Highlands Ranch kicks off summer with free KidFest at Civic Green Park

Free inflatable slides, an inflatable obstacle course and lawn games anchored KidFest at Civic Green Park, where Highlands Ranch families also saw a bird and animal demonstration, mounted patrol visits and South Metro Fire Rescue engine demonstrations. The Highlands Ranch Metro District set the annual event for 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 13, and kept it open to the public rather than tying it to ticketed admission or a private club. For parents looking for a low-cost summer outing, the park festival paired playtime with local vendors, food for purchase and a full slate of center-stage entertainment.

The biggest draws were the hands-on performances and animals. Rocky Mountain Wildlife Alliance opened the schedule at 9:15 a.m., followed by Dance Athletics and the Metro District Spring Pom Team at 9:45 a.m., Paul Borrillo at 10:15 a.m., Claim Jumpers at 10:45 a.m. and Legacy Martial Arts at 11:15 a.m. The district also listed the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Patrol and South Metro Fire Rescue engine demonstrations as part of the morning, giving the event a public-safety presence alongside the music, movement and family activities.

Food and drinks came from Que Desmadre, Kona Ice and Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee, while local vendors shared information about their products and services. That mix made KidFest more than a park party: it gave families a chance to pick up summer ideas, meet service providers and spend a morning outside without a big expense. In a community like Highlands Ranch, where shared events often help define the season, that practical value is part of the draw.

Getting in and out required some planning. Parking was available in the RTD parking lot and garage across Ridgeline Boulevard, while Green Ash Street between Ridgeline Boulevard and Burgundy Street was closed from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. The library lot was off-limits for event parking so it could remain open for library patrons, and Civic Green Park enforced a strict no-dogs policy.

KidFest also sits inside a wider summer calendar the Metro District uses to stitch together civic life in Highlands Ranch. Its 2026 lineup includes Kids Fishing Day, the Ice Cream Social, the Summer Sunset Concert and the Fourth of July Parade, and district records show KidFest returning in June 2025 and in earlier June slots as well. That continuity turns the free morning at Civic Green Park into a familiar start-of-summer marker for Douglas County families.