The star on top of the Rock comes on for the season on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, at the Castle Rock Starlighting in downtown Castle Rock. The free festival runs from 2 to 6 p.m. in historic Wilcox Square and Festival Park, and the star is set to light at about 5:30 p.m., followed right away by fireworks, weather and conditions permitting.

The star first shone over the butte in 1936. The Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce turned its lighting into a community celebration in 1962, and the Chamber still runs the event.

The schedule

  • 2 to 4:45 p.m.: The Biff Gore Band plays the Main Stage at Fourth and Wilcox streets.
  • 2 to 4:15 p.m.: Santa Claus visits in Festival Park.
  • 5 p.m.: The Starlighting Ceremony, hosted by FOX31's Kirk Yuhnke, Great Day Colorado's Denise Plante and the Douglas County Sheriff's Office's Deborah Takahara.
  • About 5:30 p.m.: The star is lit and the fireworks start.

The ceremony keeps an old tradition: a reading of the poem Castle Rock, written by Helen Lowrie Marshall in 1966. Caroling and dancing are also part of the afternoon.

The chili supper is older than the festival

The Castle Rock Professional Firefighters serve their 90th annual Chili Supper at Fire Station 151, with beef chili, nachos, hot dogs, drinks and desserts. That makes the supper older than the Starlighting itself by more than two decades.

Elsewhere downtown there are food trucks, hot chocolate and four Chamber beverage tents, including adult beverages, along with booths from local vendors, nonprofits and sponsors selling holiday goods.

For kids

The Kids Zone sits on Fourth Street just west of Wilcox, with face painting, a petting zoo, games and a Humvee.

Bring a card, not cash

Admission is free, but every purchase at the event is cashless, so bring a credit or debit card.

Who flips the switch

The honor of lighting the star goes to the winning bidders in the Chamber's Flip the Switch auction, which closed on Nov. 12. The money supports Chamber programs, including its Veterans Alliance and Tours for Teachers.

Shuttles, parking and closures

Free shuttles run from 1 to 8 p.m. from three lots, and return riders to the same place they boarded:

  • AdventHealth Castle Rock, Alexander parking lot, 2352 Meadows Blvd.
  • Douglas County High School, South Building, 2842 Front St.
  • Douglas County Fairgrounds, Lot 5, 500 Fairgrounds Drive

Downtown parking is available in the Encore garage near Perry, South and Wilcox streets and the Douglas County garage at Third and Jerry streets. From 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., Perry Street is closed between Fifth and Second streets, North Wilcox between Fifth and Third, Fourth Street between Jerry and Perry, and Third and Second streets between Wilcox and Perry.

Plan your visit

  • When: Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, 2 to 6 p.m.; star lighting about 5:30 p.m.
  • Where: Wilcox Square and Festival Park, downtown Castle Rock
  • Cost: Free; cashless purchases only

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