The Northern Colorado Holiday Trail returns as several municipalities prepare for a festive holiday season full of lights, winter frolics and memorable experiences.
From Fort Collins to Loveland, Greeley to Longmont and Boulder into the Mile High City, each city and town boasts its unique brand of illumination. More activities have been added this year to create the ultimate Winter Wonderland in the West.
Here's a listing of the notable events taking place in each town or city across our region:
Boulder
The Boulder Star lighting is a tradition since 1947. It consists of 365 LED light bulbs strung in the shape of a star. It can be seen from now until early January. Lights will also fill the downtown area starting with the Switch on the Holidays event on Sunday, November 23, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Denver
The annual "Blossoms of Light" transforms the Mile High City's Botanic Gardens into a park filled with LEDholiday lights. The walkways, ponds, trees and plants are all lathered in Winter Wonderland decor.
Estes Park
The Holiday Lights Driving Tour takes guests on a journey through the downtown area and neighborhoods with plenty of sparkling lights and fancy Christmas decorations. There's also a nightly light show at Bond Park from 5 p.m. to9 p.m.
Fort Collins
The NoCo Winter Wonderland is a one-mile, 15-minute drive-through holiday light show at Colorado Youth Outdoors. It features 19 giant moving light features and over 200,000 tree lights. It runs from Thursday to Sunday nights from 5:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m., and every night starting the week before Christmas.
Greeley
The annual Festival of Trees features decorated trees and family fun in the lobbies of the Union Colony Civic Center. Visitors can tour the trees during public hours, enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride or attend one of the festival's signature events. Tickets are required for admission.
Longmont
The Longmont Lights Festival commences on Friday, December 12 at Roosevelt Park. Guests will be greeted with thousands of bright colored holiday lights while Christmas music plays in the background. A laser show closes out the evening.
Loveland
The "All is Bright Tour" is a festive experience in which newly imagined light displays across Centerra transform it into a vibrant winter wonderland. It includes what is called "The Great Gift Hunt", a scavenger-like adventure in which participants can win prizes if they can locate seven “lost presents” hidden around Centerra.
Steamboat Springs
Light Up the Night – A Sparkling Start to the Holidays
The festivities begin on “Black Friday” as Main Street moves its Light Up the Night celebration to its new home at Civic Plaza by City Hall, located at 124 10th Street. From 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., families and friends can sip cocoa, enjoy a holiday cookie, and join in the spirited countdown as the community lights up the plaza for the first time.
It's a "Black Friday" tradition in the ski resort town where the community gathers on the Routt County Courthouse Lawn and watches as a flip of the switch brings the building to life with holiday lights. There's also plenty of themed events for the kids and even an appearance from Santa himself.
