A few of the Mayor’s favorite holiday events around Colorado

Downtown Littleton, Colorado is stunning during the holidays. Photo by H. M. Kerr-Schlaefer

There’s so much going on at this time of year it’s impossible to cover it all. The best calendar of events for the State of Colorado is at the Denver Post online. They offer a comprehensive list of events that you can browse several different ways, including by type of event and date.

Today I’m going to share with you a few of my favorite Christmas events around Colorado.

Denver Botanic Gardens Trail of Lights – I have fond memories of strolling through the gardens on the arm of my then-boyfriend, now husband. A light snow was falling and the light displays around us seemed magical. We sipped on hot cider and purchased a bag of hot, freshly made kettle corn. Every time I eat kettle corn I think of this enchanted evening.

For times, and prices visit www.botanicgardens.org. I recommend taking your honey. You’ll look like a true romantic!

Denver Zoo Lights – I adore the Denver Zoo, but I didn’t think Zoo Lights would be very interesting. I was wrong. Several years ago we went to Zoo Lights with our friends and their three year old. You don’t see many real animals, but you’ll see lots of brightly lit replicas. This year the zoo features more than 150 animated animal sculptures across their 38 acres. Seriously, this is fun and not just for the kiddos!

For info visit www.denverzoo.org/zoolights.

Georgetown Loop Railroad & Georgetown Christmas Market – This is one of my favorite Colorado mountain towns and it’s only 45 minutes west of Denver. I’ve previously written about my experiences in Georgetown, and to read it click here.   I have not had the chance to attend the Georgetown Christmas Market, but this event looks absolutely marvelous. It’s fashioned after an outdoor European marketplace and features entertainment, horse-drawn carriage rides, Santa Claus, and more. They even have hot roasted chestnuts! Admission is free to this event that runs December 4, 5, 11 and 12. For all the info visit www.historicgeorgetown.org.

While you are in town be sure to take a ride on the Georgetown Loop Railroad. During the holidays the train ride is themed Santa’s North Pole Adventure and Santa Claus is actually aboard the train! This will be a trip your child will remember for a lifetime. Visit  www.georgetownlooprr.com for all the details.

Shopping Historic Downtown – During the holidays I like to do Christmas shopping in historic downtowns. This isn’t to say I don’t make an appearance at the mall, but it’s so much more enjoyable strolling the decorated streets of one of our charming towns. With unique shops and beautiful lighting displays, these are a few of my personal favorite Colorado downtowns during the holiday season.

Littleton:  www.downtownlittleton.com

Fort Collins:  www.downtownfortcollins.com

Loveland:  www.ci.loveland.co.us/econdev/downtownloveland.htm

Berthoud: With lots of road and sidewalk improvements finished over the summer, and the town lit of for the holidays, if you haven’t been to Berthoud lately, you’ve got to go. Check out Christmas in Berthoud here:  http://christmasinberthoud.org/

Manitou Springs:  www.manitousprings.org

Old Colorado City:  www.shopoldcoloradocity.com

I’m quite sure there’s a downtown near you, and I encourage you to explore it this holiday season.

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