items. The Fall Craft Show is the perfect place to find that one-of-a-kind handcrafted gift!

Eastridge Rec Center, 9568 University Blvd., Highlands Ranch
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE
Phone: 303-888-0423

Sunday, October 13

SUPERHERO ACADEMY
Bring out the superhero in your child at the Superhero Academy! Kids will have tons of fun training with their favorite superheroes on the path to becoming one of them! Games, adventures, and obstacle course training all lead up to a ceremony where children pledge to uphold the Superhero Code. 

Costumes are encouraged for maximum fun! Reservations include power snacks with superhero beverages, a game prize, and a photo opportunity with the Superheroes in the Castle!

Cherokee Ranch & Castle, 6113 N. Daniels Park Rd., Sedalia 
2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Tickets: $35
Phone: 303-688-5555

All Sorts of Fun Near Crystal Valley!

There’s no shortage of things to do near the master-planned community of Crystal Valley! 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.