Street Party, Great Food and Family Fun!
This weekend, Castle Rock kicks off spring with a fun, FREE street party and concert! There will bands, entertainment for the entire family, great food, and a chance to mingle with your friends and neighbors in downtown Castle Rock. Also in the area this weekend are several family-friendly music performances, fishing lessons for kids, and even a princess tea party! Get out and have some fun on this fine spring weekend!
TODAY/TONIGHT, May 16
AAPA INSTRUMENTAL SHOWCASE
Catch tomorrow’s new talent today in this inspiring concert that showcases student musicians from the American Academy, a Douglas County Public Charter School. The American Academy Performing Arts concerts feature developing musicians participating in band, orchestra, choir, and dance groups.
Tonight’s performance focuses on instrumental music with younger, beginning groups, as well as older, more advanced groups. The entire community is invited to celebrate these talented young musicians!
PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $8
Phone: 303-805-6800
IT’S NOT NOTHING
This important evening is dedicated to de-stigmatizing mental health for high school aged students. The Lone Tree Youth Commission has invited four engaging experts to candidly discuss mental health and suicide prevention, especially as it applies to teenagers. Speakers include Maria Bales, advocate and owner of BTR Brand;
Sarah Davidson, from Mental Health Colorado; Denny Ying, a mental health advocate; and Alex Bush, a teen who lost her father to suicide. Everyone in the community is invited to come out to discuss this often not-talked-about topic. The Youth Commission is comprised of students in 8th through 12th grades and have determined that this content is needed for the youth in the community.
Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree
7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5-$7
Phone: 720-509-1000
CASTLE ROCK WALKING TOUR
Learn about the history of your community and get a workout at the same time! This FREE walking tour of Castle Rock is led by Jim Hansmann, the Collections Curator at the Castle Rock Museum and the author of Castle Rock, An Architectural & Historic Walking Tour.
The presentation will include stories of the old courthouse fire, the first church in town, the wild times at the Keystone Hotel and many more! Prior to the walking tour, refreshments will be served at the library, so come early!
Philip S. Miller Library, 100 S. Wilcox St., Castle Rock
7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Phone: 303-814-3164
Friday, May 17
SPRING KICK-OFF FESTIVAL
Celebrate the spring season with the first outdoor festival of the year! Castle Rock is hosting a FREE Street Party and Concert in downtown Castle Rock, and it’s sure to be fun for the entire family! There will be free bounce houses, live music, family activities, and food vendors on site.
Rock out to the sounds of Winchester Gray, one of the area’s favorite bands. They’ve invites some special guests to help them perform their original songs as well as your favorite covers. Grayson Little will kick off the evening.
Wilcox Street between 3rd and 5th Streets, Castle Rock
5:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
CHORAL AND DANCE PERFORMANCE
The American Academy Performing Arts showcase weekend continues with an exciting performance of student singers and dancers! These talented young vocalists and dancers will delight you in a concert that offers varied styles and ability levels.
Come out tonight to see tomorrow’s stars today!
PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $8
Phone: 303-805-6800
MYSTERIES OF THE NIGHT
Fun for families with children over the age of 5! This inspiring event is the first of the season in the outdoor amphitheater. In the beautiful natural setting of Cherokee Ranch, nature educators will share their favorite stories about the nocturnal creatures that live all around us but are seldom seen.
You’ll have the chance to get up close to some of the fascinating animals who sleep during the day and come out at night. An expert from the International Dark Sky Association will talk about how light at night impacts wildlife and influences us as well. Telescopes will be available for viewing the almost-full moon and other features of the night sky. Bring your binoculars, a headlamp or flashlight, and your curiosity! Long pants, an evening jacket and good hiking shoes are recommended—no flip flops or sandals!
Cherokee Ranch & Castle, 6113 N. Daniels Park Rd., Sedalia
7:00 – 9:30 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$20
Phone: 303-688-5555
Saturday, May 18
FISHING LESSONS FOR KIDS!
