Denver for the holidays.
Every holiday light show, market, parade, and New Year’s Eve plan worth leaving the house for across the Denver Metro, with dates and prices. Updated daily.
From the middle of November to the second week of January, the Denver calendar turns over to lights, markets and one big parade: the light walks at Denver Botanic Gardens, Chatfield Farms and Denver Zoo, the Christkindlmarket and the Mile High Tree sharing the Tivoli Quad at Auraria, the 9NEWS Parade of Lights downtown, the Nutcracker, the tree lightings from Belmar to Westminster, and the two free fireworks shows over 16th Street on New Year’s Eve.
Book the light shows early. They price by the night, the cheap nights sell first, and the Gardens and the Zoo close on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Rooms on this page: Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Zoo, Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
Holiday Pop Up Market at Lakewood Cultural Center
Thu, Nov 12 · Lakewood Cultural Center
The Lakewood Cultural Center's Holiday Pop Up Market puts local makers' work on sale in its Corner Gallery from November 6 through November 23, 2026, with free admission.
MarketsUrban Holiday Market at Denver Union Station
Sat, Nov 14 · Denver Union Station
The free Urban Holiday Market opens November 7 at Denver Union Station and returns for two more November weekends.
Cherry Creek North Holiday Market
Thu, Nov 19 · Fillmore Plaza, Cherry Creek North
Cherry Creek North hosts its Holiday Market at Fillmore Plaza from November 19 through December 24, 2026, with holiday shopping, lights, and live music.
Cherry Creek Tree Lighting Holiday BAZAAR
Sat, Nov 14 · Cherry Creek Shopping Center
Holiday BAZAAR fills Cherry Creek Shopping Center with Colorado makers on Saturday, November 14, free from 2 to 7 PM, in the hours before the annual Cherry Creek tree lighting.
Belmar Holiday Shopping Stroll
Fri, Nov 20 · Belmar (participating businesses)
Belmar's Holiday Shopping Stroll kicks off the holiday season across Lakewood's Belmar district on November 20, 2026, the same evening as Belmar's Holiday Tree Lighting.
Belmar Holiday Tree Lighting
Fri, Nov 20 · The Plaza at Belmar
Belmar's annual Holiday Tree Lighting takes place in the Lakewood plaza on November 20, 2026.
Blossoms of Light
Fri, Nov 20 · Denver Botanic Gardens
Blossoms of Light lights up Denver Botanic Gardens on York Street nightly from November 20, 2026 through January 10, 2027, 4:30 to 9 PM, with timed tickets from $19.
Denver Christkindlmarket at Auraria
Fri, Nov 20 · Tivoli Quad, Auraria Campus
The Denver Christkindlmarket returns to the Tivoli Quad at Auraria November 20 through December 23, 2026, free and open daily.
WeirdHoliGAY!
Fri, Nov 20 · Clocktower Cabaret
HoliGAY!, a holiday-themed theatrical drag cabaret emceed by Daniella DeCoteau, plays Clocktower Cabaret on Friday, November 20, 2026.
ICE! featuring The Nightmare Before Christmas at Gaylord Rockies
Fri, Nov 20 · Gaylord Rockies Resort
Gaylord Rockies in Aurora carves Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas into more than two million pounds of ice for ICE!, running November 20, 2026 through January 3, 2027.
Downtown Holiday Lighting Ceremony & Market
Sat, Nov 21 · Central Plaza Park
The City of Westminster's Downtown Holiday Lighting Ceremony & Market returns to Central Plaza Park on Nov. 21, 2026, from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. with craft and gift makers, live performances, caroling and a Santa appearance.
Zoo Lights
Mon, Nov 23 · Denver Zoo
Denver Zoo's Zoo Lights returns November 23, 2026, running select nights through January 3, 2027, with more than 3 million lights across all 80 acres.
Winter Wagon Rides at Belmar
Fri, Nov 27 · The Plaza at Belmar
Free horse-drawn wagon rides loop through Belmar's holiday lights every Friday, Nov 21 through Dec 19, 2026, no RSVP needed.
