Crystal Valley Blog

You’ll find a variety of ways to celebrate St. Paddy’s day in the Castle Rock area—from in-person events like a 5K run or a Front Range scavenger hunt to exciting virtual activities like a live-streamed concert direct from Ireland! And great news for comedy fans—live stand-up comedy is back!

TODAY/TONIGHT, March 11

HAPPY HIKER HOUR
Tonight’s Happy Hour heads to the backcountry for an exhilarating hike before you enjoy dollar beers with friends! The hiking portion of this event is free, but registration is required. Grab some pals or meet some new ones, and soak up some of that wonderful Colorado sunshine!

Backcountry Wilderness Area, 6005 Ron King Trail, Highlands Ranch 
4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Register: FREE
Phone: 303-471-7052

ST. PATRICK’S DAY VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR
No need to leave home to meet up with your virtual Happy Hour friends! Get in the mood for St. Paddy’s day when you learn how to mix all kinds of Irish cocktails.

Be sure to stock up in advance with the libations of your choice from the shopping list so you can mix along!

HRCA Livestream
6:30 p.m.
Register: FREE
Phone: 303-791-4100

Thursday-Sunday, March 11-14

TIMELY PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT
Don’t miss this visually stunning photography show that is a haunting reflection of life in these particular times. The theme of the juried show is Alternative Facts, and the wide-ranging images have captured both the beauty and the sorrow of the present moment.

The exhibit includes works by over three dozen talented photographers, including artistically manipulated pieces that more closely resemble illustrations as well as abstract portraits, breathtaking landscapes, and quite a few photos of fish!

The PACE Center Art Gallery, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
Call to confirm hours
Tickets: FREE
Phone: 303-805-6800

FINDERS KEEPERS SCAVENGER HUNT
The hunt is on! When you sign up for the FREE Finders Keepers game on Outlets at Castle Rock’s Instagram page, you’ll receive daily clues to puzzle over. Be the first to solve the clue and head to the corresponding location, and you’ll find a gold envelope with instructions about how to claim your prize! This socially-distanced scavenger hunt takes place all along the Front Range. Prizes are valued at over $100!

Outlets at Castle Rock, 5050 Factory Shops Blvd., Castle Rock
Information: FREE
Phone: 303-688-4495

Friday, March 12

LIVE COMEDY IS BACK!
After nearly a year of substituting live stand-up comedy with virtual performances, you can finally catch a live show at Comedy Works South! Tonight’s headliner is a national touring comedian who was named “One to Watch” by both Esquire and Variety.

Adam Cayton-Holland is a prolific content creator for the The Grawlix where he wrote and starred in three seasons of truTV’s Those Who Can’t. He’s hosted a podcast, The Grawlix Saves the World and has four comedy albums available on iTunes. If you’d rather watch a livestream of the show from home, you’ve got the option to do that as well!

Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village
9:45 p.m.
Tickets: $22
Phone: 720-274-6800

Saturday, March 13

5K FOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY
Dig out your best Irish costume and get ready for a family-friendly fun run! This festive 5K pulls out all the stops for St. Paddy Day’s and includes an all-you-eat pancake breakfast, Irish music and dancers, and a tasty pint at the finish line! 

While you’re running the course, keep your eyes peeled for the golden kettlebell. It will win you $100 if you bring it over the finish line! 

Town Center South, 9352 Dorchester Street, Highlands Ranch
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Register: $25-$55

ANOTHER FREE SOCCER DAY
In case you missed last weekend’s sampling of soccer by Colorado Soccer Buddies, they’re holding another fun and informative soccer session for various ages groups! Kids as young as 15 months will learn age-appropriate soccer skills. Check out the age brackets—15 months to 3 years (parent/child session), 3-4 years, 4-6 years, and 7-12 years—and sign your kids up! 

Prairie Sky Park, 9381 Crossington Way, Lone Tree 
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Register: FREE

HIKE WITH GOATS
Here’s an activity that doesn’t come up every day: enjoy a backcountry hike with a herd of goats! The kids (and you) will be delighted by the company of these mischievous creatures.

Pack a lunch and find the perfect picnic spot—the goats are sure to join you!

Backcountry Wilderness Area, 6005 Ron King Trail, Highlands Ranch 
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Register: $7-$10
Phone: 303-471-7052

SO YOU WANT TO BE A PILOT?
The first step in making your dream of becoming a pilot come true is finding out all you need to know! This class at Wings Over the Rockies’ Englewood location will outline what ground school is all about—you’ll learn what it takes to earn a private pilot certificate.

The class covers how to get a medical, the costs of training, and even includes your first ground instruction lesson covering aircraft controls, instruments and how an airplane flies! Class size is limited to 10 people. You must be 12 years or older to participate.

Exploration of Flight, Centennial Airport, 13005 Wings Way, Englewood
12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $10
Phone: 303-360-5360 ext.160

LIVE FROM IRELAND!
Soak up St. Patrick’s Day vibes direct from Dublin! This LIVEstreamed virtual concert can be experienced right in your own living room. All you need to do is put on your favorite green outfit and pour some green beer and enjoy!

We Banjo 3 (WB3) is an exciting quartet of Irish and Nashville musicians who play banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar and percussion to deliver a unique sound that blends the traditions of Americana, Bluegrass, and Celtic music. Their pop-sensibility makes for catchy tunes with compelling lyrics, so you’ll find yourself singing right along!

Lone Tree Arts Center Online
3:00 p.m.
Tickets: $25

GET FRIENDLY WITH TURKEYS
Who would have guessed that wild turkeys are among the most interesting and entertaining animals you can observe in the wild? The PBS documentary, My Life as a Turkey, is an inside look at this surprisingly endearing species of large game birds.

You can observe the antics of turkeys in person with a naturalist-led hike in the Backcountry Wilderness Area! Part of a series of observing wildlife in their natural habitat, this weekend’s hike will go in search of the fabulous turkey!

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

MORE LIVE COMEDY!
Life from the perspective of 20 years as a cop AND his Mexican heritage make Vinnie Montez’s stand-up routine uniquely hilarious. Montez got into comedy originally to deal with the trauma and stress of dealing with horrible situations. He focuses on telling funny stories about being a police officer as a way to promote better mental health for the men and women in blue.

Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village
7:00 and 9:15 p.m.
Tickets: $25
Phone: 720-274-6800

Sunday, March 14

PI DAY CRAFT ACTIVITIES
Since Pi Day celebrates all things circular in a mathematic way, what better activity for kids to play with the concept of Pi than with a compass? This clever online crafts class is FREE and requires basic craft materials like colored pencils, colored paper, glue, and of course, a compass! Tune in with your kids and you’ll find yourself creating right along!

Michaels Crafts Online
3:00 p.m.
Register: FREE

Go Green in the Crystal Valley area!

Everyone’s watching for the first signs of green in 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, Kauffman Homes, Richmond American Homes, and Century Communities, it’s easy to picture yourself in your own new home, priced from the high $300s.