DougCo Drop – August 27th – Yacht Rock, Wine Walks and more

Labor Day weekend is sneaking up fast, and Douglas County’s serving everything from bourbon tastings to backyard parties. Whether you’re in the mood for music, markets, or just one last taste of summer, we’ve got you covered.

Saddle Up

🎤 Music & Concerts

🎤 Summer Concert Series: Yachty Got Back with Denver Pops Orchestra 
 📅 Date: Saturday, August 30
 ⏰ Time: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
 📍 Location: Amphitheater at Miller Park, Castle Rock
 🎤 Detail: Colorado’s favorite yacht rock band delivering The Ultimate Yacht Rock Experience.

🎤 Live Music On the Patio: Josh Blackburn 
 📅 Date: Wednesday, August 27
 ⏰ Time: 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM
 📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
 🎤 Detail: An exciting young songwriter and guitar player who astounds audiences with incredible looping skills and deep growl voice.

🎤 Live Music On the Patio: Jeffrey Allen Band 
 📅 Date: Thursday, August 28
 ⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
 📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
 🎤 Detail: Original, Classic, and Top 40 Country Music with some Classic Rock mixed in.

🎤 Live Music On the Patio: The Grind 5280 
 📅 Date: Friday, August 29
 ⏰ Time: 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM
 📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
 🎤 Detail: A 5-piece American Rock Band from Denver, CO.

🎤 Live Music On the Patio: JC Jonathan Cernan 
 📅 Date: Saturday, August 30
 ⏰ Time: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
 📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
 🎤 Detail: A fusion of songs carefully crafted in simplicity, powerful interpretations, soulful playing, and integrated musicianship.

🎵 Rock the Mountain Concert Series: David Chapa Music
 📅 Date: Saturday, August 30
 ⏰ Time: 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
 📍 Location: Outlets at Castle Rock
 🎵 Detail: Good vibes, great music, and tasty food trucks.

🎤 Rock the Mountain Concert Series: Hutch
 📅 Date: Sunday, August 31
 ⏰ Time: 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
 📍 Location: Outlets at Castle Rock
 🎤 Detail: Enjoy music, food trucks, and a great atmosphere.

🎷 Jazz in the Park
 📅 Date: Wednesday, August 27
 ⏰ Time: 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
 📍 Location: Festival Park, Castle Rock
 🎷 Detail: Summer evening jazz outdoors.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family

🎉 Family Fun Fridays 
 📅Date: Friday, August 29
 ⏰Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
 📍Location: Outlets at Castle Rock
 🎉Detail: Kid-friendly activities, live performances, and entertainment. 

🧘‍♀️ Fitness

🏃 Labor Day Half Marathon 
 📅 Date: Monday, September 1
 ⏰ Time: 7:00 AM
 📍 Location: Salisbury Equestrian Park, Parker
 🏃 Detail: Includes a race logo shirt, finisher medal, finish line food tables, and free photo downloads after the event.

💪 Free Fitness Fridays | Tai Chi, Yoga and Pilates 
 📅 Date: Friday, August 29
 ⏰ Time: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
 📍 Location: Amphitheater at Miller Park, Castle Rock
 💪 Detail: Great workout in fresh air for all fitness levels.

🧘‍♀️ Free Yoga in the Park 
 📅 Date: Saturday, August 30
 ⏰ Time: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
 📍 Location: Civic Green Park, Highlands Ranch
 🧘‍♀️ Detail: Yoga for adults of all skill levels.

🎨 Arts & Culture

📖 Daytime Book Club 
 📅 Date: Wednesday, August 27
 ⏰ Time: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
 📍 Location: Douglas County Libraries, Castle Pines
 📖 Detail: Adults meet monthly to discuss titles from a variety of genres.

 🎵 Parker History Presents: An Indigenous History of Music 
 📅 Date: Saturday, August 30
 ⏰ Time: 2:00 PM
 📍 Location: The Schoolhouse, Parker
 🎵 Detail: An afternoon of history and stories encompassing Pioneer and Native American cultures with Leon Joseph Littlebird.

 💃 Benise - 25 Years of Passion! 
 📅 Date: Friday, August 29
 ⏰ Time: 7:30 PM
 📍 Location: Pace Center, Parker
 💃 Detail: Celebrate 25 years of fiery Spanish guitar and dance with a stage full of musicians and elaborately choreographed Dancers.

 🎨 Art in the Park 
 📅 Date: Saturday, August 30 & Sunday, August 31
 ⏰ Time: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM & 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
 📍 Location: O’Brien Park, Parker
 🎨 Detail: Food trucks, artist demos, face painting, & live entertainment.

🍽️ Food & Drink

 🐎 Cutting Horse Competition 
 📅 Date: Friday, August 29 - Sunday, August 31
 ⏰ Time: 8:00 AM
 📍 Location: Wiens Ranch, Sedalia
 🐎 Detail: Horses, food trucks, live music, retail vendors, and ticketed dinner Saturday night.

🍷 Parker Wine Walk 
 📅 Date: Friday, August 29
 ⏰ Time: 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM
 📍 Location: Downtown Parker
 🍷 Detail: Enjoy a beautiful summer evening wandering Downtown Parker, enjoying wine, and visiting local merchants.

🥃 Whiskey Tasting - Wild World of Bourbon 
 📅 Date: Friday, August 29
 ⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 9:15 PM
 📍 Location: Cherokee Ranch & Castle, Sedalia
 🥃 Detail: Find out how bourbon is made and how the different grains lead to Kentucky Bourbon’s many different flavor profiles.

