Castle Rock's Star Already Worked a Summer Shift This Year. November 21 Puts It Back on Holiday Duty.

"Coming down the hill into Castle Rock to get to see the star lit up. That was a symbol that I'm back at home." Castle Rock firefighter Jay Allen said that to CBS Colorado last November. He leads the four-person crew known as the Keepers of the Star.

The Star is the town's signal, and Castle Rock Fire and Rescue switches it on when the town has a reason. In 2026 it already worked one shift outside the holidays. On Saturday, November 21, it starts its longest stretch of the year, and downtown's evening calendar is planned around that stretch, from the 5:30 p.m. lighting until the Star goes dark after the National Western Stock Show in January.

A summer shift, a new sign, the same crew

In July, Castle Rock Fire and Rescue lit the Star red, white and blue for America's 250th anniversary, and kept it that way through Colorado's 150th anniversary on Saturday, August 1, 9News reported. Around the same time, the department said a new bronze sign had been installed telling the history of the Star and the Starlighting tradition.

The summer lighting has plenty of company. Castle Rock Hose Co. No. 1 built the 40-foot, 100-bulb Star, and it was first lit in 1936, during the Great Depression. At the end of World War II the lights formed a "V" for victory. The Star came on again after September 11, 2001, again in March 2020, and for the Broncos' Super Bowl wins, according to the same 9News piece. The Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce has hosted Starlighting since 1962, so the Star had been lighting the hill for 26 years before the festival existed.

Every one of those lightings depends on the Keepers. In its November 2025 report, CBS Colorado said the four firefighters hike to the base, climb the Rock, and go up the star structure in safety harnesses to replace wire and sockets. Before last year's lighting, the crew had made structural upgrades recommended by an engineer and had started switching bulbs from incandescent to LED. On lighting day the Keepers finish the bulbs on the bottom half. When the crowd shouts "Light the Star," one of them flips the breaker.

The town's own page on The Star has the full history.

November 21, hour by hour

This year is 90 years since the Star was first lit. Starlighting runs from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, November 21, across Historic Wilcox Square, downtown Castle Rock and Festival Park. General admission is free. Here's how the afternoon runs, according to the Castle Rock Chamber's event page:

1. 2:00 p.m. The streets open to booths, food trucks, strolling carolers and dance groups. There's a kids zone with a petting zoo, face painting and games, and four Chamber beverage tents for adults.
2. 2:00 to 4:15 p.m. Santa and Mrs. Claus are in Festival Park.
3. All afternoon. The Castle Rock Professional Firefighters host the 90th Annual Chili Supper at Fire Station 151, serving beef chili, nachos, hot dogs, drinks and desserts. Biff Gore plays the main stage at 4th and Wilcox.
4. 5:00 p.m. The ceremony starts on the main stage at 4th and Wilcox.
5. About 5:30 p.m. The Star is lit, and the fireworks start right after.

Two practical points. Chamber events take credit and debit cards only, with no cash. And the Town of Castle Rock's event calendar says the fireworks depend on weather and fire danger.

In late October the Chamber still listed the full entertainment schedule, the event map and the booth map as "coming soon." Check its page again the week before.

Who flips the switch

The night has one seat with a deadline before it. The Chamber is auctioning the chance to flip the switch on the main stage, and online bidding is open through Friday, November 6. Bids start at $2,000 and go up in $250 increments. The winner gets recognition from the stage and photos of the moment. The money supports Chamber programs including the Veterans Alliance and Tours for Teachers.

The auction winner flips the ceremonial switch onstage. The breaker that actually powers the Star is flipped by one of the Keepers, CBS Colorado reported.

Getting in, and getting back to your car

The Chamber's posted plan runs free shuttles from 1:30 to 8 p.m. The detail that matters most comes at the end of the night. Return shuttles pick up where they dropped off, and each one loops back to its own lot. Remember which route you came in on.

If you're driving, the Chamber points to the Encore parking garage at Wilcox and Perry and the garage at 3rd and Jerry. The Town's downtown parking map is the reference it recommends. Its posted closures run from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Perry Street from 5th to 2nd, North Wilcox Street from 5th to 3rd, 4th Street from Jerry to Perry, and 3rd and 2nd streets from Wilcox to Perry. Both lists come from the Chamber's posted plan, so check for updates closer to the date.

The weeks the lighting starts

When the Star comes on, downtown's evening calendar follows. The Downtown Castle Rock carriage rides start the next day.

Carriage rides. Carriages pick up in Festival Park by the big tree from Sunday, November 22, through January 3, 2027. Hours are 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 5 to 8 p.m. on weekends. There are no rides on November 26, December 24, December 25 or December 31. Each ride is $59 for the whole carriage, tickets must be bought in advance, and the Downtown Alliance has 560 rides for the entire season.

Online tickets go on sale Wednesday, November 18, at noon, three days before Starlighting. That means the most limited part of the season sells before the Star is even lit. A small in-person sale of 75 tickets was scheduled for October 29 at 4 p.m. at the Philip & Jerry Miller Library. Details are on the carriage ride page.

Winter trolley. On Mondays and Tuesdays, when carriages don't run, the free winter trolley loops downtown from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., November 23 through December 29. Every stop is ADA accessible. Between the two programs, downtown has a scheduled ride every night of the week except the holiday blackout dates.

Dinner around the rides. Three Wilcox Square-area spots cover different kinds of evenings:

• Izumi Sushi, 115 Third Street, opened in May 2026, DougCo Social reported, so this is its first Starlighting season.
• Wide Awake Eatery, 115 Wilcox St., Suite 120, opened in 2025 as a brunch-and-evening restaurant, run by owners WhatNow Denver described as Sedalia business owners.
• Castle Cafe, 403 Wilcox St., traces its roots to the Castle Hotel and Bar, which served the town in the 1890s.

When it goes dark

After the holidays, the Star stays lit until the National Western Stock Show ends in January. During the season, the Keepers take turns watching it and go back up to replace bulbs that burn out, CBS Colorado reported. That puts its holiday shift at about two months, starting at about 5:30 p.m. on November 21.

If you're thinking about a home within reach of the Star's glow, or wondering what yours is worth before the spring market, Nick Evancich and THE LIST can help. Let's connect, and start with a free home valuation.