Discover Denver
Celebrating the holiday season in Mile High style
Justin Parnell, Associate Editor
|
The holidays come and go in a flurry of gift wrappng, searching for a parking spot at the local mall, and family visits. Here is a must-do list so you can get the most out of the city this season:
Parade of Lights
The annual Parade of Lights is a quintessential Denver holiday experience. On Friday and Saturday, the parade will weave its way through downtown with ten of the state's best high school marching bands belting out holiday tunes while dance groups step their way along the route. Majestic balloons that tower over crowds, a la Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and floats with bright lights and local personalities will also make their way along the two-mile route. Among the most anticipated floats are "The Arrival of Santa" and the newly added "Christmas Story," the parade's first ever Christian-themed float. For a complete route map, visit www.denverparadeoflights.com.
Cherry Creek North Ice Rink at Fillmore Plaza
Every holiday season, Cherry Creek North invites visitors to lace up their skates for a twirl on Denver's only urban outdoor ice rink. Complete with twinkling lights and music, the rink is scheduled to be open through January 16. With long hours on Fridays and Saturdays, you can skate in sunshine or glide under the festive lights at night. Skate sessions are $6 for adults, plus $2 for skate rental.
Blossoms of Light
Beginning this Thursday, the Denver Botanic Gardens will be transformed into a winter wonderland as it is blanketed in more than a million dazzling lights that are twisted and draped into holiday designs illuminating the 17 acre garden. Entertainment includes bell choirs, carolers, dancers and holiday Celtic music each evening in the Garden Pavilion outdoor heated tent. This year the event allows visitors to see the sparkling lights magically transform into shimmering snowflakes through 3-D glasses. Blossoms of Light runs through January 22 between 6-9 p.m. nightly. Adult admission is $8; however, guests who donate a toy for the Toys for Tots program before December 22 will get $1 off admission.
Zoo Lights
While the real, live critters sleep, you can wander the 35-acre Denver Zoo, which has been decorated with one million colorful lights that serve as a backdrop for lighthearted, animal-themed displays. Carolers, instrumental groups, and dancers entertain guests as they wander under starry skies, while warming stations offer cider, hot chocolate, and kettle corn. The event, beginning on December 9 through January 1, is open every evening between 5-9 p.m. Admission for adults (ages 12-64) is $7.
Tuba Christmas Concert
The Tuba Christmas Concert has been a lower downtown tradition for more than 30 years now. More than 400 (yes, that's 400) tuba players of all ages crowd Larimer Square to play favorite holiday songs. Make no mistake; this annual event is no come-as-you-are jam session. University of Colorado at Denver's College of Arts & Media conductor Bill Clarke recruits the musicians a year in advance to continue making this one of Denver's most celebrated and prestigious holiday events. This year's concert is set for Saturday, December 12 at 1 p.m.
Denver Performing Arts Complex
No Christmas €" past, present or future €" would be complete without Charles Dickens' touching holiday tale, "A Christmas Carol." The Denver Center Theatre Company presents the 1843 Dickens novella in a musical adaptation at the Stage Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Complex through December 24.
The Colorado Ballet brings the classic E.T.A. Hoffman toy fable, "The Nutcracker" to stage at the new Ellie Caulkins Opera House through December 29. Set to the sparkling, intricate score of Tchaikovsky, "The Nutcracker" continues to be a perennial treat. Tickets are available online through Ticketmaster.