Are you ready to light up the night? Holiday-event programmers sure are, with dozens of offerings that mash festive décor, drinks, music, shopping and old-fashioned spectacle.
The popularity of lighting displays along the Front Range continues to grow, producers said, with hours, capacity and dates expanding to accommodate visitors this year. As a rule of thumb, buy tickets ahead of time and dress for the weather. Some timed events do not offer on-site ticket sales, and the biggest ones are likely to sell out in the coming weeks. (Blossoms of Light and Zoo Lights already have several sold-out dates.)
Here are 10 of the largest metro-area holiday lighting displays. Public tree-lightings are free. Admission to the rest varies by location; see links for details.
Union Station’s free, public Santa visits return on select dates this holiday season, preceded by the Friday, Nov. 29, Grand Illumination of downtown Denver. (Provided by Dunn Communications)
Downtown Denver Grand Illumination
Where: Denver Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., Denver
When: 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29
Price: Free, with paid packages available
Contact: 303-592-6712, denver.org or unionstationindenver.com
Downtown’s Denver Union Station is the center of the citywide Grand Illumination, with an appearance from Santa and Mrs. Claus, a Miracle: Buddy’s Bar pop-up (through Dec. 24, open daily), music from Youth on Record and the Denver Dolls, themed drinks, and free photos with our North Pole denizens.
The centerpiece of the Friday, Nov. 29, event is the 4-8 p.m. illumination, in which a 40-foot-tall, 7,000-light outdoor tree is brought to life with the flick of a switch (the tree lighting begins promptly at 6:10 p.m.). That kicks off a chain reaction of architectural icons lighting up in Skyline Park, along the 16th Street Mall, in Civic Center and all around downtown.
Visits with Santa are free and on a first-come, first-served basis, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 1, 8, 15 and 22. VIP upgrades are available.
Colorado State University cheerleaders perform during the 9NEWS Parade of Lights Friday, Dec. 1, 2017, at the Denver City and County building. The parade stretches two miles through downtown Denver and features marching bands, ornate floats, and appearances by Major Waddles the Penguin and Santa.
9News Parade of Lights
Where: Denver City and County Building, 1437 Bannock St., Denver
When: 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7
Price: Free along the route (see below). Grandstand tickets at the staging area are $33.04 for adults; 2 and under free.
Contact: winterindenver.com/parade
This 50th annual event brings back holiday-themed floats (40 in all), colorful characters such as Santa and Major Waddles, giant helium-filled character balloons, marching bands, and twinkling lights along festive downtown streets. Spots along the route usually fill up quickly, with about 300,000 attendees expected for this year. The parade will also be simulcast on 9News starting at 6 p.m.
The 2-mile route starts at Denver City & County Building, 14th and Bannock streets, and travels up Tremont to 17th Street, where it goes northwest for several blocks before turning onto Arapahoe, organizers said. It then loops back on 15th Street to Glenarm.
A drone shot shows the twinkling lights that make up Denver Botanic Gardens’ annual Blossoms of Light display, on Nov. 17, 2024, in Denver. (Scott Dressel-Martin, provided by Denver Botanic Gardens)
Blossoms of Light
Where: Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St., Denver
When: 4:30-9 p.m., Nov. 20-Jan. 12, 2025 (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas)
Price: $27-$31 for adults, $25-$29 for seniors; $22-$24 for kids 3-15, children 2 and under are free
Contact: 720-865-3500 or botanicgardens.org
Denver Botanic Gardens welcomes back the treats and warm drinks that make Blossoms of Light more than just a leisurely, Instagram-friendly stroll through its densely populated York Street grounds. (Note: Drinks and food will be available for purchase at the Hive Garden Bistro and Offshoots Café.) This year’s 1-mile stretch includes even more lights — and environmentally friendly upgrades, according to Gardens officials — plus new installations such as the Plains Aglow light display, which mimics the breeziness of meadowgrass.
Tickets are not available on-site and must be bought online in advance. Many dates, including some weekend slots through Christmas, are already sold out, so don’t wait.
A child basks in the glow of lights at Denver Zoo Lights in 2018. (Photo by Chuck Springer, provided by Denver Zoo)
Denver Zoo Lights
Where: Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St., Denver
When: 5-8 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 5-9 p.m. (last entry) Fridays and Saturdays. Opens to the public Saturday, Nov. 23-Jan. 5, 2024, with a low-sensory night Dec. 31
Price: $25 for adults and seniors; $18 for children ages 3-15; free for 2 and under
Contact: 720-337-1400 or denverzoo.org/events/zoo-lights
As a complement to Denver Botanic Gardens’ Blossoms of Light, this stationary display takes advantage of Denver Zoo Conversation Alliance’s 80-acre City Park home with live ice carving, seasonal craft cocktails and treats, and nighttime animal viewing (interactive experiences are available) along with, you know, the 3 million or so twinkling lights, which includes new displays for each year.
Some weekend time slots are already sold out, with good weekday availability as of this writing. Prepare for scant parking and lines. Once you’ve started exploring, snap a pic or three in front of the zoo’s signature animal light sculptures, or (as is my family’s wont) take a spin on the vintage carousel.
A scene from Littleton’s 2023 Hudson Holidays. (Provided by Hudson Gardens)
Hudson Holidays
Where: The Hudson Gardens & Event Center, 6115 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton
When: Limited dates, 5-9 p.m. Nov. 29-Jan. 12, 2025
Price: $22.40 (adults), $20.26 for seniors, $17.06 for kids 3-12, free for children 2 and under
Contact: hudsongardens.org
As in years past, Littleton’s “lighted forest of towering trees” emphasizes the natural surroundings, with singing and dancing in a dedicated grove of Christmas trees, giant snowmen and glowing reindeer, and an eye-popping holiday light tunnel. Don’t forget to grab a cup of hot cocoa to warm your hands (or at least placate the kids).
