By Patte Smith

Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. Get ready for some fun outdoor events that will be happening around the community.

The Starlight Summer Movies series is held in Festival Park, 300 Second Street in Castle Rock. First, on the big screen is “Dolphin Tale,” to be shown on Saturday, June 2 from 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Pack picnic baskets, grab the blankets, and take the family to this fun-filled event. Look for two more movies, “The Apple Dumpling Gang,” showing on Saturday, August 4 and “Zookeeper” on Saturday, September 15.

For car enthusiasts, slick back your hair, rev up your engines, but don’t speed to the Classic Rock Cruise-In car show and Art Mart. Check out awesome street rods at Wilcox and Festival Park on Saturday, June16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more Castle Rock events go online to www.crgov.com.

The Cycle Against Violence Bike Race will be held in Castle Rock on Saturday, May 19. Sponsored by The Women’s Crisis & Family Outreach Center (WCFOC), through its Young Citizens for Philanthropy (YCP) partnership, the ride will start and end at the Douglas County Events Center. Registration for this event will begin at 6:45 a.m. events center and the ride starts at 8:45 a.m.

Bicyclists get ready to ride, ride, ride! The 25th Annual Subaru ERock Cycling Festival will be held on Sunday, June 3. One of Colorado’s premiere cycling events, the various courses are both scenic and challenging. The five 2012 courses offer fantastic variety and there is a course for all abilities. They include 100, 62, and 34-mile road courses, a 25-mile off-road course, and the perfect family ride with the 7-mile course. To register go online to www.elephantrockride.com.

Here ducky, ducky. Yes, once again those little yellow quackers will be swimming down stream in Plum Creek on Saturday, June 9 at the 16th Annual Duck Derby and Street Festival.

There will be face painting, a waddle walk, food, entertainment, and a silent auction. To learn how to purchase a ticket and enter a “rubber ducky” into the derby race, visit www.crduckderby.com – the three top “ducks” and their ticketed owner win a cash prize!

Celebrate Independence Day in Castle Pines. Watch for details of this event in the Connection’s May 2012 issue. Be sure to stay tuned and plan on a great 4th of July celebration right here in Castle Pines!

Lone Tree will host 2012 Big Screen on the Bluffs outdoor family movie night that is open to the public. There will be crafts, face painting and a movie starting at sundown. The dates are Friday, August 3 and Saturday, August 18, both events starting at 6 p.m. The movies have not been announced so check online at www.cityoflonetree.com for more information.

The 2012 RidgeGate Duathlon will be Saturday, June 9 with registration at 7 a.m. at Prairie Sky Park in Lone Tree. Visit www.cityoflonetree.com for more information. This event coincides with the opening of the new 3-mile section of trail that will connect Bluffs Regional Park to the RidgeGate Parkway interchange.

Hikers and campers can learn some more essentials about these activities by attending a Hiking Skills Workshop and a Camping Workshop at The Wildlife Experience. Hikers will meet on June 10 at the museum for the workshop and then head off-site to a nearby location for a 3-mile round trip hike. The camper’s workshop will be on Saturday, August 11 and on Saturday, August 25 head to the hills for a camping trip. For information about these events go to www.thewildlifeexperience.org.

The Denver Botanic Gardens’ concert lineup will be announced on April 9, and the Hudson Gardens lineup can be viewed at www.hudsongardens.org. The botanic gardens website is: www.botanicgardens.org.

The list is endless for fun times and great outdoor events this summer. Be sure to check for more events and activities in The Castle Pines Connection newspaper and web site at www.castlepinesconnection.com.