The calendar is full of Christmas and Holiday fun around the Denver Area! We’ve got the list of all our favorite Holiday Parades & Special Holiday Events to get help spread cheer to you and yours! Also, check out our favorite Holiday Lights around Denver, and be sure to catch up with the big man in red at one of the area’s many Santa Sightings this season!
Holiday Parades ::
Catch the Glow Parade | Estes Park
November 29th
The 29th Annual “Catch the Glow” Parade will brighten downtown Estes Park the day after Thanksgiving – Friday, November 29.
Each year as many as 20,000 people line Elkhorn Avenue to “Catch the Glow” of this whimsical holiday parade, as well as spend the afternoon visiting Santa and strolling through downtown Estes Park. The parade features more than 40 units, including hand crafted floats from the Town of Estes Park and nonprofits, marching bands, fire trucks and other specialty vehicles.
Greeley Lights the Night Parade | Greeley
November 30th | 5pm
A don’t miss this holiday season the city of Greeley’s Lights the Night holiday parade! There are over fifty lighted floats that make their way through Downtown Greeley.
Parade of Lights | Denver Downtown
December 6th | 8pm & December 7th | 6pm
The Downtown Denver Partnership invites you to join them for a spectacular event! The 9NEWS Parade of Lights is a magical nighttime event, which features more than 40 units including extravagantly illuminated floats, giant helium-filled character balloons, magnificent marching bands, traditional equestrian units and vibrant cultural entries. This holiday parade is a longtime favorite!
Parade of Lights & First Friday Art Walk | Louisville
December 6th | 5pm – 9pm
Enjoy musical entertainment provided by local schools & churches, a living nativity, petting zoo and visits with Santa. The Parade begins at 7:00 p.m. at the south end of Main Street and ends on South Street. All floats and entries must have lights. The Parade of Lights will include the Louisville Arts District First Friday Art Walk. Main Street will be closed starting at 5pm. The Art Walk will be from 5-6:30pm.
Olde Golden Holiday Parade | Golden
December 7th, 14th, & 21st | 11:00am
Saturdays in December, authentic and historic downtown Golden becomes a festive holiday center with traditional decorations and fun family events. The free Olde Golden Christmas Parade starts at 1a:00 a.m. with cowboys on horses, floats, marching bands, old cars, elves on unicycles, the Grinch in his corvette, and of course, Santa Claus. The parade winds down Washington Avenue with lots of activities before and after including snappy barbershop quartets, hot cider, Victorian carolers, and antique fire trucks. Presented by the Golden Chamber of Commerce. *Rain, snow, or shine*
Lights of December Parade | Boulder
December 7th | 6pm
Crowds will enjoy marching bands, lit fire engines, holiday carolers and much more. The grand finale includes an appearance by the jolly old man himself – Santa Claus! The Parade starts at 15th & Walnut and heads West to Broadway, then North on Broadway to Spruce, and then East on Spruce ending at 15th.
Christmas in Conifer Parade & Celebration | Conifer
December 7th | 2pm
Join us on Saturday, December 7th for the 37th Annual Conifer Christmas Parade featuring the March of Toys theme. Don’t miss holiday trolleys, warm spirits, live entertainment, Christmas Markets, Santaland and of course the very best small town Christmas Parade at this year’s 37th Annual Christmas in Conifer celebration!
Longmont Lights | Longmont
December 13th & 14th | 5pm
From ancient time, light has been both a source of mystery and magic, providing necessary warmth and guidance. Enjoy the mystery and magic of millions of sparkling lights and the sights and sounds of winter holiday celebrations as Longmont Lights continues with special activities in Roosevelt Park December 13th and 14th. There will be fireworks following the parade on Friday.
Christmas Carriage Parade | Parker
December 14th | 12pm
The Parker Christmas Carriage Parade is a valued tradition held annually in downtown Parker in celebration of the holiday season. The Town of Parker and the Colorado Driving Society present this exciting event on the second Saturday of December each year and the parade is free to attend. Come and experience that holiday feeling in the air and enjoy this all-equestrian parade made up of dozens of horse-drawn carriages, wagons, surreys and stagecoaches from across Colorado, all dressed up for the occasion. Event-goers also enjoy a holiday farmer’s market, a petting zoo and pony rides, ice sculpting and visiting time and pictures with Mr. and Mrs. Claus!
Holiday Events::
Camp Christmas | Aurora Stanley Marketplace
Now – January 5th | Times Vary
An over-the-top holiday extravaganza as big as the season it celebrates
Not for the faint of festivity, this over-the-top indoor immersive installation turns the holiday spirit all the way up with mesmerizing displays of decorations that shift time and reality. Camp Christmas is Denver’s newest holiday experience, where yuletide traditions of the past and present get merrily mashed together in a massive 10,000-square-foot wonderland. It’s not just pretty lights and mistletoe. This is where Marie Antoinette commands a Rococo sleigh, where ancient Roman festivals become Santa-fied, and where pink is more than just a color – it’s a place. Come in from the cold with your whole family and get wrapped in the ooey-gooey, odd and sweet rituals that have brought light to the darkness of winter for thousands of years.
Krampus Nacht at Christkindl Market | Denver
December 5th | 5pm
This December 5th, Krampus returns to the Denver Christkindl Market to find the misbehaving children! Join us in this annual tradition celebrating the German lore of St. Nick’s companion, Krampus, who has been known to roam regions including Austria and Bavaria seeking out those who didn’t make the Nice list. Have you been good this year??
St. Nickolaus Day at Christkindl Market | Denver
December 6 | 2pm – 7pm
Meet Saint Nikolaus, the German bringer of gifts, at our annual St. Nikolaus Day! In Germany, children wait for St. Nikolaus to come and to put a present under their pillows provided that the children were good during the year. Children who behaved badly may expect to find a twig or a piece of coal under their pillows (if they haven’t been caught by the Krampus the night before!). do some shopping, and stick around to sip hot cocoa and watch the Parade of Lights!
Olde Golden Christmas | Golden
December 6 – December 31
Historic downtown Golden will feature Victorian carolers, performances, visits with Santa, Newfoundland cart rides, parades, breakfast and photos with Santa, and holiday lights along the downtown area. Don’t miss Golden’s awe-inspiring Candlelight Walk!
Holiday Celebration | Highlands Ranch
December 7th | 10am – 3pm
Celebrate at the Highlands Ranch Mansion with entertainment, games, performances, hay rides, vendors, and a special visit from Santa Claus. This Holiday Event is always a favorite!
Holiday’s Evening at the Littleton Museum – Littleton
December 8 | 5:30pm
Looking for a special Holiday Event for your family? Join the Friends of the Littleton Library and Museum family for the most festive time of the year. Take delight in the smell of warm apple cider, cinnamon, cookies, and evergreens, while twinkling luminaries brighten the crisp December night air. Take a hay ride through the fields for a fresh perspective of the farms, while you snuggle with your favorite rosy-cheeked buddy.
Denver Pavilions Holiday Carousel
December 20 – January 2nd | 11am – 9pm
Get into the holiday spirit by taking a ride on Downtown’s 1st & only Holiday Carousel. Due to popular demand, the carousel has been extended through the new year, with NEW YEAR’S EVE RIDES! So rekindle some of that childhood magic at Denver Pavilions. $3 per ride or FREE w/ a voucher from any Denver Pavilions merchant.
A portion of proceeds goes to Food Bank for the Rockies.
