The holidays are in full swing! Don’t miss these candelight walks, Grand illumination at Denver Union Station, and the Rocky Mountain Train Show. See our event calendar for full listings.
Mile High United Way Turkey Trot at Washington Park
Nov 23
Run your yams off at the 44th annual Mile High United Way Turkey Trot in Denver’s beautiful Washington Park! The four-mile race and quarter-mile family fun run is expected to host over 10,000 participants in support of Mile High United Way’s work in the community to improve the lives of children, families, and individuals in need. This year’s Turkey Trot will include a start and finish village featuring entertainment, music, booths and a beer garden sponsored by Great Divide Brewing Company.
Grand Illumination at Denver Union Station
Nov 24, 6:00 – 8:30 pm
Join the LoDo District and the Union Station Alliance as they light Denver Union Station. Enjoy carolers and treats, drinks at The Terminal Bar, and the revealing of this year’s holiday lighting of the iconic station!
Old Colorado City Christmas Stroll at Old Colorado City
Nov 25 – 26
Dickens on the Avenue will last two days this year! Come dressed the part and join in on the entertainment, food, pictures with Santa, and get your Christmas season started in the best way possible! Guests can look forward to original Dickens Carolers, Victorian Dances, parades and sing-alongs.
Tony Baker at Comedy Works South
Nov 24
Tony Baker is a stand-up comedian and actor. He was featured on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central’s Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand-Up Revolution, CBS’s Comics Unleashed, Starz’s StaannDUP!, and Aspire’s We Got Next. Tony has acted on TV and in film on projects like NBC’s The Carmichael Show, Amazon’s Just Add Magic, and the award winning film Whiplash.
Mayor’s Holiday Lighting at O’Brien Park
Nov 24, 5:30 – 7:00 pm
The Town of Parker officially kicks off this festive time of year with a slew of events that will get the entire family in the holiday spirit. Gather ‘round the Town Tree in O’Brien Park on Friday, Nov. 24, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. for an evening of classic holiday cheer at the Mayor’s Holiday Lighting.
Zoo Lights Preview Weekend at Denver Zoo
Nov 24 – 25
Guests of this popular holiday tradition will experience a light safari with 60 brilliantly-illuminated acres of lights, featuring more than 150 animated animal sculptures that swing through trees, jump across lawns, hide in bushes and appear in places where they’re least expected.
Rocky Mountain Train Show
Nov 25, 9:00 – 4:00 pm
All Aboard! The Rocky Mountain Train Show will be steaming into Loveland on Saturday, November 25rd and 26th. For the hobbyist, it is an all scales show. There will be more than 50 vendors including Choo Choo are US and Thunder Road Hobbies. They will be selling trains in scales ranging from N to G.
Birdhouse Building for Kids at Barr Lake State Park
Nov 25, 9:30 am – 12:00 pm
Make a birdhouse in preparation for Spring or as a holiday gift for a bird-loving loved one. We will talk about why put up a bird house, what else you can do after mounting the house and then talk about the house wren. Kids ages 9 13 will put together a birdhouse kit to take home for decorating. Limit to 10 kids/10 houses. Call 303-659-6005 to RSVP.
Gypsy Farmhouse Holiday Market
Nov 25, 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Great event for the whole family. Shopping from more than 50 vendors, kids activities, music, food & a Little Market for the kiddos to do their shopping. Prize raffles every hour. Swag bags to the first 100 families after 9:30 am and also to the first 50 families after 4:00 pm.
Elizabeth Christmas Festival
Nov 25, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
See Santa and his Reindeer, Petting Zoo, Pony Rides, Train Rides, Bungie Trampoline, Face Painting, Balloon Art, Kids can make ornaments with Santas’ Elves, while Parents select that perfect Christmas Tree and taste wine and food from local artisans Holly Acres Nursery and Christmas Tree Farm.
Arvada Fair for the Band
Nov 24 – 25
Handmade Arts and Crafts Fair at Arvada High School. Join us to shop a wide range of unique, quality, handmade items made by talented local artists. Fri 9-6 Sat 10-4.
Santa’s Workshop at Colorado Adventure Point
Nov 24, 9:00 am
We are open all day on Black Friday as an alternative to the lines and crowds! No present has greater value than one made with your own two hands. Come to CAP to learn the basics of woodworking whilst making a selection of gifts for your loved ones.
Family Film Night: Polar Express at CU South Denver
Nov 25, 3:30 pm – 8:00 pm
The Polar Express is coming to Family Film Night again this year. Don’t miss this magical Christmas journey! There will be Christmas crafts, games, carolers, hot chocolate and a photo opportunity with one of Santa’s elves! Don’t forget to wear your favorite PJs!
