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- DougCo Drop – Dec 17th – A big wildlife update plus a look back at Douglas County in 2025
DougCo Drop – Dec 17th – A big wildlife update plus a look back at Douglas County in 2025
A big wildlife update plus a look back at Douglas County in 2025
Connor Tien
December 17, 2025
Alright, hopefully everyone stays safe during this high wind forecast and potential power outages. Xcel Energy Colorado is monitoring the situation and encouraging customers to be prepared.
Saddle Up
🎤 Music & Concerts
🎤 Singer Songwriter "Christmas"
📅 Date: Wednesday, December 17
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
📍 Location: The Studio @ Mainstreet, Parker
🎤 Detail: This special holiday edition of our favorite Wednesday tradition features the region’s best singer‑songwriters in a “Nashville Rounds” style setting.
🎤 Live Music: Rhett Haney
📅 Date: Thursday, December 18
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM - 11:30 PM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
🎤 Detail: With over 20 years in Denver’s music scene, Rhett Haney brings seasoned talent and heartfelt grit to every performance.
🎤 Atomic XPerience
📅 Date: Friday, December 19
⏰ Time: 10:00 PM
📍 Location: Pines Bar & Grill, Castle Pines
🎤 Detail: Get ready for a night of nonstop music as Atomic XPerience brings not one, but two bands to the stage at Pines Bar & Grill!
🎤 Jim Hyatt Band
📅 Date: Friday, December 19
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM - 11:40 PM
📍 Location: Takoda Tavern, Parker
🎤 Detail: Known for their energetic jams and crowd‑pleasing sound, they’ll keep the vibes rolling late into the night.
👨👩👧👦 Family
🗑️ Bin Kids Event
📅 Date: Wednesday, December 17
⏰ Time: 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
📍 Location: Castle Pines Library, Castle Pines
🗑️ Detail: Bring the kids and grandkids for a sweet, hands‑on activity that spreads joy!
🎼 The Ugly Seasonal Sweater Soiree
📅 Date: Wednesday, December 17 to Sunday, December 21
⏰ Time: 1:30 PM & 7:30 PM
📍 Location: Lone Tree Arts Center, Lone Tree
🎼 Detail: This brand-new original musical comedy brings festive fun to the stage with a live band, treasured seasonal songs, and plenty of quirky December traditions.
🪵 Summit Dance Academy Presents The Nutcracker Suite
📅 Date: Saturday, December 20 - Sunday, December 21
⏰ Time: 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM
📍 Location: PACE Center, Parker
🪵 Detail: Clara and her Nutcracker Prince journey through the sparkling Lands of Snow and Sweets, brought to life by Tchaikovsky’s beloved score and dazzling choreography.
✨ A Carpenters Holiday Celebration with the CJRO
📅 Date: Saturday, December 20
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM
📍 Location: The Schoolhouse Theater, Parker
✨ Detail: Celebrate the season with the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra and guest vocalist Marion Powers in a heartfelt tribute to Karen and Richard Carpenter.
🕺 Sounds of the Season
📅 Date: Tuesday, December 23
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Southridge Rec Center, Highlands Ranch
🕺 Detail: Just days before Christmas, The Denver Brass fills the air with powerful brass sounds, from classic carols to cheerful fanfares.
🍽️ Food & Drinks
🍪 Cocoa and Cookies with Santa and Bubbles
📅 Date: Wednesday, December 17
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
📍 Location: The Learning Experience, Parker
🍪 Detail: Families can enjoy festive fun with pictures with Santa, his elves, and Bubbles the elephant, holiday crafts, storytime, and cocoa with Claus.
🎅 Breakfast with Santa & Mrs. Claus
📅 Date: Friday, December 19
⏰ Time: 8:30 AM or 10:15 AM
📍 Location: Parker Senior Center, Parker
🎅 Detail: Celebrate the season with a festive morning of breakfast, crafts, live music, and special visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus!
🍹 Nightlife & Entertainment
🎄 The Pub & Grub Comedy Tour
📅 Date: Thursday, December 18
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Wild Goose Saloon, Parker
🎄 Detail: Get ready to laugh till it hurts as Kris Shaw (Kevin Hart’s LOL Network) and Dan West (World Series of Comedy) bring their high-energy stand-up to Parker.
🧥 Ugly Christmas Sweater Party
📅 Date: Saturday, December 20
⏰ Time: 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
📍 Location: 105 West Brewing Company, Castle Rock
🧥 Detail: Get festive at 105 West Brewing Company with our annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party!
🌙 RION EVANS presents COMEDY NIGHT
📅 Date: Saturday, December 20
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
📍 Location: The Studio @ Mainstreet, Parker
🌙 Detail: Featuring sharp wit, hilarious stories, and a lineup designed to keep the jokes flowing, this evening promises nonstop entertainment in an intimate setting.
🎶 December Birthdays Party @ Sinners & Saints with Bleed’n Green
📅 Date: Saturday, December 20
⏰ Time: 8:00 PM - 11:59 PM
📍 Location: Sinners & Saints, Castle Rock
🎶 Detail: Celebrate the season and those special December birthdays that often get lost in the holiday shuffle!
