In 1936, at the bottom of the Great Depression, putting a star on top of the Rock took a whole town. The Town Council paid for it. George P. Stewart donated the site. Castle Rock's first Fire Department carried the building materials up the butte. Castle Rock Motor Co. supplied the welding gas. William Sloan, owner of Schweiger Motor Co., did much of the design and welding. Mountain States Telephone gave used electrical wire. K99's history of Colorado's stars adds that the goal was to get travelers passing through to stop in Castle Rock.
Ninety years later, the star still needs that kind of shared effort. Starlighting falls on Saturday, November 21, 2026, and the most familiar part is the lighting itself, with the countdown and the fireworks. But several groups keep the star running from that night until the Stock Show ends in January. This year, the person who flips the switch will be chosen by an online auction that closes Friday, November 6.
The Switch Is Up for Bid Until November 6
The Castle Rock Chamber created Starlighting in 1962. The star itself had already been lit since 1936. This fall, the Chamber is auctioning the right to light it from the Main Stage. Bidding runs online through Friday, November 6, and the highest bid wins.
| Auction detail | What the Chamber lists |
|---|---|
| Starting bid | $2,000 |
| Minimum raise | $250 |
| Bidding closes | Friday, November 6 |
| Where to bid | Chamber auction page |
The winner flips the switch on the Main Stage. They also get their name or brand announced from the stage, photos of the moment and, if they want it, recognition in Chamber communications. The money supports two Chamber programs, the Veterans Alliance and Tours for Teachers.
The Crew Behind the Bulbs
Castle Rock Fire and Rescue has a year-round crew it calls the Keepers of the Star. In a 9News report on the star's anniversary lighting, the department said the crew "work[s] year-round to maintain it." The star is 40 feet tall and has 100 bulbs. It was built by Castle Rock Hose Co. No. 1.
"They actually go up there every year, change out all the light bulbs, make sure the wiring's correct."
That's how History Colorado's Shaun Boyd described the fire department's annual work in the same 9News piece. In other words, the people who carried the materials up the Rock in 1936 and the people who replace the bulbs today belong to the same department.
The firefighters also feed the crowd on Starlighting day. The Castle Rock Professional Firefighters host what the Chamber calls the 90th Annual Chili Supper at Castle Rock Fire Station 151. The menu is beef chili, nachos, hot dogs, drinks and desserts. The Town of Castle Rock's event listing gives the station's address as 300 Perry St.
According to K99, the electricity comes from CORE Electric Cooperative at no cost to the Town. CORE Electric Cooperative is also on this year's Starlighting sponsor list as both a candle sponsor and a mug sponsor.
Saturday, November 21, Hour by Hour
The event runs from 2 to 6 p.m. in Historic Wilcox Square, across downtown Castle Rock and in Festival Park. General admission is free. Chamber events take credit and debit cards only, so bring a card, not cash.
| Time | Where | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. | Downtown streets | Strolling carolers, dance groups, kids zone, petting zoo, face painting, food trucks, nonprofit and sponsor booths |
| 2:00 to 4:15 p.m. | Festival Park | Santa and Mrs. Claus |
| All afternoon | Fire Station 151 | Firefighters' chili supper |
| 5:00 p.m. | Main Stage, 4th and Wilcox | Starlighting ceremony |
| About 5:30 p.m. | The Rock | Star lighting, then fireworks right away, weather permitting |
Biff Gore will play live music on the Main Stage at 4th and Wilcox. Adults can get drinks at four Chamber beverage tents. Kroger is the Santa sponsor, and Commerce Bank sponsors the coffee sleeves. The Chamber says the full entertainment schedule, booth map and vendor list are still coming, so check its page again closer to the date.
The timing is tight. Santa leaves Festival Park at 4:15, and the ceremony starts at 5. Families who want to see both have about 45 minutes to cross downtown.
Getting Downtown When the Streets Close at 6 a.m.
Streets close long before the first booth opens. These blocks are closed from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday:
- Perry Street, 5th to 2nd
- N. Wilcox Street, 5th to 3rd
- 4th Street, Jerry to Perry
- 3rd Street, Wilcox to Perry
- 2nd Street, Wilcox to Perry
Free shuttles run from 1:30 to 8 p.m. HEI Civil is the transportation sponsor.
- AdventHealth Castle Rock. Board at the Alexander Parking Lot, 2350 Meadows Blvd. The shuttle drops off at Fifth and Wilcox.
- Douglas County High School. Board at the South Building, 2842 Front Street. The shuttle drops off at Fifth and Wilcox.
- Douglas County Fairgrounds. Board at Lot 5, 500 Fairgrounds Drive. This year the shuttle drops off on the street between South and Phelps Streets, by Eternal Rock Lutheran Church and the Folkestad Fazekas buildings.
The Fairgrounds route is the one that moved. On the 2025 event map, the Fairgrounds shuttle dropped riders near the Encore Parking Garage. If you rode it last year, you'll get off in a different spot this year. On the way home, every shuttle picks up where it dropped off and loops back to its own lot only. Get on the one for the lot where you parked.
You can also park downtown in the Encore Parking Garage at Wilcox and Perry or the garage on 3rd and Jerry. The Chamber points to the Town's downtown parking map as the most accurate source.
After the Fireworks, the Star Comes On by Itself
K99 reports that after Starlighting, a sensor lights it every night around sunset. It stays on until the National Western Stock Show ends in January.
The National Western's 2027 schedule runs January 9 to 24. That means this season's star should stay on every night from November 21 until the Stock Show wraps up in late January, about nine weeks. Downtown holiday plans, guests' visits and January drives home along I-25 all fall inside that stretch.
The town has also lit the star outside the season to mark big moments:
- A "V" for victory at the end of World War II
- After September 11, 2001
- In March 2020, which Castle Rock Fire and Rescue described as "a reminder that Castle Rock is a strong and united community that will persevere"
- Broncos Super Bowl wins, in team colors
This year added another. 9News reported that Castle Rock Fire and Rescue lit the star red, white and blue for America's 250th anniversary and kept those colors through Colorado's 150th on Saturday, August 1. In the same announcement, the department said a new bronze sign had been installed telling the history of the star and of Starlighting. The Chamber's event page carries the 150/250 logo too, so the November ceremony closes out the anniversary year that started with those summer lights.
A lot of people help write Castle Rock's history, from the welder in 1936 to the firefighters who replace the bulbs every year. When a home here goes to market, we tell its part of that story with the same care and full context. If you'd like to talk about your own place in this town before the star goes dark in January, Stacie Chadwick is glad to hear from you. Let's Connect.
