Crystal Valley Blog

It’s the end of summer, but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of great entertainment in the Castle Rock area! Hilarious comedy headliner Margaret Cho makes an appearance at Comedy Works South, and the ever-popular Dave Matthews Band plays at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater! A Taste of Douglas County and an outdoor art festival in Parker, round things out, as the last of the great outdoor concerts!

TODAY/TONIGHT, Thursday, August 23

TASTE OF DOUGLAS COUNTY
Celebrate the end of summer with Douglas County’s culinary event of the year! The 16th annual Taste of Douglas County features food samplings from the best chefs in the area, including the Viewhouse Restaurant, John Holly’s Asian Bistro, Trestles Coastal Cuisine, Kneaders Bakery & Café, Black-Eyed Pea, and many more.

Beat the heat in a beautiful indoor, air-conditioned venue that offers the perfect setting for culinary exploration! Area chefs will compete in a cooking competition, and there will be music and fun for the entire family!

Douglas County Events Center, 500 Fairgrounds Dr., Castle Rock
5:00-8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $12.75
Phone: 720-733-2233

Thursday-Saturday, August 23-25

MASH-UP OF SHAKESPEARE PLAYS!
There’s nothing more Coloradan than the meeting of the Old West and the Fine Arts! Come on out to an historic ranch to watch a performance of a mash-up of all of Shakespeare’s 37 plays! From Romeo and Julietto A Midsummer’s Night Dreamto Hamlet, each has a part in The Complete Work of William Shakespeare Abridged!

Before and after the show, you can explore the ranch and imagine what it would have been like to be a pioneer settler!

Rock Ledge Ranch, 30th and Gateway Road, Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs
7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$60
Phone: 719-255-3232

Friday, August 24

TOM PETTY TRIBUTE CONCERT
It’s the end of another beautiful summer, so come celebrate at Highlands Ranch’s Summer’s Sunset Concert! Imagine Tom Petty sharing the stage with Stevie Nicks, and that’s what you get with the Tom Petty Project Tribute! The band recreates the total concert experience of a Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers show crossed with a Stevie Nicks performance.

Don’t miss out on seeing the songs of your life performed live on stage! From American Girl to Don’t Come Around Here No More to Edge of Seventeen to Landslide, this show is full of hits that you know and love. And the Tom Petty Project Tribute looks the part, with authentic wardrobe and plenty of vintage instruments to capture the iconic look and sound.

Civic Green Park, 9370 Ridgeline Blvd., Highlands Ranch
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Phone: 303-791-2500

DUENDE AT THE CASTLE
Escape into “duende”—a heightened state of emotion, expression and authenticity—with an exciting evening of flamenco music and dance! Maestro René Heredia and his Flamenco Fantasy Dance Theatre will carry you away to a sultry evening in Spain, where traditional gypsy dancers beckon with their light, graceful arm movements, and syncopated hand-clapping rhythms envelop you!

The evening begins with a tour of the castle, followed by the sunset flamenco performance, featuring authentic tapas and a cash bar serving wine, beer, and Sangria!

Cherokee Ranch, 6113 N. Daniels Park Rd., Sedalia
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $65
Phone: 303-688-5555

Friday-Saturday, August 24-25

PROVACATIVE COMEDIAN MARGARET CHO
Nothing is taboo for Margaret Cho, the razor-sharp wit behind the television shows, All American Girl, The Cho Show, Drop Dead Divaand All About SEX. Taking on cultural as well as gender stereotypes, Cho was a trailblazer for the socially-aware brand of comedy that has become so popular today. She has become both a thought leader and a tolerant teacher to those with open minds and open hearts.

An accomplished performer in all formats, Cho has conquered the worlds of film, television, books, music and theatre. Nominated for three Grammy Awards and one Emmy Award, Cho brings her energy and charisma to the stage as well, in sell-out comedy tours. From her activism to her acting to her stand-up, Margaret Cho is honest, forthright, passionate, uproarious, raucous, bold and unyielding!