🌃 December Star Party
📅 Date: Friday, December 19
⏰ Time: 3:30 PM - 12:00 AM
📍 Location: Sandstone Ranch Open Space, Douglas County
🌃 Detail: Set up your telescope before dark, enjoy an informational talk at dusk, then explore the night sky with fellow enthusiasts. Registration closes Wednesday night.
🎤 Myxed Trivia & Karaoke Tuesdays
📅 Date: Tuesday, December 23
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM
📍 Location: Wild Goose Saloon, Parker
🎤 Detail: Trivia night just got smarter and easier! With Myxed Trivia, you play entirely on your phone, so you never have to put down your drink or step away from the food.
🏔️ On the Horizon
🍹 Noon Years Eve Party
📅 Date: Wednesday, December 31
⏰ Time: 11:00 AM - 12:02 PM
📍 Location: Sterling Center, Sterling Ranch
🍹 Detail: Skip the late-night countdown and celebrate the New Year at lunchtime!
🎹 NYE Party Featuring Dueling Pianos
📅 Date: Wednesday, December 31
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 10:30 PM
📍 Location: Wide Open Saloon, Sedalia
🎹 Detail: Expect high-energy music, hilarious banter, and nonstop fun as two pianists battle it out with your favorite songs.
🎼 New Year's Eve w/ Ninety Percent 90s & Glitter in the Air
📅 Date: Wednesday, December 31
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Wild Goose Saloon, Parker
🎼 Detail: Featuring Glitter in the Air: The Ultimate P!NK Experience and Ninety Percent 90’s, this bash promises unforgettable performances, dancing, and celebration.
🎊 New Year’s Eve Dance Party @ Sinners & Saints
📅 Date: Wednesday, December 31
⏰ Time: 8:00 PM - 1:00 AM
📍 Location: Sinners & Saints, Castle Rock
🎊 Detail: Join us for an unforgettable night featuring exclusive food and drink specials and a high‑energy DJ Party that will keep you dancing straight into the New Year.
🚗 Worth the Drive
🎄 Trail of Lights
📅 Date: Friday, November 21 - Sunday, January 11 (closed Nov. 27 & Dec. 25)
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM
📍 Location: Chatfield Farms, Littleton
🎄 Detail: Experience Colorado’s countryside aglow this holiday season at Littleton’s Chatfield Farms.
🎅 Hudson Holidays
📅 Date: Friday, November 28 until January 4
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM
📍 Location: Hudson Gardens, Littleton
🎅 Detail: The season sparkles beginning Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, with shows on select nights through Jan. 4, 2026.
Four Seasons Lighting Co.
Colorado’s Premier Jellyfish Lighting Installer
Love Christmas as much as Buddy?
Avoid becoming an angry elf and have Four Seasons Lighting Co. put up permanent lighting this season for all seasons.
No ladders. No storage. No stress.
And now offering 0% financing up to 21 months! Use code JF25 for 25% off installation!
Wanted, Help
Local jobs and opportunities across Douglas County.
If you’re hiring, reach out at [email protected] for a free posting.
Land and Lore
The Greenland wildlife overpass is open (and it’s a big deal)
CDOT just completed the I-25 Greenland wildlife overpass near Larkspur, now covered with dirt and vegetation and officially open for wildlife to start using. It spans six lanes of I-25 between Larkspur and Monument and reconnects roughly 39,000 acres of habitat on both sides of the interstate.
A few details that make this one notable:
It’s billed as North America’s largest wildlife overpass, measuring about 200 feet wide by 209 feet long (nearly an acre of crossing surface).
It was built to help big movement species like elk and pronghorn (and also supports mule deer, bears, mountain lions, and more).
CDOT says the broader crossing system in this corridor is expected to cut wildlife-vehicle crashes by up to 90%, and this overpass closes a key gap between existing crossings.
This is one of those infrastructure projects you might never “use,” but it changes the county in a real way.
Source: CDOT
Hometown Headlines
2025 State of Douglas County: the year-in-review
TLDR: The Board of County Commissioners held their State of the County event where they report back and highlight annual accomplishments achieved. The event was sponsored by none other than Sterling Ranch and also featured other sponsors like Lockheed Martin. Highlights ranged across their core areas of focus: Public Safety, Transportation, Historic & Natural Resources, Health & Human Services, Economic Foundation, and County Services. The affair featured plenty of shots of ribbon cutting, shoveling dirt, and mentions of Zebulon. They also signed a resolution whose goal is to cut red tape and make permitting the fastest in the state, and eventually the fastest in the nation. Tune in for the presentation on YouTube here, if you’d like to watch the 90-minute presentation.
Trace Adkins is coming to the Douglas County Fair & Rodeo (July 24, 2026)
TLDR: Country music artist Trace Adkins will headline the kickoff concert at the 2026 Douglas County Fair & Rodeo on Friday, July 24, 2026 in Castle Rock. Adkins is known for his deep baritone voice and a catalog of chart-topping country hits spanning three decades. Tickets go on sale at 10:00 AM on Friday, December 19.
Star Wars-themed Christmas light house in Highlands Ranch
TLDR: A Highlands Ranch family is back with its full Star Wars-themed holiday display. 20,000+ lights, inflatables, costumed characters, and weekend hot chocolate and cider. You can see the lights at 9973 Blackbird Place nightly from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM through January 1.
Need more events? Check out https://dougcoevents.com (new URL)
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