It’s suddenly tree-lighting, house-decorating, parade-having time of year, and the metro area has no shortage of ways to celebrate the holidays.
Walk-through lighting displays are, of course, one of the lowest-effort activities with the highest return on wonder and kid friendliness — provided you don’t mind the prices. They’re not up too much this year from last — just $2 on average, according to a Denver Post survey — although many nonprofits and commercial installations are still trying to make up for vastly lower attendance the last couple years, so it’s understandable.
Most events are, as you’ll quickly notice, limited in hours, timed and ticketed, and optional in their masking policies. Some do not offer on-site ticket sales, and the biggest ones are likely to sell out in the coming weeks (some, such as Blossoms of Light and Zoo Lights, are being snatched up predictably fast).
Check each event’s website before attending, and bring masks just to be safe.
With that in mind, here are 10 of the biggest metro-area holiday lighting displays, with an interactive map at extras.denverpost.com/holiday-lights. Public tree lightings are free. Admission to the rest varies by location; see links for details.
Downtown Denver Grand Illumination
Where: Denver Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., Denver
When: 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25
Price: Free, with paid packages available
Contact: 303-592-6712, denver.org or unionstationindenver.com
Downtown Denver’s Union Station is the center of the citywide Grand Illumination, with an appearance from Santa and Mrs. Claus, “an expanded lineup family friendly entertainment of classic holiday hits” from the Denver Dolls, the Miracle Bar pop-up (through Dec. 26), and of course, the lighting of the historic Union Station and its 40-foot-tall, 7,000-light outdoor tree. That event kicks off a chain reaction of architectural icons lighting up in Skyline Park, along the 16th Street Mall, in Civic Center and around downtown.
Visits with Santa are free and on a first-come-first-served, available 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Nov. 27, Dec. 4, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18. Nick Express skip-the-line tickets are $50 per family, although as of press time only Dec. 17 tickets were available; advanced online purchase is required.
Also for kids on Friday: free face painting, a balloon artist, a caricature artist and more. For everyone: horse-drawn carriage rides, seasonal beverages from Terminal Bar and the Cooper Lounge on an extended patio, specialty hot chocolate — spiked for adults and filled with candy additions for kids from Milkbox Ice Creamery, and more.
9News Parade of Lights
Where: Denver City and County Building, 1437 Bannock St., Denver
When: 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2
Price: Free along the route (see below). Grandstand tickets at the staging area are $25 for adults (or $50 for VIP); 2 and under free.
Contact: winterindenver.com/parade
This 49th 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 may fill up quickly due to the fact that they’re free, with about 300,000 attendees expected for this year. The parade will also be simulcast on 9News starting at 6 p.m. Dress for the weather!
The 2-mile route starts at Denver City & County Building, 14th and Bannock streets, then travels up Tremont Street to 17th Street where it goes northwest for several blocks before turning onto Arapahoe Street, organizers said. The parade then loops back on 15th Street to Glenarm.
Denver Zoo Lights
Where: Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St., Denver
When: 5:30-8 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 5:30-8:30 p.m. (last entry) Fridays and Saturdays. Members-only through Dec. 1; opens to the public Saturday, Dec. 2-Jan. 7, 2024, low-sensory night Dec. 31
Price: $28 for adults and seniors; $21 for children ages 3-15; free for 2 and under
Contact: 720-337-1400 or denverzoo.org/events/zoolights
As a complement to Denver Botanic Gardens’ Blossoms of Light, this stationary display takes advantage of the sprawling City Park zoo location 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 2023.
Some weekend time slots are already sold out, with lots of weekday availability as of this writing. Prepare for scant parking and lines. Once you’ve started exploring the 80-acre display, snap a pic or three in front of zoo’s signature animal light sculptures or (as is my family’s favorite) take a spin on the vintage carousel.
