At 3:30 this afternoon, Thursday, October 29, Downtown Alliance staff will walk the line on the west side of the Philip & Jerry Miller Library, outside Event Hall A, and hand numbers to the first 75 people with a valid ID. At 4:00 the doors open. Those 75 numbers are the only way to buy a Downtown Castle Rock carriage ride in person this season, and it's still October.
The rest of the holiday calendar is easy. Starlighting, the markets, Reindeer Games and the tree lightings are free and need no tickets. The few things that can sell out have their first deadlines now, starting with today's in-person sale before Halloween and the Chamber auction on November 6. The online carriage sale on November 18 is the last chance, three days before the star goes on.
The in-person sale moved up two weeks
Last year, the in-person carriage sale was on Wednesday, November 12, with online sales a week later. This year, the in-person sale lands on Thursday, October 29, while online sales stay in about the same spot.
| 2025 season | 2026 season | |
|---|---|---|
| In-person sale | Wed., Nov. 12, 4 p.m. | Thu., Oct. 29, 4 p.m. |
| Online sale | Wed., Nov. 19, noon | Wed., Nov. 18, noon |
| Gap between the two | One week | Nearly three weeks |
| First ride night | Sun., Nov. 23 | Sun., Nov. 22 |
The 2025 page carries a short update that every ride for the season was sold. The 2026 carriage ride page uses the same setup as last year: 75 tickets in person, first come, first served, credit card only, and one ticket per person. The one big change is the date. The library line is now almost three weeks ahead of the online sale, and the first people to buy tickets will do it the day before the Town's Fangtastic Festival at Festival Park.
Why a $59 carriage ride sells out
The rides are cheap and there aren't many of them. One ticket buys the whole carriage for $59. With four people aboard, that's $14.75 each. The Downtown Alliance says that price doesn't cover the ride:
"The Downtown Alliance has made a decision to keep the ticket price for a carriage ride below the cost to provide the ride in order to make rides accessible to more people."
The Downtown Castle Rock FAQ says ticket sales and sponsorships cover only half the cost, with sponsors like Castle Rock Autoplex helping. The Downtown Alliance pays the rest.
The supply is small. There are 560 rides this season, run by two carriages five nights a week from November 22 through January 3. There are no rides on November 26, December 24, December 25 or December 31. Take out the 75 sold at the library and that leaves 485 for the online sale. The program began years ago with one carriage, one night a week. The Alliance says it has kept the number of rides in check because the horses slow downtown traffic, but it plans to add more as long as feedback stays positive.
What the $59 gets you:
- Where: Pickup is by the big tree in Festival Park. The route loops through the lit-up core of downtown.
- How long: 8 to 15 minutes, depending on traffic and the lights. Most rides are about 10.
- Who fits: Four people. In some cases, two adults and three children under 10.
- When: Wednesday through Friday, 4:30 to 8:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 5 to 8 p.m.
- Weather: Rain, snow or shine. Rides are canceled only in extreme conditions, and you'd get an email if one was. The carriage is open-air, so the Alliance suggests blankets, hats and hand warmers.
The horses come from Kodiak Ranch. The Alliance says rides are kept short and carriage weight is limited to protect the animals.
If you can't get to the library by 3:30 today, the online sale is next. The link goes live Wednesday, November 18, at noon on Downtown Castle Rock's Facebook and Instagram pages and on the carriage ride page. The Alliance's advice is to be at a computer on a fast internet connection when it opens.
The other early deadline is Friday, November 6
The Castle Rock Chamber is auctioning the chance to light the star. Online bidding for Flip the Switch closes Friday, November 6. Bids start at $2,000 and go up in steps of at least $250.
The winner flips the switch on the main stage, gets their name or brand announced from the stage, and gets photos of the moment. The money supports Chamber programs including the Veterans Alliance and Tours for Teachers. The Chamber started Starlighting in 1962. The star on the Rock was first lit in 1936, so whoever wins this year joins a tradition that goes back 90 years.
After November 6, everything but the carriages is free
Once the auction closes, the carriage rides are the only thing left on the calendar that needs a ticket. These events are listed for the next six weeks:
| Date | Event | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 7, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. | Castle Rock Craft Show Extraordinaire | Douglas County Fairgrounds | Free |
| Sat., Nov. 14, 4–7 p.m. | Tree Lighting Celebration | Outlets at Castle Rock | Free |
| Sat., Nov. 21, 2–6 p.m. | Starlighting | Historic Wilcox Square and Festival Park | Free |
| Thu., Dec. 3 | Sip & Stroll | Downtown | Free, no sign-up |
| Fri., Dec. 4, 3–8 p.m., and Sat., Dec. 5, 11 a.m.–7 p.m. | Starlight Market, Friday and Saturday | Festival Park | Free |
| Sat., Dec. 5, 9 a.m.–noon | Christmas Market | Plum Creek Church | Free |
| Sat., Dec. 5, 1–4 p.m. | Reindeer Games | Philip S. Miller Park | Free |
| Sat., Dec. 12, 5–7 p.m. | Storytellers and S'mores | Festival Park | Free |
A few details are still open. The Outlets will announce its 2026 performers later, and Sip & Stroll hours and participating shops haven't been posted. The Starlight Market lists more than 40 vendors on both days.
Starlighting Saturday, then carriages Sunday
Starlighting is Saturday, November 21, and the first carriage rides go out the next evening. The Chamber's Starlighting page runs the day from 2 to 6 p.m. The ceremony starts at 5 p.m. on the main stage at 4th and Wilcox. The star lights at about 5:30, with fireworks right after, weather permitting. Santa and Mrs. Claus are in Festival Park from 2 to 4:15. Biff Gore plays the main stage, and there's a kids zone with a petting zoo and face painting. The Castle Rock Professional Firefighters will host their 90th annual Chili Supper at Fire Station 151, serving beef chili, nachos, hot dogs and desserts. Chamber events are card-only, so leave the cash at home.
The Chamber lists free shuttles from 1:30 to 8 p.m.:
- AdventHealth Castle Rock: Alexander Parking Lot, 2350 Meadows Blvd. Drops off at Fifth and Wilcox.
- Douglas County High School: South Building, 2842 Front Street. Drops off at Fifth and Wilcox.
- Douglas County Fairgrounds: Lot 5, 500 Fairgrounds Drive. Drops off on the street between South and Phelps streets, by Eternal Rock Lutheran Church and the Folkestad Fazekas buildings.
After the fireworks, each shuttle loops back only to its own lot, and return pickup is where you were dropped off. The Encore garage at Wilcox and Perry and the garage at 3rd and Jerry are also open, and the Town has a downtown parking map. The listed street closures run 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Perry from 5th to 2nd, North Wilcox from 5th to 3rd, 4th from Jerry to Perry, and 3rd and 2nd from Wilcox to Perry. The Chamber still marks the full schedule as coming soon, and part of the page still refers to the 2025 ceremony. Check it again the week of the event before you pick a lot.
One more thing about that weekend: if you got a carriage ticket, the season's first rides leave Festival Park on Sunday evening, November 22, the night after the star goes on.
I'll post a reminder in the community group the morning online carriage sales open on November 18, plus any Starlighting schedule changes once the Chamber posts them. If you'd like the heads-up, join my SE Aurora community with Heather Christensen Real Estate. Castle Rock neighbors are always welcome there, and you can find more local updates on my Castle Rock neighborhood page.
