The city of Colorado Springs is renowned for its vibrant holiday celebrations, and the Festival of Lights is no exception. Every year, the city comes alive with twinkling lights, festive decorations, and a variety of entertainment. From the Denver Botanic Garden's Blossoms of Light to the Denver Zoo Lights, there are plenty of ways to get into the holiday spirit. The Chamber of Commerce's annual light parade runs along historic Harrison Avenue in Leadville, while the Pikes Peak region celebrates with its 39th annual Festival of Lights parade.
Campers can enjoy handmade cocktails at one (or all) of the three themed bars, bright light shows, and interactive exhibits. The bridge will be illuminated with thousands of lights and will offer stunning views of the gorge from the other side of the bridge and from throughout the park. Timberline Landscaping does an excellent job of coordinating and disseminating a guide to Colorado Springs Christmas lights. The route for the Festival of Lights begins on St. Vrain Street and continues south to Vermijo Street.
At the Denver Botanic Garden's Blossoms of Light, visitors can experience an ever-changing display of light and color, including an immersive 360-degree lighting experience. The Chatfield Farms garden site has also been transformed into a winter wonderland with charming light displays and other holiday entertainment. The Northern Lights, a sunset in the savanna and an electric jungle are just some of the new additions to the Denver Zoo Lights collection. The dazzling animations of nature have transformed the Denver Zoo into Colorado's wildest winter paradise for decades. At the Alamosa Celebration of Lights, visitors can enjoy carriage rides, a soup dinner, hot chocolate stalls, several shopping opportunities and discounts, Santa Claus and Mrs.
Claus, as well as floats with scenes from different Christmas movies. A Christmas decoration contest is also held so all local businesses are doing their best to make the city look festive. Ice carving demonstrations, hot fire barrels and delicious seasonal delicacies are also offered. More than 2 million lights shine across 80 acres among the 3,000 residents living at the zoo. A low-sensitivity night is also offered.
Every year, communities along the Colorado Front Range commemorate the transition from fall to winter vacation with a variety of holiday lights, tree lights and other displays to let you get carried away by the spirit. During the holiday season, visitors can enjoy Saturday Night Lights with holiday gifts and complimentary holiday entertainment, a Hanukkah celebration, and the Cherry Creek North Christmas Market produced by Fetch Markets. It features millions of dazzling lights, a 65-foot-tall Christmas tree, twinkling snowmen that never melt, a 300-foot-long tunnel of candy canes, giant gifts and ornaments, a wall of lights, walks through the attractions of Elitch Gardens, interactive activities such as an illuminated hopscotch, strolling Christmas artists, old Saint Nicholas and his elves. A grove of dancing Christmas trees, a multicolored forest inhabited by giant snowmen, the tunnel of Christmas lights and glowing reindeer will illuminate Hudson Gardens in a show of Christmas joy. Light and music shows will not air on Mondays due to City Council meetings but the static light screen will continue to shine. In addition to all these attractions, visitors can also enjoy Personal Geographies' works from its series The North Fork which is inspired by childhood memories, small-scale family farms and the landscape of western Colorado. From choosing the perfect gift for grandma to enjoying a hot chocolate or libation, discovering the charms of old Colorado and Manitou Springs is sure to make this winter unforgettable.
With so much to see and do during this festive season in Colorado Springs, it's no wonder why so many people make it a tradition to come back year after year.