Irish Christmas in America
Nov 25, 4:00 – 6:30 pm
The hugely popular Irish Christmas in America show, now in its 13th season, features top Irish music, song and dance in an engaging performance rich in history, humor and boundless energy.
Littleton Candelight Walk
Nov 25, 6:00 – 7:30 pm
This Littleton tradition is a festive evening of holiday lights and music for the whole family. Sip hot cider, listen to holiday music and see reindeer! Donations of non-perishable food for Inter-Faith Community Services are accepted during the evening as well as toys for the Arapahoe Santa Claus Shop.
Drums of the World at Boettcher Concert Hall in the Denver Performing Arts Complex
Nov 26, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Marimba, bongos, bass drums, woodblocks, log drums, boo-bams, Chinese cymbals, metal trash cans, darabukkas, talking drums, plastic pipe, acoustic guitar, toy trumpet, table spoons, Burma gongs, water can, crow call, tambourine, gankogui, and sleigh bells! These are just some of the percussion instruments that the virtuoso percussionists of the Colorado Symphony will be using in this dynamic concert that is fun for the entire family.
Farolito Lighting & Pinecone Ceremony at Tesoro Cultural Center
Nov 26, 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Join Tesoro as we usher in the holiday season and honor a member of the community who has enlightened the hearts and minds of others. Feel the warmth and watch as pinecones are tossed into the courtyard fire, sending good thoughts and prayers into the night sky. Sing along to Christmas carols from the 1830s and 1840s with music students from the Colorado School of Mines and other strolling musicians. Enjoy Mexican hot chocolate, hot cider, and traditional biscochitos.
Arvada Fair for the Band
Nov 24 – 25
Handmade Arts and Crafts Fair at Arvada High School. Join us to shop a wide range of unique, quality, handmade items made by talented local artists. Proceeds go to the Arvada High School Band and Color Guard programs.
St. Nick on the Bricks
Nov 24 – Nov 25
Kids of all ages can visit with Santa at the Downtown Boulder Visitor Information Center for FREE. Bring your list and a camera to capture priceless holiday memories.
Belliston Academy of Ballet: The Nutcracker
Nov 24, 2:00 – 8:00 pm
We are excited to present Belliston Ballet’s 2017 exciting ‘all youth’ production of The NUTCRACKER. It is amazing to witness that which driven and focused young people are capable of achieving. Belliston’s Nutcracker has enthralled audiences with an impressive display of costuming, sets and dance for over 25 years.
The Nutcracker Ballet
Nov 24 – 26
This Thanksgiving weekend, the curtain rises for America’s favorite ballet, brought to life by Boulder Ballet and the Boulder Phil. Make your plans now for this thrilling and heart-warming spectacle, all performed to Tchaikovsky’s masterful score.
Ongoing Holiday Events
Blossoms of Light, Denver Botanic Gardens
Nov 24 – Jan 1, 2018
This annual holiday lights extravaganza transforms our York Street location into a twinkling winter wonderland.
Santa’s Village at Chatfield Farms
Nov 24 – Dec 24
Santa and his friends are moving to Chatfield Farms in November! Chatfield Farms will be transformed into a magical village. Join us for a new and exciting holiday experience for all ages. Hop on the hayride to catch a short movie at Santa’s cinema and find unique holiday gifts in his workshop.
DEN Ice Skating Rink at Denver International Airport
Nov 24, 2017 – Jan 7, 2018
Once again, the DEN Plaza will be home to a FREE 34’wide X 60’length ice skating rink.
Downtown Denver Rink at Skyline Park
Nov 21 – Feb. 14, 2018
Ready. Set. Skate. Skyline Park is the place for fun this holiday season. The Downtown Denver Partnership invites you and your family to join us for FREE skating at the Skyline Rink, located at 16th & Arapahoe in Downtown Denver. Ice skating is free! You may bring your own skates or rent a pair for just $2. Through February 14.
A Christmas Carol at Stage Theatre
Nov 24 – Dec 24
Essential to the holiday season in Denver, A Christmas Carol promises to “warm your heart and renew your holiday spirit” according to the Examiner. Based on Charles Dickens’ classic novel, this joyous and opulent musical adaptation traces money-hoarding skinflint Ebenezer Scrooge’s triumphant overnight journey to redemption. A Christmas Carol illuminates the meaning of the holiday season in a way that has resonated for generations.
Colorado Ballet’s The Nutcracker at Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Nov 25 – Dec 24
Recently recognized as the best-loved Nutcracker in the U.S., Colorado Ballet’s holiday classic The Nutcracker features timeless choreography paired with Tchaikovsky’s extraordinary arrangement performed live by the Colorado Ballet Orchestra.