Crystal Valley Blog

It’s National Get Outdoors Day this weekend, and everyone in Crystal Valley will have plenty of opportunities to celebrate! Free outdoor summer concerts are in full swing virtually every day of the weekend, the first of the summer festivals has arrived with Parker Days, the annual Classic Car Show is back, and Castle Rock’s Ducky Derby is here! So get out there and enjoy the great outdoors—one way or another!

 TODAY/TONIGHT, June 6

HIGHLANDS RANCH SUMMER CONCERT SERIES 
Kick off the summer with a high-energy concert by Mostly Harmless, the band who turns any occasion into a party! The Highlands Ranch Summer Concert Series is FREE and great fun for the entire family. Pack a picnic and head out to the park where there will be plenty of room for dancing!

Mostly Harmless plays an eclectic mix of contemporary and classic songs from rock-n-roll to dance and pop! There will be something for everyone to love!

Highland Heritage Regional Park, 9651 S. Quebec, Highlands Ranch
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Tickets: FREE

Thursday-Sunday, June 6-9

PARKER DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN!
The festival everyone has been waiting for! Parker Days sweeps into town with a full-fledged carnival, a parade, vendor booths, delectable food and drinks, and three concert stages with FREE music performances!

After a long winter and spring, everyone’s ready to celebrate four days of summer fun! Catch the first band of the weekend and let the kids enjoy carnival rides starting Thursday night. Then the full festival takes off on Friday with a wide array of vendors and a music line-up that ranges from Americana to old-school funk, with dance covers, folk, blues, electronica, rap, and everything in between. You won’t want to miss the equestrian-themed parade on Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m., so set your alarm!

Mainstreet, Parker
Thurs., 5:00-10:00 p.m.; Fri., 5:00 p.m. – midnight; Sat., 9:00 a.m. – midnight; Sun., 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Admission: FREE

25TH ANNIVERSARY PRODUCTION OF LES MIS
One of the most beloved Broadway musicals ever, Les Mis is making an appearance in the area this weekend only! This new touring production is direct from the Broadway revival and celebrates the 25th Anniversary of this production.

The epic story is based on the moral tale by Victor Hugo and contains sweeping themes of the inherent goodness of humanity and the power of love, courage, and redemption. With a score that features such enduring songs as I Dreamed A Dream, On My Own, Stars, Bring Him Home, and One Day More, you’ll see why this uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history. Because of complex social themes, including revolution, poverty, and prostitution, the show is recommended for ages 10 and up.

Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs
Thurs., 7:30 p.m.; Fri., 8:00 p.m.; Sat., 2:00 and 8:00 p.m.; Sun., 1:00 and 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $54-$109
719-520-SHOW

Friday, June 7

FIRST FRIDAYS FREE CONCERT IN CASTLE ROCK
Get crazy this First Friday of the summer! Dueling Pianos sets the stage for an interactive and entertaining evening of music with Howl at the Moon. Shout out your requests, sing along, revel in the hilarious banter of the band members—all while enjoying food truck fare and cocktails in the park! There will also be activities and treats for the kids, so bring the whole family out to the park!

Festival Park, Downtown Castle Rock
5:00 pm.
Tickets: FREE

Saturday, June 8

KIDS FEST IN HIGHLANDS RANCH
A morning of fun dedicated to the youngest members of the community! This special event will have activities for kids of all ages to engage in. There will be live music geared toward kids, interactive demonstrations, and educational booths. 

Activities include a bounce house, climbing wall, Euro-Bungy, Skyhawks Sports games, Nerf Dart zone, an obstacle course, and more. Food will be available for purchase, and a variety of family-friendly vendors will be on hand for parents to learn more about local services and products.

Civic Green Park, 9370 Ridgeline Blvd., Highlands Ranch
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Information: FREE
Phone: 303-791-0430

CLASSIC CAR SHOW
This family-friendly car show is great fun for kids as well as auto aficionados! You will be amazed at the great detail and artistry of these classic cars! Stroll the exhibit and rank your favorites, all while enjoying great food, drink, and live music. The show is sure to become an annual event the whole family looks forward to!