This is the chance for your kids to learn the basics of fishing, and maybe even catch a big one! Experts from the Colorado Division of Wildlife will lead this fun and educational class. After a brief discussion about the art of angling and ecology, everyone will head out to the pond to fish! Class is recommended for children ages 6-11, and a parent must accompany their children.
Redstone Pond, 3280 Redstone Park Cir., Highlands Ranch
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. and 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Registration $11-$15
Phone: 303-791-2500
LIVE SMART NUTRITION
With all the diet fads entering your social media feed, how do you know which one is best for you? This informative talk about healthy nutrition will focus on the seven principles to lose fat, improve digestion, increase performance and much more. You’ll learn safe and healthy nutrition strategies from Dr. Matt Pennetti.
Douglas County Library, 20105 E. Mainstreet, Parker
2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Registration: FREE
Phone: 303-791-7323
PRINCESS TEA PARTY
Your daughter will love the chance to be a princess for a day at this Princess Tea Party! There will be fancy treats to eat, face painting, crown-making activities, and other crafts. A special meet and greet with five surprise princesses and a prince makes for a great photo opp!
Located in the east courtyard by Coach and Michael Kors, this fun FREE afternoon gives your little girl the chance to dress up like a princess and mingle! Kona Ice and Gigi Cupcakes will also be onsite with their delicious sweet treats, available for purchase.
Outlets at Castle Rock, 5050 Factory Shops Blvd., Castle Rock
3:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Information: FREE
Phone: 303-688-4495
BRASS BAND FESTIVAL
Rocky Mountain Brassworks, Colorado’s favorite British-style brass band, sponsors the only brass band festival of its kind in Colorado! Brass bands have always been a big part of Colorado history—back in the early 19th century, over 2,000 brass bands performed in the state!
Bring the family out to hear three of the current top brass bands from Colorado playing a variety of music at the highest level of performance. One of the bands—the Pikes Peak Brass Band—was the winner of the national brass band festival this year! The evening will be a magical expression of brass and percussion that will thrill everyone!
PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
6:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5
Phone: 303-805-6800
Saturday-Sunday, May 18-19
BOLERO IN CONCERT
Arguably one of the best-known pieces of classical music due to its starring role in the 1979 film Ten with Bo Derek and Dudley Moore, Ravel’s Boléro is again the center of attention in this Colorado Springs Philharmonic concert! Don’t miss the pre-concert lecture to hear all kinds of fun facts about this colorful musical work!
Also on the program is Finlandia by Sibelius, Mozart’s Leopold Concerto for Alto Trombone, Tchaikovsky’s Overture-Fantasy from Romeo and Juliet, and Jan Sandström’s Echoes of Eternity for Two Trombones.
Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts, 190 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs
Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $26-$75
Phone: 719-577-4556
VOICE OF A DISNEY LEGEND
The entire family will be enchanted to hear the voice of Princess Jasmine from the animated film Aladdin and Fa Mulan from Mulan—live and in concert as herself! Lea Salonga is a singer and actress with a beautiful and powerful voice that so many people have fallen in love with through her animated film roles and Broadway performances. You may not know her name, but you will recognize her amazing voice!
As Kim in the Broadway production of Miss Saigon, Salonga won a Tony Award. Her other accolades include the Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Theatre World Awards. She was the first Asian to play Eponine in the musical Les Miserables on Broadway before returning as Fantine in the 2006 revival. For her portrayal of the beloved characters she played in several Disney movies, the Walt Disney Company bestowed her with the honor of “Disney Legend.”
Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree
Sat., 8:00 p.m; Sun., 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $35-$60
Phone: 720-509-1000
Spring Brings the Fun to Crystal Valley!
There’s always something fun to do near the family-friendly community of Crystal Valley, especially as the weather warms up! Enjoy the relaxed lifestyle of Castle Rock and surrounding area where cultural and entertainment activities abound! 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 castle! With ranch and two-story models available, new homes are priced from the $300s.
