- Let the holidays begin! Several communities will be kicking off their holiday celebrations this week. The Denver Botanic Gardens’ Blossoms of Light features a dazzling display of more than 1 million colorful lights, along with entertainment and food Nov. 30-Jan. 1 from 5:30-9:30 p.m. Its counterpart Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield will have stunning lights but also an ice-skating rink for $5 per person in December. Holidays at the Astor House Museum in Golden will have holiday crafts and Victorian fun from Nov. 27-Dec. 30.
Don’t miss the 9News Parade of Lights Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 1 at 1 p.m. with sparkling lights, marching bands, giant balloons, majestic floats and delightful characters. Start your shopping now with Mile High Holidays in downtown Denver and get great deals and discounts from Denver’s finest stores and restaurants now through January 27, 2012.
You’d better watch out: The Children’s Museum of Denver is hosting a Snack with Santa on Saturday, December 1 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Dress your little ones in their holiday best and come take photos of them with Santa Claus. This event is the perfect way to get pictures for all your holiday cards and ornaments in a quiet, safe setting. In addition to a visit with Santa, children get hot cocoa provided by Bo’s Brewed Coffee and a bag of goodies to take home. Activities included with Museum admission.
Join Rocky Mountain PBS and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science for a visit from Buddy the T. Rex on December 1 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The new Dinosaur Train Discovery Tour’s mobile website relates dinosaur and science information from the hit program “Dinosaur Train” to exhibits in the museum, so bring along your laptop, smartphone, or mobile tablet device for a full experience. Cost is included with general admission to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. http://www.dmns.org/
Olde Golden Christmas on Parade – Saturdays, December 1, 8, 15 and 22, 2012. Experience a true Olde Fashioned Hometown Parade infused with a fun, only-in-Golden spirit. Enjoy lighted floats, clowns, Christmas characters, music, Santa, and even elves on unicycles. Afterwards, catch a free horse-drawn carriage ride through the historic 12th Street neighborhood (noon-4 p.m.) or kids can enjoy a ride in a Newfoundland dog-pulled cart (noon-3 p.m.) Parade travels down Washington Avenue from 11 a.m.to 11:30 a.m. on the first four Saturdays in December. For more details, visit www.VisitGolden.com or call 303-279-3113.
Do you have any Rudolph fans at your house? Then they will love the kids’ fundraiser Reindeer Run in Breckenridge, a new addition to Race of the Santas on Dec. 1, 2012. The fun runs take place just prior to the Lighting of Breckenridge, both include costumes with registration, and proceeds benefit Adopt an Angel Summit County. Activities continue throughout the month of December and include performances at the Backstage Theatre, a new Arts Weekend, the Dew Tour and more.
To celebrate the opening of their 2012 Birds in Art exhibit, The Wildlife Experience will be hosting a special evening of activities all about birds & art on December 4 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. including guided walk and talks of the new exhibit, a live bird presentation with Nature’s Educators, Artists in Action including woodcarver, Lee Thormalen, and painter Bill Alther and interactive educational displays on birds and bird conservation from the Audubon Society of Greater Denver and the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. Cost: $5 members/$8 non-members
Get tangled up in Disney On Ice’s Dare to Dream December 6-9 at the Pepsi Center. Experience Disney’s hilarious hair-raising escapade, Tangled; as Rapunzel, her unlikely companion, Flynn, and Maximus, embark on an uproarious journey that takes adventure to new lengths! Boogie to the beat of the bayou with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen in a magical, musical journey that all begins with a fateful kiss. All your favorite princesses take to the ice in a spectacular finale. Get $4 off all performances Click “Buy Tickets” on the performance of your choice. Enter the savings code 4MOM in the “Promotion Code” box (not valid for VIP tickets).
12th Annual Candy Cane Festival at Hammond’s Candies December 7 and 8. Now in its twelfth year, the festival continues to grow with activities for the kids and free admission. Snow or shine beginning at 11 a.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday, all are invited to enjoy a free mini-tour, fresh candy samples, and pick up some gifts for everyone on their holiday list.
The Polar Express, Durango. From now until December 28, 2012 the award-winning book comes to life on this magical journey to the North Pole and back! All passengers will enjoy hot chocolate and a treat served by your personal chefs who will also read the Polar Express story on the way to the North Pole to pick up Santa! While Santa visits each car, your chefs will lead you in specially selected Christmas carols on the return to Durango. All the kids aboard the train will receive a special gift from Santa! F or more information see http://www.durangotrain.com/events/2012-polar-express -MTN Town Magazine
The Longmont Museum presents AMP’D: Powering Longmont 1912-2012, a hands-on exhibition exploring the mysteries of electricity. This family-friendly exhibit will run through February 17, 2013. Featuring nine different hands-on activities, AMP’D invites children and families to assemble a model electrical grid from power plant to home, climb into a bucket next to a replica power pole, and use powerful magnets to generate energy. Kids can discover how LPC keeps the lights on with a lighted model neighborhood, and balance electrical “loads” on a giant scale. Visitors will become a part of an electric circuit, see electricity moving through a plasma globe, and can try to generate up to 90 watts of power through a hand-cranked generator. Exhibit admission is $5 adults, $3 students/seniors (62+), and free for children 5 and under.