DougCo Drop – June 25 – Drips from the Drop: Free Friday Night Markets, Home Rule Flops, and a Coffee Shop Worth the Calories

Hopefully you survived the heat wave and enjoyed this week’s rinse. If you’re ready to get back out there, here’s what’s coming up.

Saddle Up

Music & Concerts

🎷 Jazz in the Park
📅 Date: Wednesday, June 25
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM–8:00 PM
📍 Location: Festival Park, Castle Rock
🎶 Detail: Free outdoor jazz.

🎤 Tunes on the Terrace: Sierra Green & the Giants
📅 Date: Friday, June 27
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM
📍 Location: Lone Tree Arts Center
🎶 Detail: New Orleans soul artist Sierra Green brings raw vocals and timeless soul to Lone Tree. Backed by her powerhouse band, the Giants.

🎸 Cactus Cat – Discovery Park Summer Concert
📅 Date: Thursday, June 26
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM–8:00 PM
📍 Location: Discovery Park, Parker
🎶 Detail: Indie rock meets psychedelic saxophones and dreamy vocals. Expect grooves, instrumental jams, and the unexpected.

🎭 Rock of Ages
📅 Date: Friday, June 27
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM
📍 Location: PACE Center, Parker
🎶 Detail: A big-haired, high-energy 80s rock musical featuring hits by Journey, Bon Jovi, and Whitesnake.

🎸 Rhett Haney
📅 Date: Thursday, June 26
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM–11:30 PM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern, Parker
🎶 Detail: Local country rock artist with 20+ years of stage experience. Expect Nashville originals and classic covers.

🎸 Jax Jordening - Rock the Mountain Concert Series
📅 Date: Sunday, June 29
⏰ Time: 3:00 PM–6:00 PM
📍 Location: Outlets at Castle Rock
🎶 Detail: Free outdoor concert with live local bands and mountain views.

🎸 Mile Hi Groove
📅 Date: Friday, June 27
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM–11:00 PM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern, Parker
🎶 Detail: 5-piece Denver-based funk/rock band known for contagious energy and danceable sets.

🎸 Red Rock Vixens
📅 Date: Saturday, June 28
⏰ Time: 8:30 PM–12:30 AM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern, Parker
🎶 Detail: All-female-fronted rock cover band with high energy, harmonies, and crowd favorites.

🛍️ Free Friday Night Market
📅 Date: Friday, June 27
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM–9:00 PM
📍 Location: Running Creek Park, Elizabeth
🎶 Detail: Family-friendly market with live music, food trucks, face painting, balloon artists, and local vendors.

Food & Drink

🍷 Castle Rock Sip & Savor
📅 Date: Saturday, June 28
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM–8:00 PM
📍 Location: Philip S. Miller Park, Castle Rock
🍽 Detail: Unlimited wine & bourbon tastings, local bites, and live music under the stars. Ticketed grand tasting event.

🍪 Alma Baking House Pop-Up
📅 Date: Saturday, June 28
⏰ Time: 11:00 AM–1:00 PM
📍 Location: Makers Market, Park Meadows (near Pottery Barn Kids)
🍪 Detail: Viral cookies and meet-the-baker event. Limited quantities available — come early.

🍷 Parker Wine Walk
📅 Date: Friday, June 27
⏰ Time: 4:30 PM–7:30 PM
📍 Location: Downtown Parker
🍷 Detail: Sip wine while strolling downtown Parker’s local shops. Music and vendors included. Must be 21+.

🥕 Highlands Ranch Farmers’ Market
📅 Date: Sunday, June 29
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM–2:00 PM
📍 Location: Highlands Ranch Town Center
🌽 Detail: Weekly farmers market featuring Colorado-grown produce, local vendors, and artisan goods.

Families

🎬 Backcountry Base Camp: The Goonies
📅 Date: Friday, June 27
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM
📍 Location: Backcountry Base Camp, 6005 Ron King Trail, Littleton
🎞️ Detail: Outdoor movie night under the stars featuring The Goonies — family-friendly and part of the HRCA Backcountry Movie Series.

🧱 Free LEGO Creativity Workshop
📅 Date: Saturday, June 28 (9:00 AM–10:00 AM) & Sunday, June 29 (10:00 AM–11:00 AM)
📍 Location: LEGO Store, Park Meadows Mall, Lone Tree
🌼 Detail: Kids build custom trophies in this themed hands-on workshop. Led by LEGO experts. Free event.

👨‍👩‍👧 Family Fridays
📅 Date: Friday, June 27
⏰ Time: 12:00 PM–2:00 PM
📍 Location: Outlets at Castle Rock
🎈 Detail: Weekly summer series for kids and families with crafts, games, and interactive fun.

