“Santa’s Big Red Sack”
Thursday-Dec. 24. ‘Tis the final season for the 23-year-old theatrical tradition known as “Santa’s Big Red Sack,” which is returning with “nonstop sketch comedy, music and technology bursting at the seams,” according to its creators. It’s celebrating its last year of offensive glee, so buy a shot and make sure to leave your propriety at the door. (Note: This bawdy production is not, as you may have guessed, for kids.)
It takes place at various times and dates from Dec. 4 to Dec. 24 at The People’s Building, 9995 E. Colfax Ave. in Aurora. Tickets are $39.10 via thepeoplesbuilding.com/tickets.
Magical Winter Nights
Through Jan 4. When it comes to holiday light displays in City Park, Denver Zoo Lights tends to have it covered. But don’t count out the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, also located in City Park. The institution this year has launched Magical Winter Nights, its very own holiday celebration running through Jan. 4, 2026. The “dazzling winter wonderland” has “glowing savannah skies, shimmering northern lights and cozy cocoa (to) create memories that will last a lifetime,” according to the museum.
“This experience takes you on a journey through select areas of the museum, specifically the West Atrium and third-floor diorama halls,” organizers added. “These spaces have been transformed into a series of enchanting winter worlds just waiting to be explored. Under sparkling stars and through a series of immersive scenes, there’s something for everyone in this adventure designed to delight all ages.”
The first entry is 4:15 p.m. daily, with 21-and-up nights on Dec. 4, 11 and 18. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for ages 3-18, and $22 for seniors. 2001 Colorado Blvd. in Denver. Call 303-370-6000 or visit dmns.org for more.
Fly, Moonlight Elves!
Through Dec. 7. Denver’s always-curious (in a good way) Starry Night Productions and Theatre Artibus this year are debuting “Moonlight Elves,” which they dub “a circus-immersive holiday extravaganza,” playing Nov. 26-30 and Dec. 3-7 at Savoy Denver.
The show blends comedy, circus, interactive games and theatrical spectacle, according to Starry Night’s Amber Blais, with “dazzling aerial artistry, juggling, magic acts, and playful audience participation … costumes and elf ears are encouraged” (ears are, of course, available for purchase on site). Audiences can arrive early for interactive lobby fun, including arts and crafts, holiday drinks from the bar, and special visits from Santa (James Brunt) on Saturdays and Sundays, she added.
The all-ages shows take place at 7 p.m., with matinees at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, at 2700 Arapahoe St. in Denver. Tickets: $35 via ostarrynight.com
U.S. history, from George Washington to 9/11
Open now. “Our story was never inevitable,” History Colorado writes. “We shaped it at every turn.” But how, exactly? The state’s historical society answers that with a new exhibition as Colorado’s and America’s dual anniversaries approach. “Moments That Made Us” displays rare artifacts that enlighten “nearly 50 turning points in American history from a variety of perspectives,” highlighting “both challenging and celebratory times, from Mesa Verde to Valley Forge to Ebbets Field,” curators wrote.
Get up close with a silver spoon made by Paul Revere, a set of spurs worn by President George Washington at Valley Forge in 1777, one of the first Mexican editions of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo from 1848, Jackie Robinson’s baseball bat, a firefighter helmet from 9/11’s Ground Zero in 2001 and — this one’s pretty cool — the tape recorder used by President Richard Nixon at the center of the Watergate Scandal in 1973, the museum said.
It runs through Oct. 18, 2026, at History Colorado Center, 1200 Broadway in Denver. Included with admission. Call 303-447-8679 or visit historycolorado.org/exhibit/moments-made-us for more details.