🏔️ Highlands Ranch, Come Celebrate Autumn

Good morning, Highlands Ranch.

I have a question: At what point does having a favorite grocery store become a personality trait?

Asking for someone who has strong opinions about where to buy produce. Hit reply at the end with your grocery store musings.

Now, onto this week’s Scoop:

Let’s get into it.

—Grace Hody

Last Call for Wine Walks — Littleton & Parker
🗓️ Friday, Sept. 25 (4:30–7:30 p.m.)
➜ Littleton details | Parker details
It’s the last Wine Walk of the season in both downtown Littleton and Parker. Pick your Main Street, wander through local shops and enjoy wine tastings along the way.

Gilly’s Pumpkin Patch — Castle Rock
🗓️ Friday–Saturday, Sept. 25–26 (10 a.m.–dark)
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Gilly’s opens for the season this weekend on a Castle Rock homestead dating to 1889. Wander the patch for specialty pumpkins with a date or bring the kids and let them play and grab a fall treat beneath the cottonwoods.

Enchanted Evening Fall Festival — Littleton
🗓️ Friday, Sept. 25 (6–9 p.m.)
➜ View details
Explore South Platte Park after dark with live music, refreshments, art activities and guided walks through the forest. The Carson Nature Center will stay open late for the occasion.

Douglas County Fall Festival — Larkspur
🗓️ Saturday, Sept. 26 (10 a.m.–3 p.m.)
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Explore Sandstone Ranch on a guided hike or hayride. Meet the Open Space Rangers and see Douglas County’s firefighting helicopter up close. There will also be family games and food trucks. Free with no registration required.

Parker Fall Fest — Parker
🗓️ Saturday, Sept. 26 (4–7:30 p.m.; drone show around 7:30 p.m)
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Celebrate fall at O’Brien Park with an artisan market, carnival games, an inflatable corn maze, climbing walls and live country music. Parker is marking three milestone anniversaries this year with a patriotic drone show planned to cap off the evening, weather permitting.

Oktoberfest 5K — Highlands Ranch
🗓️ Saturday, Sept. 26 (7:30 a.m.)
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Start Oktoberfest day in the Ranch with a run through Town Center. Walkers, runners, strollers and dogs are welcome. There’s a $100 prize for whoever finds the hidden blue kettlebell along the course.

Oktoberfest Celebration — Highlands Ranch
🗓️ Saturday, Sept. 26 (1–9 p.m.)
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Head to Highlands Ranch Town Center for German food, live music, dachshund races and a stein-hoisting contest. Dead Floyd closes out the night with Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd covers. Free to attend; food and drinks available for purchase.

Oktoberfest — Sterling Ranch
🗓️ Saturday, Sept. 26 (11 a.m.–7 p.m.)
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Providence Park hosts live music, kids’ games, local vendors and contests for pretzel eating, stein hoisting, and best-dressed dachshund. Yes, the dogs get their own fashion contest.

Colorado Highland Games — Sedalia
🗓️ Saturday–Sunday, Sept. 26–27 (Sat. 9 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m.–5 p.m.)
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Bagpipes, Highland athletics, traditional dancing, Celtic music and food take over the Denver Polo Club for the 62nd annual games. Bring the family for a weekend of Scottish culture and maybe see some very cool dogs, too.

An Evening with Debra Hunt — Highlands Ranch
🗓️ Sunday, Sept. 27 (5–7 p.m.)
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Meet author and Air Force veteran Debra Hunt at the Highlands Ranch Library as she discusses Unlikely Hero, a book about finding resilience in the messiness of real life. Books will be available for purchase.

📬 Before You Go
Not feeling a packed festival weekend? The Highlands Ranch Farmers’ Market is still going strong on Sundays, and the corn maze at Chatfield Farms is open Fridays through Sundays.

Sometimes the best fall plan is to go for a walk or just wander somewhere with a snack in hand. 🍂

Don’t forget to give me your hot take on grocery store preferences. If I’m being honest, it’s one of my least favorite things to do no matter the store.

And above all, I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

See you next week,
—Grace

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