Big Drive Sculpture Rises at Castle Rock's Rock Park

I caught the crew setting Big Drive in place at Rock Park last week — a bull, a cow, and a calf, painted russet and white, going in on the open space with The Rock right behind them. An excavator was doing the heavy lifting and a hi-vis crew was working the ground. It's the Town's newest piece of permanent public art, and it's a big one.

Here's the story behind it, and when you can see it dedicated.

What Big Drive is

Big Drive is a permanent sculpture of a bull, cow, and calf that stands roughly 11 feet tall and 20 feet wide. It's the work of artists Lisa Adler and Don Kennell, who were selected by Castle Rock's Public Art Commission.

The piece is a tribute to the town's ranching heritage and Western traditions, and it's part of America 250 – Colorado 150 — the shared celebration of the country's 250th birthday and Colorado's 150th, both landing this year.

Why Rock Park

The location is the whole point. Big Drive is going in at Rock Park Open Space, 1470 Front Street — the same ground where the Town's Western Heritage Cattle Drive begins each summer. Putting a bull, cow, and calf right there ties the art to the tradition it honors. (If you want to wander the trails after, here's The Rock itself.)

The dedication is July 22

The Town is dedicating Big Drive on Wednesday, July 22, from 5 to 6pm at Rock Park. The artists will speak, and there will be light refreshments and giveaways.

The ceremony also honors the volunteers, ranchers, and public-safety members who have kept the Cattle Drive going over the years — among them former Castle Rock Police Department Commander and rancher John Anderson.

"Big Drive celebrates the history and traditions that continue to make Castle Rock unique," said Dana Frazee, chair of the Public Art Commission, calling it "another meaningful way to connect with our community's Western heritage for generations to come."

Part of a Western-heritage stretch

Big Drive lands right as the town leans into its ranching roots for the summer. The dedication rolls straight into the Western Heritage Welcome and a run of events worth putting on the calendar:

• The Western Heritage Cattle Drive through downtown on July 24
• The Douglas County Fair Parade on July 25, part of the Douglas County Fair & Rodeo
• The Colorado Day Festival at Philip S. Miller Park on August 1, the big America 250 – Colorado 150 date

It's also not the only new public art marking the milestone. Out on Hangman's Gulch Trail, a local artist is carving a larger-than-life cowboy into a roughly 200-year-old tree — same heritage, different medium.

The Details

• What: Big Drive — a permanent public-art sculpture of a bull, cow, and calf, about 11 feet tall and 20 feet wide
• Where: Rock Park Open Space, 1470 Front Street, Castle Rock
• Artists: Lisa Adler and Don Kennell, selected by the Castle Rock Public Art Commission
• Dedication: Wednesday, July 22, 2026, 5 to 6pm — artists speak, light refreshments, giveaways
• Why: Part of America 250 – Colorado 150, honoring Castle Rock's ranching heritage and the Western Heritage Cattle Drive
• Cost to see it: Free

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Big Drive, a permanent sculpture of a bull, cow, and calf by artists Lisa Adler and Don Kennell, is being installed at Rock Park Open Space (1470 Front Street) in Castle Rock — where the Town's Western Heritage Cattle Drive begins each summer. It's dedicated Wednesday, July 22 from 5 to 6pm as part of America 250 – Colorado 150.

Sources: Town of Castle Rock news release (Big Drive as a permanent bull/cow/calf sculpture ~11 feet tall and 20 feet wide; artists Lisa Adler and Don Kennell selected by the Public Art Commission; Rock Park Open Space location; America 250 – Colorado 150 tie-in; the July 22 5-to-6pm dedication with artists speaking, refreshments, and giveaways; recognition of volunteers, ranchers, and public safety including former CRPD Commander and rancher John Anderson; the Dana Frazee quote) · Town of Castle Rock — Western Heritage Welcome. The installation photos and the firsthand look at the sculptures going in at Rock Park are from DougCo Social.

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