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- DougCo Drop – Dec 3rd – Cold Moons, More Amendments & Land Swaps, and a Parker Staple
DougCo Drop – Dec 3rd – Cold Moons, More Amendments & Land Swaps, and a Parker Staple
Cold Moons, More Amendments & Land Swaps, and a Parker Staple
Connor Tien
December 03, 2025
Alright, not only have we started to get some snow, but now we have the Cold Moon arriving tomorrow. This is the final supermoon of 2025 and closes out the rare three-supermoon sequence. Be sure to look up tomorrow to catch it, and feel free to read more about it here. And if you want extra points, take a look at it while heading to or enjoying our Sip & Stroll event in downtown Castle Rock from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM (12/4). Here’s the event link if you’d like to learn more.
And if the weather turning has you down, here’s something you can look forward to…the Frontier Nights lineup just dropped! Check it out here. Tickets go on sale Dec 11 at 9:00am.
Saddle Up
🎤 Music & Concerts
🎤 Jake Shimabukuro: Holidays in Hawaii
📅 Date: Wednesday, December 3
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM
📍 Location: Lone Tree Arts Center, Lone Tree
🎤 Detail: Celebrate the season with world‑renowned ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro as he brings the spirit of Hawaii to the stage.
🎤 The Blue Moon Band
📅 Date: Friday, December 5
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
📍 Location: Pines Bar & Grill, Castle Pines
🎤 Detail: Gather your friends, enjoy delicious food and drinks, and soak up the energy of live music in a fun, welcoming atmosphere.
🎤 BadCo & Still the Same
📅 Date: Friday, December 5
⏰ Time: 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Wild Goose Saloon, Parker
🎤 Detail: Catch this high-energy double bill at the Wild Goose Saloon where the classics come alive and the crowd sings every word.
🎤 Mid Life Crisis
📅 Date: Saturday, December 6
⏰ Time: 8:30 PM - 12:30 AM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
🎤 Detail: From timeless anthems to dance-worthy hits, they bring passion, energy, and a whole lot of fun to every show.
👨👩👧👦 Family
☃️ Scrooge’s Dream: A Retelling of A Christmas Carol
📅 Date: Wednesday, December 3 & Thursday, December 4
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM
📍 Location: PACE Center, Parker
☃️ Detail: Experience Dickens’ timeless tale like never before with Scrooge’s Dream, a dancer’s retelling of A Christmas Carol.
🌨️ Clara’s Dream: A Retelling of the Nutcracker Ballet
📅 Date: Wednesday, December 3 & Thursday, December 4
⏰ Time: 7:15 PM
📍 Location: PACE Center, Parker
🌨️ Detail: From tiny dancers to adults, performers from The Dance Connection bring their unique twist on this timeless ballet to life.
🌟 Festival Park Starlight Market
📅 Date: Friday, December 5 & Saturday, December 6
⏰ Time: 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM (Fri) and 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM (Sat)
📍 Location: Downtown Castle Rock, Castle Rock
🌟 Detail: Sip hot cocoa, enjoy food trucks and holiday music, and take in the glow of a dazzling 40-foot tree.
🎄 Tree Lighting Celebration
📅 Date: Friday, December 5
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
📍 Location: The Ridge Golf Course, Castle Pines
🎄 Detail: Stroll through a sweetly decorated path and enjoy live music and dance performances.
🎁 Plum Creek Christmas Market
📅 Date: Saturday, December 6
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
📍 Location: Plum Creek Church, Castle Rock
🎁 Detail: Celebrate the season right here in Castle Rock! Shop local artisans, enjoy holiday treats, and let kids shine at this special event!
❄️ Downtown Parker Holiday Market
📅 Date: Saturday, December 6
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
📍 Location: O’Brien Park, Parker
❄️ Detail: Join the joyful celebration where the magic of the season comes alive. Explore an eclectic mix of local artisans presenting beautiful, handmade gifts, food trucks, and other fun activities.
🤶 Holiday Celebration
📅 Date: Saturday, December 6
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
📍 Location: Highlands Ranch Mansion, Highlands Ranch
🤶 Detail: Enjoy horse‑drawn hayrides, visits with Santa, reindeer games, face painting, school choir performances, craft and gift vendors, and self‑guided tours of the historic Mansion.