Amid the spectacle, check out the lighted maze and visits with Santa, as well as themed nights and special events.
Elitch Gardens theme park in downtown Denver is bringing back its Luminova Holidays for a fourth year. (Provided by Elitch Gardens)
Luminova Holidays at Elitch Gardens
Where: Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park, 2000 Elitch Circle, Denver
When: 5-9 p.m. Sunday-Friday, 4-9 p.m. Saturdays, Nov. 29-Dec. 31
Price: $25 (free for kids 2 and under), with on-site parking for $25-$30
Contact: 303-595-4386 or luminovaholidays.com
The fourth year of this theme park-based event is conveniently downtown, with more than 4 million lights, a 65-foot-tall Christmas tree, a 25-foot-tall snowman (which never melts, of course), a 300-foot-long candy cane tunnel, giant ornaments, a wall of lights, rides on certain Elitch Gardens attractions (think Boomerang, Brain Drain and Sea Dragon), train rides for the kids, Santa and his elves, and more.
Olde Golden’s annual holiday offerings including candlelit walks along the creek and a daytime parade. (Provided by Visit Golden)
Olde Golden Candlelight Walk
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Things to do: Denver holiday markets, Christmas light shows begin
Where: 719 10th St., Golden
When: 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6; parade at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14
Where: Washington Avenue, from 15th Street in front of Foothills Art Center to 10th Street
Price: Free (candles available for sale at local vendors)
Contact: 303-279-2282 or visitgolden.com
Golden’s traditional holiday lighting and candlelit walk is more than 100 years old, and it returns on Dec. 6 with holiday revelers strolling Washington Avenue, holding candles and singing carols — “maybe even stopping for warm cider and hot chocolate along the way,” organizers have said. Golden’s Holiday Parade also returns on Dec. 14 with marching bands, floats, horses, Victorian carolers, antique cars, elves, Buffalo Bill, the Grinch, fire trucks, and Santa’s visit.
More than 45,000 holiday lights will illuminate Golden’s downtown as well as the trees, bridges and walkways along Clear Creek, while nearby, the Colorado Railroad Museum will be lit by the headlamp of its steam locomotive as the Polar Express once again steams through the night, bringing kids and Santa to the North Pole, according to Golden officials.
Jingle on the Avenue also arrives Dec. 21, with “family favorite holiday characters” along Washington Avenue.
If you’re looking for a more outdoorsy holiday lights walk, check out Trail of Lights at Denver Botanic Gardens’ Chatfield Farms in Littleton. (Scott Dressel-Martin, provided by Denver Botanic Gardens)
Trail of Lights at Chatfield Farms
Where: Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms, 8500 Deer Creek Canyon Road, Littleton
When: 5-8:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday, Nov. 29-Jan. 5, 2025 (closed Christmas)
Price: $18 for adults; $16 for seniors and students, $12 for kids ages 3-15; free for 2 and under
Contact: 720-865-3500 or botanicgardens.org
The Chatfield location of Denver Botanic Gardens gets in the holiday mood with its outdoorsy version of a lighting display. Walk just under a mile to see the illuminated cottonwoods, box elders and pine trees that wind through Green Farm, Crossroads, Deer Creek Discovery Children’s Play Area and 1880s Hildebrand Ranch homestead, organizers said. (Note: There is the option of a shorter path.)
There’s also music in a children’s play area, “singing” Christmas trees, a pair of three-sided light tunnels, and seasonal food and drink alongside a holiday market. It debuts on Friday, Nov. 29, but several times and dates are already sold out. There will be no ticket sales on-site.
Scenes at the Winter Wonderlights event at Centerra in Loveland on Nov. 16, 2018. (Richard Haro Photography, provided by Fyn PR)
Loveland’s Winter Wonderlights
Where: Chapungu Sculpture Park, 5995 Sky Pond Drive in Loveland, just east of the Promenade Shops retail center at U.S. Hwy. 34 and I-25
When: 5-9 p.m. nightly, Nov. 23-Jan. 1, 2025
Price: Free, with items for purchase on Live Nights
Contact: 970-667-3882 or visitloveland.com/winterwonderlights
Loveland’s excellent Chapungu Sculpture Park again hosts the Winter Wonderlights celebration, with 300,000 lights and nightly music as part of the free, walk-through installation.
The attraction gets a lift on Live Nights, with ice carving, live reindeer, princess visits, dancing, live music, characters from “Frozen” and “Wicked,” and more, on Saturday, Nov. 23, Friday, Dec. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 14.
Cherry Creek North’s Winter Wanderland returns with one million lights and free programming through Christmas and Chanukah. (JK Photography, provided by Cherry Creek North)
Cherry Creek North Winter Wanderland
Where: Fillmore Plaza, 105 Fillmore St. in Denver, between First and Second avenues
When: Thursday, Nov. 21-Dec. 24
Price: Free, with items available for purchase
Contact: cherrycreeknorth.com
Cherry Creek’s renowned shopping district unites during this annual event, which includes the Nov. 21 “Million Light Plug In” and the debut of the neighborhood’s densely packed holiday market (on the same date). The display features 600 trees decked out in lights for your walking-tour needs, and no shortage of restaurants, bars and boutiques looking to soak up your cash.
Programming includes Saturday Night Lights (Dec. 7, 14 and 21), with Santa and Mrs. Claus meet-and-greets, and family-friendly music and dancing (plus complimentary treats), as well as a Hanukkah celebration on Dec. 29. Presented by Chabad of Cherry Creek, it will include face painting, fire juggling, festive treats, and crafts.