50th Annual Holiday Pottery Sale
Fri, Nov 27 · Arvada Center for the Arts & Humanities
The Arvada Center's 50th Annual Holiday Pottery Sale runs November 27 through December 13, 2026, with free admission to browse and buy pottery made by its ceramics studio artists.
Hudson Holidays | Opening Night
Fri, Nov 27 · Hudson Gardens
Hudson Gardens opens its Hudson Holidays walk-through light display for the season on November 27, 2026, 5 to 9 PM in Littleton, with tickets $15 to $20.
Candlelight Walk in Downtown Littleton
Fri, Nov 27 · Historic Downtown Littleton
The Candlelight Walk lights up Main Street in Historic Downtown Littleton on Friday, November 27, 2026, a free evening of holiday lights, cider, music and reindeer.
McGregor Skate Grand Opening & Holiday Tree Lighting
Fri, Nov 27 · McGregor Square
McGregor Square opens its ice rink for the season and lights its holiday tree at halftime of the Broncos broadcast on its 66-foot screen, Friday, November 27, 2026, from 1 to 8 PM, free to attend.
ArtsColorado Ballet: The Nutcracker
Sat, Nov 28 · Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Colorado Ballet's annual Nutcracker, Denver's biggest holiday dance tradition, runs Nov. 28 through Dec. 27, 2026 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.
The Grawlix: Home For The Holidays
Sat, Nov 28 · The Bug Theatre
The Grawlix, Denver's longstanding alt-comedy troupe, plays a holiday-themed show with guests Walker & Doll at the Bug Theatre on November 28, 2026.
Olde Town Arvada Tree Lighting 2026
Sat, Nov 28 · Olde Town Square, Arvada
Guerrilla Fanfare leads a brass-band march through Olde Town Arvada at 5 PM before Mayor Lauren Simpson lights the holiday tree in Olde Town Square at 6 PM, November 28, 2026.
Vietnamese Santa
Sun, Nov 29 · Stanley Marketplace
Stanley Marketplace hosts Vietnamese Santa for free holiday photos and visits on November 29, 2026, from 11 AM to 1 PM.
ConcertsWhy? at MCA Denver's Holiday Theater
Tue, Dec 1 · MCA Denver at the Holiday Theater
Why?, the long-running project of Cincinnati songwriter Yoni Wolf, plays a one-night show at MCA Denver's roughly 400-seat Holiday Theater on December 1, 2026.
Bat-Humbug! A Gotham XXXmas Carol
Thu, Dec 3 · Clocktower Cabaret
Rainbow Cult stages the queer holiday mashup Bat-Humbug! A Gotham XXXmas Carol for one night at Clocktower Cabaret in downtown Denver on Dec. 3, 2026.
Lakewood Lights Holiday Celebration
Thu, Dec 3 · Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park
Lakewood Lights kicks off the city's holiday season December 3, 2026 with a free evening of lights, music, and Santa at Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park.
AEG Presents: Mark O'Connor's Appalachian Christmas
Fri, Dec 4 · Holiday Theater (MCA Denver)
Grammy-winning fiddler Mark O'Connor brings his Appalachian Christmas show, featuring Maggie O'Connor, to MCA Denver's Holiday Theater on Dec. 4, 2026.
It's a RiNo-ful Life: Winter Festival
Fri, Dec 4 · RiNo ArtPark
RiNo Art District's three-day "It's a RiNo-ful Life" winter festival runs December 4-6 at RiNo ArtPark with a traffic cone tree and menorah lighting, a market of local makers and a Santa fun run.
9NEWS Parade of Lights
Sat, Dec 5 · Downtown Denver
The 52nd annual 9NEWS Parade of Lights rolls through downtown Denver on Saturday, December 5, 2026, free to watch from the curb, with Grandstand and VIP seats sold separately.
Belmar Yule
Sat, Dec 5 · S. Upham Street, Belmar
Belmar Yule is a new holiday celebration on S. Upham Street in Lakewood, Saturday, Dec 5, 2026, built with the Alameda Connects neighborhood group.
