Douglas County, Colorado
The drive-by displays, the night each town lights its tree, the neighborhood lights maps, and how to see downtown Castle Rock from a carriage. Hours and dates from each display's own page.
By Connor Tien, DougCo Social · Updated October 23, 2026
Here is everything that lights up across Douglas County this season, with the hours straight from the people who run each display, plus the maps for finding the decorated houses near you.
Owner-run displays that stay lit for weeks. Each entry links the display's own page; hours change with the weather, so check it before a long drive.
Thursday, November 26 through Thursday, December 31, 2026
Nightly 5–10 p.m.
Private home | 575 N White Tail Dr, Franktown
A Franktown family has lit its home and trees for the community since 2005. This year it is going back to its roots: lights and the familiar displays, viewed from your car, with no synced music shows and no walking trail. Free; the owners ask that you support local food banks directly.
Free
Display detailsChristmas show starts after Thanksgiving
From about 30 minutes after sunset until 10 p.m. (11 p.m. Friday and Saturday)
Private home | Lieter Place, Lone Tree
Thousands of lights dancing to music on 95.3 FM, and this season you pick the next song from your phone while you are parked at the show. Dim your headlights, keep the music on the radio, and do not block driveways or mailboxes. Weather changes post on their Facebook page.
Free; donations by Venmo or Cash App
Display detailsSaturday, November 21, 2026 into late January
Downtown Castle Rock | Wilcox Square and Festival Park
The Town lights The Star on the bluff the Saturday before Thanksgiving and leaves it on until the end of the National Western Stock Show in January, with downtown decorated the whole way through. Festival Park’s 40-foot tree anchors the Starlight Market on December 4 and 5.
Free
Display detailsThursday, November 26, 2026
Schweiger Ranch | 10822 S Havana St
The Schweiger Ranch Foundation's annual display of holiday lights on the historic Austrian homestead, viewable from the warmth of your car.
Free
Display detailsLocal tip: The home displays are run by families on their own dime. Dim your headlights when you stop, keep the music on your car radio, stay on the street and sidewalk, and leave driveways and mailboxes clear.
The night each town turns its lights on, in date order. Castle Rock's Starlighting and the Castle Pines drone show are the two worth planning a whole evening around.
Saturday, November 14, 2026
4–7 p.m.
Outlets at Castle Rock | 5050 Factory Shops Blvd. Suite 350
Outlets at Castle Rock's Annual Tree Lighting Concert & Celebration returns Saturday, November 14, from 4 to 7 PM.
Free
Event detailsSaturday, November 21, 2026
2–6 p.m.
Downtown Castle Rock
Castle Rock's biggest night of the year and the start of the holiday season. Downtown fills up all afternoon for the Starlighting, and at dusk the Star on the bluff above town is lit, followed by fireworks.
Free
Event detailsFriday, November 27, 2026
5–7 p.m.
O'Brien Park | 10795 Victorian Dr Suite A
O’Brien Park comes alive for the holidays! Join the Town of Parker for an enchanted evening in O’Brien Park at 5:00 p.m.
Free
Event detailsFriday, December 4, 2026
5–7 p.m.
The Ridge at Castle Pines North | 1414 Castle Pines Pkwy
The City of Castle Pines kicks off its Winter Wonderland series with its Tree Lighting at The Ridge at Castle Pines Golf Course. The tree lighting happens around 6:45pm, followed by a drone light show weather permitting.
Free
Event detailsFriday, December 4, 2026
6–8 p.m.
Lone Tree Arts Center | 10075 Commons St
The City of Lone Tree kicks off the holiday season at Merry Days, lighting the City Holiday Tree at 6:30 PM with remarks from Mayor Harmon.
Free
Event detailsSaturday, December 12, 2026
12–5 p.m.
Highlands Ranch Town Center
The Highlands Ranch Community Association 's Hometown Holiday brings festive family fun to Highlands Ranch Town Center, including photos with Santa, a holiday gift market with local vendors, live music, food trucks, seasonal drinks and hot cocoa, holiday games, and a dazzling lighting ceremony.
Free
Event detailsSunday, November 22, 2026
5–8 p.m.
Festival Park | 300 2nd St
The Downtown Castle Rock horse-drawn carriage rides return for the 2026 holiday season, running Wednesday through Sunday from November 22 through January 3 (no rides November 26, December 24, December 25 or December 31).
$59 per carriage (up to 4 people)
Event detailsMonday, November 23, 2026
5:30–7:30 p.m.
Downtown Castle Rock
The free winter trolley returns to Downtown Castle Rock, running Mondays and Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7:30pm between November 23 and December 29.
Free
Event detailsSaturday, December 12, 2026
4–8 p.m.
The Ridge at Castle Pines North | 1414 Castle Pines Pkwy
The City of Castle Pines hosts Holiday Carriage Rides at The Ridge at Castle Pines Golf Course: a horse-drawn carriage ride through Castle Pines with a cup of hot cocoa.
Also: Sun, Dec 13, 4–8 p.m.
Event detailsMore of the season: Holiday Events · Starlighting · Where to See Santa · Craft Fairs & Markets · Sip & Stroll · Full events calendar
Hours and dates checked at each display's own page on October 23, 2026.
Downtown Castle Rock lights The Star on Saturday, November 21 at the Starlighting. The Franktown Festival of Lights and Schweiger Ranch in Lone Tree both switch on Thanksgiving night, Thursday, November 26. Lights on Lieter in Lone Tree starts after Thanksgiving. Parker lights O’Brien Park and Mainstreet at the Mayor’s Holiday Lighting on Friday, November 27 (5 to 7 p.m.). Castle Pines and Lone Tree light their trees on Friday, December 4, and Highlands Ranch Town Center holds its lighting ceremony at Hometown Holiday on Saturday, December 12.
The Franktown Festival of Lights at 575 N White Tail Dr in Franktown is the closest drive-by display, nightly 5 to 10 p.m. from November 26 through December 31, free. In 2026 it is lights and displays only, without the synced music shows or the walking trail of past years. Schweiger Ranch in Lone Tree (10822 S Havana St) lights its historic Austrian homestead November 26 through January 24; you watch from the parking lot or along Havana Street, since the ranch itself stays closed. Lights on Lieter in Lone Tree is a synchronized home show you watch from the street with your radio on 95.3 FM.
Every display on this page is free to see. The Franktown family asks visitors to give to local food banks instead, Lights on Lieter takes donations by Venmo or Cash App to cover the electric bill, and the town tree lightings are free community events. Downtown Castle Rock’s carriage rides are the exception at $59 per carriage; the trolley is free.
Highlands Ranch yes: the Highlands Ranch Community Association posts its Holiday House Decorating map on December 4, built from homes the owners enter themselves (entries open through December 19). Parker ran a Halloween decoration map this fall; if the Town posts a holiday version we will add it here. For the rest of the metro, Mile High on the Cheap keeps a running list and map of 140-plus displays, including a few dozen Douglas County homes.
On foot from Festival Park up Wilcox Street, or from a horse-drawn carriage: rides run November 22 through January 3, Wednesday through Friday 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. and weekends 5 to 8 p.m., $59 per carriage for up to four, picking up at Festival Park by the big tree. The free winter trolley runs Mondays and Tuesdays, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., November 23 through December 29, on a 12-minute loop from the Encore garage.
When a new house show or a lights map posts, our readers hear about it that week. Join 15,000+ Douglas County locals.
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