August 6, 2015 VO LUM E 28 | IS S U E 37 | FREE
Festival Guide Inside HighlandsRanchHerald.net D O U G L A S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
Fair’s stock on rise BY THE NUMBERS $298,430
— Amount raised through the Junior Livestock Sale in 2014
$114,548
— Revenue generated by ticket sales in 2014
15,938 —
Number of general admission tickets sold in 2014
54 — Percent
increase in fair attendance since 2010
3
— Rank in Colorado’s Top 10 Summer Rodeos by Real American Cowboy magazine
Events like roping are always a big draw at the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo, which has seen attendance rise in recent years. File photo
IF YOU GO What: Douglas County Fair and Rodeo When: Aug. 6-9 Hours: Aug. 6 (4 to 11 p.m.), Aug. 7 (noon to 11:30 p.m.), Aug. 8 (10:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.), Aug. 9 (7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.) Where: Douglas County Fairgrounds, 500 Fairgrounds Drive, Castle Rock Tickets: Aug. 6 (free admission), Aug. 7 ($6 per person; age 7 and under are free), Aug. 8 ($6 per person; age 7 and under are free); Aug. 9 (free grounds admission courtesy of Castle Rock Bank)
Booming attendance tied to activities, entertainment, cost By Mike DiFerdinando
mdiferdinando@colorado communitymedia.com Over the past four years, more and more people have poured into the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo — so many that it has become Colorado’s fastest-growing county fair, local officials say. The four-day event running from Aug. 6-9 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Castle Rock has seen a 54 percent increase in attendance over
the past four years. More than 29,000 people came to the fair in 2014. “The reason it’s grown is because we have a lot of new activities and entertainment for people, and it’s an affordable event,” said Gary Debus, chairman of the marketing committee for the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo. Nearly 16,000 tickets were sold in 2014, an increase of about 3,000 from the previous year. Revenue from those sales was nearly $115,000. Debus said one of the biggest draws has been free admission on Sundays, which is sponsored by Castle Rock Bank. Fair continues on Page 9
Solutions sought for parking at Northridge Events draw crowds that force overflow parking at church By Taryn Walker
twalker@colorado communitymedia.com
A study shows parking at Northridge Recreation Center has become an issue, especially on big weekends throughout the summer, according to a presentation by Carrie Ward, the director of parks, recreation and open space for the Highlands Ranch Metro District. The Metro District and the Highlands Ranch Community Association have been working to find a solution. From the data provided, about five to seven times a year, predominantly during the summer, swim meets and other events tend to draw large crowds that cause overflow parking at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. “St. Luke’s have been incredibly good neighbors to us,” Ward said. Between the recreation center and park, there are only 352 spaces, and 60 additional spaces are needed, said Carolyn Peters, HRMD’s recreation and parks services manager. But parking spots are pricey, Ward said. “We won’t be adding additional parking, because the price tag is high,” Ward said. However, the Metro District is putting together an extensive parking lot management plan in conjunction with HRCA. The plan will include heavy staffing to direct traffic, signage on Broadway, coordination of events and a drop-off area built near the ball fields. Ward said the district will fund the drop-off spot, but she hasn’t received an estimate yet and knows it could be expensive. At the HRMD board meeting on July 28, members talked about the issue and several were in favor of having a drop-off spot built near the entrance of the recreation center. However, HRCA didn’t approve of the drop-off spot design, Ward said during her presentation. Parking continues on Page 31
Chorale for local seniors starts in September Highlands Ranch group welcomes all from area By Taryn Walker
twalker@colorado communitymedia.com The Highlands Ranch Community Association is calling all soprano, alto, tenor and bass vocalists 55 and “better” to join the Highlands Ranch Encore Chorale. The non-audition choir will kick off Sept. 4 for a 15-week session and end with a free holiday concert, open to the public, on Dec. 6. Those interested in joining will pay a one-time fee of $95 to be a charter member, which includes weekly group voice lessons, learning music and tools to help improve breath control and voice range, chorale director Brian Letherman said. Lessons for a maximum of 75 members will be held at Southridge Recreation Center, 4800 McArthur Ranch Road, every Fri-
day from 10:30 a.m. to noon in preparation for the holiday concert, where members will sing holiday favorites and popular music from the 1950s and 1960s. The chorale is a national affiliate of Encore Creativity for Older Adults, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to providing an accessible artistic environment for older adults who seek arts education and performance opportunities under the direction of professional artists, according to a press release. Encore Creativity is based in Maryland and has more than 750 singers throughout the United States. Under the artistic direction of Leatherman and executive director and accompanist Cindy Runkel, the bar is set high, HRCA spokeswoman Jamie Noebel said. “It’s a pretty neat program. We’re really, really lucky to get directors of this caliber. This isn’t just a regional, little choir that gets together to sing — these directors are really Chorale continues on Page 9
Cindy Runkel, left, and Brian Letherman will direct the Highlands Ranch Encore Chorale come Sept. 6. Runkel will be the executive director and accompanist, while Leatherman will be the artistic director and conductor of the group. Courtesy photo