Cherry Hills Community Church, 3900 Grace Blvd., Highlands Ranch
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Information: FREE

GET OUTDOORS!
For the first time ever, the Outlets at Castle Rock will be celebrating National Get Outdoors Day with an event that reflects the true spirit of Coloradans and their love for exploring the wilderness. This FREE family-friendly celebration will offer a variety of interactive demonstrations and informational seminars on how to navigate the outdoors.

Exhibits will include a rock climbing wall, first aid workshops, “bear aware” lectures, and leave-no-trace presentations, along with other outdoor activity lessons. Knowledgable presenters include representatives from Colorado Parks & Wildlife, Castle Rock Parks & Recreation, and Castle Rock Fire Department. You can visit one of two beer gardens, with 100% of the beer donation benefiting the Denver Dumb Friends League. You can even meet wonderful dogs available for adoptions and adopt your own four-legged adventure buddy!

Outlets at Castle Rock, 5050 Factory Shops Blvd., Castle Rock
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Information: FREE
Phone: 303-688-4495

DUCKY DERBY DAY!
Who doesn’t love a Ducky Derby? Bring out the whole family to cheer on these plucky little rubber ducks as they make their way down Plum Creek in Castle Rock. The festival will have live entertainment, delicious bites, and events for the kids. Make sure to purchase your own rubber duckies prior to the launch at 3:00 p.m.! All proceeds will benefit the Rotary clubs in the area, which in turn help fund many local agencies and non-profit organizations.

Festival Park, 300 2nd St., Castle Rock
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 
Tickets: $5 per duck

FLY ME TO THE MOON
This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing and Neil Armstrong’s epic declaration, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Don’t miss this fascinating and informative lecture that revisits the historic Apollo 11 moon landing and re-creates the day the earth saw humans realize a dream of exploration.

Presented by Richard Blake of STEMpunkED, this event is appropriate for kids ages 8 and over, as well as teens and adults.

James H. LaRue Library, 9292 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Highlands Ranch
6:00-7:30 p.m.
Registration: FREE
Phone: 303-791-7323

CAMP COOKING LESSONS
Before you head out to the wilderness this summer, learn a few culinary tricks to impress your friends and family! This hands-on workshop will introduce you to creative gourmet experiences that can be achieved out in the wilderness. Your new skills and recipes are sure to please the tastebuds of the entire family. Come hungry! There will be plenty of taste-testing in this fun and educational cooking class!

Backcountry Wilderness Area, 6005 Ron King Trail, Highlands Ranch
6:00-8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$24
Phone: 303-471-7043

PINK FLOYD TRIBUTE CONCERT
The Dark Side of the Moon is one of those timeless albums that generations of music fans have embraced ever since its release in 1973. In fact, it has remained on the Billboard charts longer than any album in history. If you’re a fan, you won’t want to miss this true-to-life concert by the tribute band Classic Albums Live, who re-creates the Pink Floyd experience without any gimmicks or illusions—just the authentic music experience.

With themes encompassing conflict, greed, the passage of time and mental illness, Dark Side of the Moon is more than an album, it’s a social commentary and epic experience. Once the band has finished playing every track from Dark Side, the second half of the show features a collection of Pink Floyd’s greatest hits from other albums.

Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree
8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $32-$45
Phone: 720-509-1000

Sunday, June 9

HIGHLANDS RANCH FARMERS’ MARKET
With the start of the summer season comes the first harvests of Colorado produce! Don’t miss farm-fresh corn, peaches, berries, tomatoes, and much more, straight from the farm to your table! Bring the whole family down to Highlands Ranch Town Center to pick their favorites from the wide variety of local produce, breads, pastas, sauces, flowers and more! Don’t forget to bring plenty of shopping bags—the market will be overflowing with Colorado’s bountiful offerings!

Town Center South, 9288 Dorchester St., Highlands Ranch 
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m
Information: FREE

AZTEC DANCE
Be transported to another land and another culture with your Passport to Culture! This series is designed for children and families to experience arts and culture outside of our day-to-day lives. 

Today’s performance is the beautiful traditional Aztec dance of Grupo Huitzilopochtli! The drumming, dancing, outfits, and stories that this indigenous group shares will stay with you long after the dancing stops.

Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree
1:30 and 4:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5
Phone: 720-509-1000

More Things to Do 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.