Granny Dances To A Holiday Drum
Sat, Dec 5 · Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance stages its 35-year holiday tradition "Granny Dances To A Holiday Drum" Dec. 5-6, 2026, at its Park Avenue West theater in Denver.
Mx. Santa (Drag Santa)
Sat, Dec 5 · Stanley Marketplace
Stanley Marketplace hosts Mx. Santa, a drag Santa, for free holiday visits and photos on December 5, 2026, from 11 AM to 1 PM.
The Rocky Mountain Stocking Stuffers at Lakewood Cultural Center
Sat, Dec 5 · Lakewood Cultural Center
Americana holiday revue The Rocky Mountain Stocking Stuffers plays the Lakewood Cultural Center on December 5 and 6, 2026.
Stories On Stage: Making Merry
Fri, Dec 11 · Arvada Center for the Arts & Humanities
Stories on Stage brings holiday songs and short-story readings to the Arvada Center's Black Box Theatre on December 11, 2026, its 26th season.
Chihera Family Band
Sat, Dec 12 · Stanley Marketplace
Stanley Marketplace's holiday programming brings the Chihera Family Band's Zimbabwean rhythms to the Aurora food hall for a free performance on Saturday, December 12, 2026, at 1 PM.
Hazel Miller and the Collective: Christmas with Soul
Sat, Dec 12 · Arvada Center for the Arts & Humanities
Colorado soul and blues singer Hazel Miller and her band The Collective play two gospel-inspired holiday shows at Arvada Center's Black Box Theatre on December 12, 2026.
Saturday Night Lights
Sat, Dec 12 · Cherry Creek North (district-wide)
Cherry Creek North's free, all-ages Saturday Night Lights turns the district into an outdoor holiday party with about one million lights, music and dancing on Saturday, December 12, 2026, from 5 to 8 PM.
Holiday Arts and Pottery Sale
Sat, Dec 12 · Washington Heights Arts Center
Washington Heights Arts Center in Lakewood holds its free annual Holiday Arts and Pottery Sale on Saturday, December 12, 2026, from 10 AM to 4 PM.
LCC Presents Canadian Brass
Wed, Dec 16 · Lakewood Cultural Center
Canadian Brass, the touring holiday brass quintet, plays a 3 PM matinee at the 320-seat Lakewood Cultural Center on December 16, 2026.
Denver Metro Jazz's Big Bug Holiday Spectacular
Sat, Dec 19 · The Bug Theatre
Denver Metro Jazz plays a one-night holiday big-band show, Big Bug Holiday Spectacular, at The Bug Theatre on Saturday, December 19, 2026, from 7 to 9 PM.
New Year's Eve Fireworks Over Downtown Denver
Thu, Dec 31 · 16th Street, Downtown Denver
Downtown Denver rings in 2027 with two free fireworks shows on December 31, 2026, at 9 PM and midnight, launched from two rooftops and best seen from 16th Street.
The Polish Ambassador
Thu, Dec 31 · Fillmore Auditorium
Electronic jam artist The Polish Ambassador closes out the year with a New Year's Eve show at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver on December 31, 2026.
New Year's Eve Sapphic Soiree
Thu, Dec 31 · The Federal Theatre
HCO Denver throws a 21+ New Year's Eve dance party for queer women and non-binary Denverites at The Federal Theatre on Dec. 31, with DJ sets from Blaquegirl and Erin Stereo.
Mile High Tree
Ongoing · check opening days · Tivoli Quad, Auraria Campus
The Mile High Tree, Denver's giant holiday tree, lights up the Tivoli Quad on the Auraria Campus nightly from November 20 through December 31, 2026, 5 to 10 PM, free to walk into.
Trail of Lights at Chatfield Farms
Ongoing · check opening days · Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms
Trail of Lights runs at Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms in Littleton from November 21, 2026 through January 3, 2027, 5 to 8:30 PM, with tickets from $13.50.
Christmas in Color at Red Rocks
Ongoing · check opening days · Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Christmas in Color turns Red Rocks into a drive-through holiday light show nightly from Nov. 27, 2026 through Jan. 2, 2027, with entry starting at 5:30 p.m.