Hudson Holidays
Where: Hudson Gardens & Event Center, 6115 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton
When: Limited dates, 5-9 p.m. Nov. 24-Dec. 31
Price: $20 (adults), $18 for seniors, $15 for kids 3-12, free for children 2 and under
Contact: hudsongardens.org
Littleton’s trusty “lighted forest of towering trees” emphasizes the natural surroundings, with holiday songs encouraging 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).
This year the events are retitled Hudson Holidays, “featuring never-before-seen light installations like a cathedral comprised of thousands of LED lights,” organizers wrote, and the related Light Up the New Year show (Jan. 2-Jan. 28, 2024) that includes that includes “a laser garden and upbeat music.”
Blossoms of Light
Where: Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St., Denver
When: 4:30-9 p.m., Nov. 17-Jan. 7, 2023 (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas)
Price: $25 for adults, $23 for seniors; $21 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. (Drinks and food will be available for purchase at the Hive Garden Bistro and Offshoots Café).
Again, and because it’s easily overlooked: Tickets to Blossom of Light are NOT available on-site and must be bought online in advance. Many dates, including nearly weekend slot through Christmas, are already sold out, so don’t wait to get tickets.
Luminova Holidays at Elitch Gardens
Where: Elitch Gardens Theme and Water Park, 2000 Elitch Circle, Denver
When: 5-10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24-Jan. 1, 2023
Price: $25-$30
Contact: 303-595-4386 or elitchgardens.com/luminova-holidays
Denver’s Elitch Gardens theme is a great place for huge displays, given its theme-park sprawl and verticality right in the middle of the city. The ever-evolving Luminova display offers 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 limited Elitch Gardens attractions, train rides for the kids, Santa and his elves, and more (phew).
Olde Golden Candlelight Walk, Parade
Where: 809 15th St., Golden
When: 6:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 1; parade at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 9
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 turned 100 last year, and it returns with more 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 Dec. 9 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.
Be sure to see the free, 5 p.m. pre-show at on Dec. 1 at the stage in Parfet Park just before the walk.
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. 24-Jan. 1, 2024 (closed Christmas)
Price: $16 for adults and kids; $14 for seniors, $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. (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 Friday, Nov. 24, but many times and dates are already sold out.
Camp Christmas
Where: The Hangar at Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St. in Aurora
When: 4-8 p.m. daily, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on weekends, through Dec. 24
Price: $12-$24, with VIP options; food and drink for purchase
Contact: 303-893-4100 and denvercenter.org
After a bold run at Lakewood’s Belmar Park, this immersive, tongue-in-cheek show returns to Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace food and retail hall, courtesy of Denver interactive-art pioneer Lonnie Hanzon. We’ve called it a selfie heaven and it continues to be, with surreal, surprising, kitschy installations in a 15,000 square-foot, 360-degree “kaleidoscope of yuletide cheer at this year’s Camp Christmas,” as organizers put it.
This year’s version features a pair of themed bars and special cocktails, but minus Belmar’s kiddie carousel from last year. There are also Thursday-Sunday pictures with Santa with an additional $10 ticket (daily starting Dec. 18).
ICE! at Gaylord Rockies
Where: Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, 6700 N. Gaylord Rockies Blvd., Aurora
When: Various times and attractions, through Jan. 1, 2023
Price: $20-$36 for Ice!, with package options and other events
Contact: 720-452-6900 or christmasatgaylordrockies.marriott.com
Following last year’s Charlie Brown-themed display, Gaylord brings back its impressive ice-carving show with “A Christmas Story” theme. The ICE! celebration features carvings made from 2 million pounds of “boldly colored” ice by 40 ice artisans. The 17,500-square-foot attraction stays frozen thanks to a state-of-the-art chilling system that maintains temperatures at a frosty 9 degrees Fahrenheit, according to producers.
There is a lot more on-site — two-story-tall ice slides, ice tunnels, arches, a Nativity scene and various festive extras (snow tubing, ice skating, kid’s crafts, Santa visits, etc.) Visit the above link for times and prices.