🍹 Nightlife & Entertainment

😂 Max Taps Comedy Show 
 📅 Date: Saturday, August 30
 ⏰ Time: 7:30 PM
 📍 Location: Max Taps, Highlands Ranch
 😂 Detail: Free Comedy night at Max Taps featuring Sam Ellefson. 21+

🎤 Karaoke with Avery Every Wednesday! 
 📅 Date: Wednesday, August 27
 ⏰ Time: 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM
 📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
 🎤 Detail: Fun and exciting singers with mixes of dance sets.

🤠 Celebrate Tracy and Fizz's (98.5 KYGO) 1000th Show 
 📅 Date: Wednesday, August 27
 ⏰ Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
 📍 Location: Wild Goose Saloon, Parker
 🤠 Detail: Celebrate Tracy and Fizz’s 1000th show with line dancing all night.

🔥 Labor Day 2025 Backyard Party 
 📅 Date: Sunday, August 31
 ⏰ Time: 2:00 PM
 📍 Location: Wild Goose Saloon, Parker
 🔥 Detail: BBQ & burgers, backyard games, live DJs, and drink specials.

Worth the drive

🎈 Labor Day Liftoff: Hot Air Balloon Festival 
 📅 Date: Saturday, August 31 - Monday, September 1st
 ⏰ Time: All Day
 📍 Location: Memorial Park, Colorado Springs
 🎈 Detail: Hot air balloons, morning launches & night glows, drone light shows, beer & mimosa gardens, food trucks, live music, and more.

Upcoming

Sponsorship
Mod Mountain Boutique

Land and Lore

Like golf and have $4 million to spend on a new palace? Here’s a home on the 6th hole of Jack Nicklaus-designed Country Club at Castle Pines that just went on the market.

Hometown Headlines

$1 Million Secured to Modernize Louviers Water System
TLDR: Thanks to Douglas County Commissioners’ advocacy in Washington D.C., Louviers will receive $1 million in federal funding to replace aging pipes, hydrants, and service lines. This project will bring cleaner water, stronger fire protection, and greater reliability to residents while supporting long-term infrastructure improvements countywide. 

Major Milestone: US 85 Widening Completed Ahead of Schedule
TLDR: After three years of construction, drivers can now enjoy extra lanes, new safety features, and pedestrian/cyclist paths on US 85 between Highlands Ranch Parkway and Dad Clark Gulch. This $100 million project—finished months early—transforms one of Douglas County’s busiest corridors into a safer, more efficient four-lane expressway, ready to handle future growth. 

AI Cameras Join Colorado’s Wildfire Defense
TLDR: Colorado is scaling up its use of AI-powered cameras to spot wildfires earlier than the human eye. In Douglas County, the system is paired with the county’s firefighting helicopter to improve detection, cut response times, and better protect homes and open space.

Homegrown Tap & Dough Expands to Castle Rock
TLDR: Popular Denver pizza and beer spot Homegrown Tap & Dough is opening a new Castle Rock location. Known for craft brews, wood-fired pies, and a casual vibe, the restaurant adds to the town’s growing lineup of local dining options.

Rapids Land Record-Breaking Signing: Paxten Aaronson Joins as New No. 10
TLDR: After selling Đorđe Mihailović to Toronto, the Rapids reinvested their $8 million haul in Paxten Aaronson, the most expensive transfer in Colorado soccer history. At just 21, Aaronson brings European experience, relentless energy, and playmaking creativity to Commerce City. Rapids leadership believes he could become the club’s most talented player ever — while Aaronson embraces the pressure, aiming for trophies in Colorado and a spot on the U.S. Men’s National Team ahead of the 2026 World Cup. 

Broncos Close Preseason Undefeated with 28–19 Win Over Saints
TLDR: Rookie QB Bo Nix shined in limited action, throwing for 110 yards and a touchdown to Courtland Sutton, who finished with 83 yards and a score. Backup Sam Ehlinger added 198 passing yards and a late TD in the Broncos’ (3-0) preseason finale. Denver’s defense forced a key fumble that led to an Audric Estime rushing touchdown. For the Saints (0-2-1), rookie Tyler Shough flashed with a rushing TD but also lost a costly fumble, while Spencer Rattler managed two field goal drives. 

Tried & True

🪇 Tried & True: Sazón - Lone Tree

Lone Tree isn’t exactly short on Mexican restaurants — and Sazón is in a rough spot, sitting next to a massage parlor in a retail center anchored by a dark, empty theater. Not exactly prime vibes.

But here’s the thing: the food? It’s legit.

We started with the salsa flight and tableside guac (bonus points for those giant tostada-style chips), and paired them with a round of margaritas (Cadillac, naturally) and Mexican beer. My pick: the Divorciadas enchiladas, split between red and green sauce — messy in the best way.

The Baja lobster and shrimp enchiladas stole the show at the table, while the al pastor tacos earned solid reviews and the shrimp tacos held their own.

So, yeah — the location’s cursed, but Sazón is packing a 4.5 on Google and a 4.3 on Yelp for a reason. If you’re in Lone Tree and want Mexican that rises above “mall restaurant,” this spot is worth a detour.

I looked into it a bit and it looks like this center’s redevelopment has come up time and time again, it just never seems to happen — but who knows…maybe enjoy it while you can.

Check out their menu

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