🦌 Reindeer Games
📅 Date: Saturday, December 6
⏰ Time: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
📍 Location: Amphitheater, Castle Rock
🦌 Detail: Bring the whole family for festive fun at Reindeer Games! Kids can meet Santa (don’t forget your cameras), sip hot chocolate, and enjoy train and hayrides in a magical winter wonderland.
❄️ Veritas Productions Presents In Harmony: A Holiday Cabaret
📅 Date: Saturday, December 6 & Sunday, December 7
⏰ Time: 2:00 PM & 6:30 PM
📍 Location: The Schoolhouse, Parker
❄️ Detail: Enjoy timeless carols, festive favorites, and breathtaking harmonies in the intimate, historic Schoolhouse Theatre.
🎄 Larkspur Park Tree Lighting
📅 Date: Saturday, December 6
⏰ Time: 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM
📍 Location: Larkspur Community Park, Larkspur
🎄 Detail: Bundle up and bring the whole family for a festive evening of cheer at the Larkspur Park Tree Lighting on Saturday.
🎄 Vocal Arts of Castle Rock Winter Concert
📅 Date: Sunday, December 7
⏰ Time: 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
📍 Location: Cantril Schoolhouse, Castle Rock
🎄 Detail: Celebrate the season with the Vocal Arts of Castle Rock in a festive community concert presented by Tri Arts Project.
🎨 Arts & Culture
🧶 Member Event: Sew Merry and Bright: Embroidered Photo Art
📅 Date: Thursday, December 4
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM
📍 Location: PACE Center, Parker
🧶 Detail: Guided by instructor Maria Borrego, you’ll learn beginner-friendly embroidery techniques to add pops of color and playful textures to black-and-white images.
🎄 Ornament Decorating Party!
📅 Date: Saturday, December 6
⏰ Time: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
📍 Location: The Gardens, Highlands Ranch
🎄 Detail: Celebrate the season with a hands-on ornament decorating bash!
🍽️ Food & Drinks
🚶 Sip & Stroll
📅 Date: Thursday, December 4
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Downtown Castle Rock, Castle Rock
🚶 Detail: Enjoy a festive evening as local shops stay open late with holiday sips, sweet treats, and special deals.
🦅 The Crowfoot Holiday Market: The Debut!
📅 Date: Sunday, December 7
⏰ Time: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
📍 Location: Crowfoot Valley Coffee, Castle Rock
🦅 Detail: Shop 10+ local makers for unique gifts, art, and holiday must‑haves. First 40 families receive free coffee! Don’t miss this community celebration of creativity, cheer, and holiday spirit!
🍹 Nightlife & Entertainment
🎞️ Encore Players Original Show
📅 Date: Friday, December 5
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Chaparral High School, Parker
🎞️ Detail: This elite troupe of juniors and seniors will take the stage for an evening of original improv comedy, showcasing their creativity, spontaneity, and sharp humor.
🎄 Wreath Decorating
📅 Date: Saturday, December 6
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Overlook Clubhouse, Sterling Ranch
🎄 Detail: Celebrate the season with a festive, hands‑on wreath decorating workshop!
🏔️ On the Horizon
🎄 Holidays & Broadway, A Castle Cabaret
📅 Date: Wednesday, December 17
⏰ Time: 6:45 PM
📍 Location: Cherokee Ranch & Castle, Sedalia
🎄 Detail: Celebrate the season at Cherokee Ranch & Castle with a festive cabaret featuring Carter Smith and Sarah Holmes of Vintage Theatre.
🎼 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.
🎄 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.
🚗 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.
❄️ Denver Winter Market
📅 Date: Friday, December 5 to December 14 (every Friday - Sunday)
⏰ Time: 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM (Friday), 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM (Saturday), 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Sunday)
📍 Location: Sports Castle, Denver
❄️ Detail: A premier holiday shopping experience! 100+ local small businesses and makers, 3 bars servicing festive cocktails and cold beers, free gift wrapping, and more!
Four Seasons Lighting Co.
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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 Backcountry Amendment Debate
The Backcountry Wilderness Area in Highlands Ranch spans more than 8,000 acres of protected open space. It has been under a conservation agreement since 1988, and for many residents who live along its edge, that agreement shaped why they chose the area in the first place.
A new proposal from the Highlands Ranch Community Association has brought that agreement back into the spotlight.
HRCA is requesting a major amendment to the Highlands Ranch Planned Development that would change how a portion of the Backcountry land can be used. The plan outlines two components: a 20-acre equestrian center and a 45-acre outdoor education area that could include a preschool, camps, community events, administrative uses, and other programming.
