Boredom should not be a word in a Castle Rock resident’s vocabulary. With something to do nearly every weekend this summer, everyone should be able to find a local activity that entertains.
This year the Town has taken things up a notch with their Signature Events Series- a culmination of community festivals, concerts and activities that include programming at the new Amphitheater at Philip S. Miller Park. “We’re doing 20 new events this year, many of which are happening this summer,” commented Casey Willis, Special Events Manager for the Town of Castle Rock.
One of the popular gatherings to debut this year is ‘Downtown After 5.’ Residents and guests are invited to relax Downtown on July 8 (and other scheduled Fridays) and listen to Azucar Latin Band from 5 to 8 p.m., eat from food trucks, check out art and listen to live music. “It is a free event that has a focus on food and art- we have a lot of artists that come down from the Castle Rock Arts Collective,” added Willis.
If Fridays don’t fit into your plans, perhaps a Saturday night concert from the Celebration Concert Series at the new Amphitheater at Philip S. Miller Park might. Soon to be a signature part of summer, it’s a chance to listen and dance to music under the stars.
“Our next concert is July 30 and we’re seeing a ton of momentum with Marshall Tucker Band,” said Willis.
“We want people to know there is an amphitheater to enjoy right here in Castle Rock.”
And for Douglas County Fair and Rodeo enthusiasts, a kick off party is scheduled for Wednesday, August 3, from 5 to 8 p.m. Family and friends can come and enjoy learning about the western heritage of Douglas County. “We are going to do a star procession, with cowboy poetry and a wild game cook in Festival Park,” Willis said.
Sports fans can also have a go at this year’s Rocky Mountain Sports Festival, Saturday, August 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s a custom sports festival that’s been created just for Castle Rock.
“Right now we have 15 different sports associations that want to activities like a run and a cycle race, a disc off, a golf tournament and a cross-fit challenge,” Willis said. Most of the events will take place at P.S. Miller, but for things that don’t, they are working to get big screens to add live coverage at the festival grounds.
As if locals didn’t know, secret treasures are abundant in our Town. On September 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the Town has organized an event called ‘Scavenge the Rock.’ It’s a fun competition that allows participants to discover historical and forgotten places in our community by following set clues.
This summer’s extreme scavenger hunt will kick off from Festival Park. “Basically what we do is hand out a clue sheet, but it’s the weeks leading up to the hunt that will be interesting,” she noted. “We will start dropping hints the weeks leading up to it about the locations of things to find.”
Scavengers can expect a list of easy and challenging finds and a smart phone is required to participate. People just need to take a picture with their smart phone and then tag the Town on social media. “It’s all going to be in a downtown footprint. We have high hopes of it being a fun adventure so people can learn interesting facts about the Town.”
Whichever combination of events you choose, buy some comfortable shoes and get out to enjoy the activities, sights and sounds of summer in Castle Rock.
For more information on summer events listed, visit: http://www.crgov.com/2615/Signature-Events