Fitness

🧘 Free Yoga in the Park
📅 Date: Saturday, June 28
⏰ Time: 8:00 AM–9:00 AM
📍 Location: Civic Green Park, Highlands Ranch
🧘‍♀️ Detail: Free all-levels adult yoga by HRCA & Metro District (ages 13+), bring your mat!

🧘 Zumba with Heather
📅 Date: Friday, June 27
⏰ Time: 8:00 AM–9:00 AM
📍 Location: Amphitheater at Philip S. Miller Park, Castle Rock
💪 Detail: Kick off your Friday with high-energy Zumba led by Heather — all levels welcome, good vibes guaranteed.

 🪨 Archaeology Hike
📅 Date: Saturday, June 28
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM
📍 Location: Cherokee Ranch & Castle, Sedalia
🌲 Detail: Scientists at the Cherokee Ranch Institute have been excavating several sites here at the ranch. Learn about what they have found and hope to find in the future.

Nightlife & Entertainment

🤠 Country Dance Night
📅 Date: Thursday, June 26
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM–7:30 PM+
📍 Location: Wide Open Saloon
💃 Detail: Learn the moves with a dance instructor, then stick around to show them off. Line dancing, couples, and more.

🎤 Rotating Tap Comedy
📅 Date: Wednesday, June 25
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM
📍 Location: Blue Spruce Brewing Co., Littleton
🎭 Detail: Touring stand-up comedy show inside a brewery. Free show featuring national-caliber comics.

Arts & Culture

🌺 Hālau Kalama’s 17th Annual Lei Day
📅 Date: Saturday, June 28
⏰ Time: 5:30 PM–9:00 PM
📍 Location: Douglas County Fairgrounds, Castle Rock
🌴 Detail: Celebrate Polynesian music, dance, food, and fire knife performances. VIPs get access to No Ke Aloha Polynesian Cuisine and early entry.

🎙️ Sinatra Tribute Show
📅 Date: Friday, June 27
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM
📍 Location: Cherokee Ranch and Castle
🎷 Detail: Timeless tribute to Ol’ Blue Eyes in a stunning mountaintop setting. Think candlelight, cocktails, and crooning classics.

Land & Lore

After seeing Lyric’s Walk & Stroll event online last week where they were showing off different model homes, I was interested in seeing what sort of product they were selling. Here’s a newly built 1,672 two-bedroom, three-bathroom townhome for sale.

It’s been on the market for just over 60 days with a nice little haircut of $9,200 a few weeks ago. This will be interesting to track as the greater metro has seen a 48% increase in active listings from this time last year.

Hometown Headlines

📉 Home Rule Fails in Douglas County — Big
TLDR: Voters overwhelmingly rejected Douglas County’s home rule charter this week, with 71% voting “no” in a special election. Proponents say the fight isn’t over, pointing to Weld County as proof that these efforts often take multiple tries.

🏗️ Castle Rock Surpasses $1B in Development Projects
TLDR: Castle Rock is now engaged in over $1 billion worth of development. In addition to Confluence Companies’ “The Brickyard” which has seen a lot of coverage, the City Hotel of Castle Rock — built in 1872 and formerly used for affordable housing — will be turned into a boutique hotel, restaurant, and retail space.

🏀 Nuggets Name Two New Executive VPs
TLDR: Josh Kroenke continues to build out his front office after last year’s firings. Ben Tenzer was named the executive vice president of basketball operations and Jon Wallace (formerly of the Timberwolves) was named the executive vice president of player personnel.

Tried & True

☕ Tried & True: LaLa’s Bakery & Café

I dropped into LaLa’s in Castle Rock for a quick coffee and walked out with a new favorite spot. The clean, cozy space is a quiet escape — perfect for catching up with a friend or sneaking in some remote work over caffeine and carbs.

We shared a vanilla donut and a red velvet financier (both dairy- or gluten-free), and they were surprisingly rich and flavorful — none of that dry, chalky texture you sometimes get with GF treats. I’d never tried a financier before, but now I’m wondering what else I’ve been missing.

The black cold brew hit the spot, and I stole a few bites of my sister’s crustless quiche, which was light but satisfying. Her Belgian Cookie Latte might be one of the better dessert-drink hybrids I’ve tried in town.

LaLa’s feels like the kind of place that’s quietly excellent at everything it does — and the type of spot you’re tempted to keep to yourself... but can’t. So here you go.

🌐 Check out their website here!
📸 Follow them on Instagram here!
🕒 Hours:
Mon–Sat: 7:00 AM–5:00 PM
Sun: 7:00 AM–2:00 PM

✅ This one’s got our stamp of approval — go check it out.