To balance the shift, HRCA proposes reducing 65 acres of developable land on the east end of the Open Space Conservation Area and relocating that developable footprint to the proposed project site. The total amount of developable acreage within the OSCA would remain the same, but the location of that acreage would change.
Neighbors in Cherokee Ridge Estates, which borders the Backcountry, say the amendment conflicts with the original intent of the conservation agreement and could disrupt an established wildlife corridor. In interviews with CBS Colorado, residents described regular elk and deer activity in the area and emphasized that the open views and natural environment were major reasons they moved there.
Safety concerns have also been raised. The site has only one access point, and South Metro Fire noted in its review that current infrastructure does not support new structures without upgrades to site access and fire protection water supplies. The area has experienced multiple wildfires in recent years, and part of the project zone falls within a floodplain.
Another point of concern is proximity to the Highlands Ranch Law Enforcement Training Facility, where daily firearms training occurs. Neighbors questioned whether placing a preschool next to a live-ammo range is appropriate.
HRCA’s position is that the proposal would expand environmental and outdoor education opportunities and create a facility that supports nature-based learning for both Highlands Ranch residents and the wider community. Their statement to CBS framed the project as an effort to enhance safety measures and offer more accessible, sustainable education programs.
Residents who oppose the amendment say they feel their concerns have not been taken seriously and plan to bring them forward again during the formal public process.
The Douglas County Planning Commission will review the item Monday at 6 p.m. at the Philip S. Miller Building in Castle Rock. The Board of County Commissioners public hearing is scheduled for December 16 at 2:30 p.m.
The outcome will determine whether the conservation agreement’s development footprint stays where it has been for nearly four decades or is reshaped to support new uses moving forward.
Source: CBS
Quick Update: Cherokee Ranch & Castle
Thanks to a reader who shared the attached document, we now have a clearer picture of why the Cherokee Ranch & Castle Foundation returned the county’s $575,000 award earlier this year.
According to the letter sent to Douglas County on August 21, 2025, the foundation withdrew its funding request due to a misunderstanding and conflict surrounding appointments to the CRCF Board of Directors. The foundation stated that those conditions created issues for the board, and as a result, it exercised its right to terminate the Memorandum of Understanding and return the full amount of awarded funds.
A cashier’s check for the total award was included with the letter.
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Hometown Headlines
UCHealth Highlands Ranch Expansion Continues Moving Forward
TLDR: UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital opened in 2019 and had its big expansion approved in 2023 after outgrowing its original 10-year plan. That work is now coming online with more beds, an expanded cancer center and cardiac services, a larger NICU, and four new operating rooms expected in early 2026. A second medical office building is also under construction, and staffing has grown from about 770 employees in mid-2024 to nearly 870 this fall as the hospital gears up to use the new space.
Convict Coffee Opening Second Location in Denver
TLDR: Parker-based Convict Coffee is expanding, adding a new shop near the University of Denver at 1135 East Evans Avenue. The family-run business was founded in 2024 by Dan Klehm, whose rehabilitation journey inspired the coffee brand’s mission to support anti-reoffending initiatives and pay equity. The new spot will serve fresh-roasted coffee, dirty sodas, chai, matcha, breakfast burritos, grilled cheese, and gluten-free baked goods, with a louder, more playful atmosphere than a typical café.
I-25 Ramp Closure in Lone Tree Through Mid-December
TLDR: Starting December 1, the eastbound Lincoln Avenue ramp to southbound I-25 will be closed for two weeks for drainage and concrete work tied to the Lone Tree Mobility Hub construction. Drivers will be detoured via Peoria Street and RidgeGate Parkway to access southbound I-25. Real-time updates are available through CDOT.
Tried & True
🐔 Tried & True: Black+Haus Tavern — Parker
Black+Haus Tavern has one of the best locations in downtown Parker, right on Main Street with big garage doors that open into an outdoor patio. You can tell this place is a summer favorite the moment you walk in.
We went the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and it was completely full. That kind of crowd gave the room a fun, lively feel, and the menu fits the setting: approachable tavern dishes, burgers, sandwiches, and flatbreads.
I ordered the chicken pot pie and it ended up being the standout of the night. Comfort food, done really well, and honestly the first time I’ve ever ordered chicken pot pie at a restaurant. Would absolutely get it again.
Overall, Black+Haus Tavern is an easy pick when you’re already in downtown Parker and want a place with energy.
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