Comedy Works-South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village
Fri./Sat., 7:15 and 9:45 p.m.
Tickets: $40
Phone: 720-274-6800

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND
A fan favorite for over two decades, the Dave Matthews Band continues to sell out to enthusiastic audiences all over the world! Don’t miss your chance to see them at a spectacular smaller venue, Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, when they perform in Denver for two nights!

You might think that after twenty-five years of touring, the band would be tired of playing all their hit songs over and over, but you would be wrong. The iconic band continues to share laughter and apparent joy at playing together. Their show includes songs such as Ants Marchingand Satellitefrom their earliest albums, So Rightfrom their 2001 album Everyday, as well as Sheand Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin)from the band’s newest album.

Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Greenwood Village
Fri./Sat., 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $45-$115
Phone: 303-623-7876

Saturday, August 25

LATE SUMMER NATURE HIKE
Did you know—if you want to spot the most birds on a nature hike, it’s best not to wear white or other colorful clothing? Keep this in mind when you come out to the Nature Hike at Cherokee Ranch! Late summer is an excellent time to observe the bounty of both flora and fauna in the hills of Cherokee Ranch, hosted by tour guides from the Denver Botanic Gardens!

You may see three species of hummingbirds as they stop to feed to store up energy on their way to Central America for the winter. Or maybe you’ll glimpse a Mountain or Western Bluebird with their young. There is no better place to soak up the sun than on a late summer plant hike and bird-watching adventure!

Cherokee Ranch, 6113 N. Daniels Park Rd., Sedalia
8:00-10:00 a.m.
Tickets: $20-$25
Phone: 303-688-5555

ART OF THE DOG FAMILY ADVENTURE DAY
Bring your young budding artists to participate in this FREE hands-on art event celebrating the Year of the Dog! A resident teaching artist will ignite your imagination through the exploration of different art materials and techniques.

Kids can participate in Puppy Prints, where they will use dog-related items to make prints on paper; Blue Dog Pastels with oils on black paper, as inspired by Blue Dog by George Rodrigue; and Mud Puppies, where young artists will use clay to hand build their own furry friend! The entire family will enjoy glass blowing and wheel throwing demonstrations. Also on site will be a group of amazing therapy dogs to meet and pet!

Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, Bemis School of Art, 818 Pelham Pl., Colorado Springs
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Phone: 719-634-5581

BROADWAY’S BEST
Young alumni actors from the Parker Arts Education and Classic Acts program put on a dazzling musical revue featuring song and dance from Broadway’s best musicals!

Greatest hits will be performed from such shows as Hamilton, Newsies, Young Frankenstein, Les Misérables, Little Mermaid, Dear Evan Hansenand more! Proceeds from this event will be used to help fund licensing for next summer’s Classic Acts’ performances.

Schoolhouse Theatre, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $12
Phone: 303-261-5153

Saturday-Sunday, August 25-26

PARKER’S ART IN THE PARK
It’s a walk in the park at the Parker Art Show! Many art forms will be represented, including painting in a wide variety of media, drawing, pastels, pottery, jewelry, photography, woodworking, glass, sculpture and more. Live music and food booths make it real celebration!

Bring the entire family because there will be activities for the kids as well, including a face painting booth and a children’s art station where kids can create their own art projects.

O’Brien Park, Parker and Mainstreet, Parker
Sat., 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Sun., 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Phone: 303-797-8565

Sunday, August 26

BIG AND RICH IN CONCERT!
Known for their high-energy shows, the ever-popular country music artists Big and Rich swagger into town for one of the final outdoor concerts of the summer! Big and Rich take the stage with Comin’ To Your City, Loud, and Holy Water. Also included in their set is the Tim McGraw collaboration, Lovin’ Lately, and their number one single, Lost in This Moment.

Hudson Gardens, 6115 S. Santa Fe Dr., Littleton
7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $42-$52
Phone: 303-797-8565

End of Summer Good Times in Crystal Valley

You don’t need to venture far from the master-planned community of Crystal Valley to find events for the entire family! And it’s no secret this Castle Rock community is among the fastest growing in the state! See why when you tour the fantastic models from D.R. Horton, Kauffman Homes, and Richmond American Homes. The latest designs are available in ranch and two-story models and priced from the high $300s.