Thanksgiving Weekend in Denver
Thanksgiving in Denver returns with fun (and free) events, blockbuster museum exhibitions, lights displays and plenty of family-friendly activities.
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Don't miss out on great hotel deals. For a delicious deep dive into Denver's culinary scene, check out these Thanksgiving meals for takeout.
We strive to post the most current and accurate event information, but changes and cancellations do occur, so please check the official event website to confirm all details before attending.
Holiday Lights
Mile High Drone Show
WHEN: Nov. 21–Dec. 31, 2025
WHERE: Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus
For 40 magical nights, 400 drones will soar into the sky, creating breathtaking holiday-themed animations. See these dazzling displays from across the city every night at 7 p.m. for free. From Santa and his reindeer to iconic Denver landmarks like the Mile High Tree Presented by Xcel Energy & Xfinity and Denver Union Station, each night will bring a new visual experience to life.
The Mile High Tree Presented by Xcel Energy & Xfinity
WHEN: Nov. 21–Dec. 31, 2025
WHERE: Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus
Join in the free festivities at the Mile High Tree Presented by Xcel Energy & Xfinity. It’s a brilliantly lit, 110-foot-tall immersive art installation that provides a dazzling lights-and-music show. You can experience two of Denver's most popular holiday attractions in one place: America’s tallest digital tree and the Denver Christkindlmarket, the city’s only authentic German holiday market.
Trail of Lights
WHEN: Nov. 21, 2025–Jan. 11, 2026 (closed Nov. 27 & Dec. 25)
WHERE: Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms, Littleton
Trail of Lights at Chatfield Farms takes you along a winding path glistening with lights that illuminate the Colorado countryside. Tucked into the foothills under the dark sky, the glow of lights can be seen for miles. Just under a mile of walking trail, the illumination of cottonwoods, boxelders and pine trees line the pathway through the Green Farm, Crossroads, Deer Creek Discovery Children's Play Area and 1880s Hildebrand Ranch homestead. There is also the option of a shorter path for those who want to take a shorter stroll. In line with the core value of sustainability, all lights used in the event are LED.
Zoo Lights
WHEN: Nov. 23, 2025–Jan. 5, 2026
WHERE: Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance
Zoo Lights has been making magic, memories and even marriages for more than 30 years! Presented by Your Hometown Toyota Stores, this illuminating annual event transforms Denver Zoo into Colorado's WILDEST winter wonderland. Don't miss this year's historic celebration, with more than a million lights sparkling over 80 acres—plus a host of special measures to keep your family safe and healthy.
Blossoms of Light
WHEN: Nov. 21, 2025–Jan. 11, 2026 (closed Nov. 27 & Dec. 25)
WHERE: Denver Botanic Gardens
Consistently lauded as one of the top holiday light shows in the nation, Blossoms of Light is a spectacular celebration that illuminates Denver Botanic Gardens' York Street location. Wander a mile-long path through immersive, luminous displays that accentuate and highlight our plant collections. A cherished holiday tradition for nearly four decades, Blossoms of Light is constantly evolving to inspire wonder and delight in even the most seasoned visitors.
Hudson Holidays
WHEN: Nov. 28, 2025–Jan. 4, 2026
WHERE: Hudson Gardens & Events Center
You'll be enchanted by even more towering trees draped in thousands of colorful lights. A grove of dancing Christmas trees, a multi-colored forest inhabited by giant snowmen, the holiday light tunnel and glowing reindeer will light up Hudson Gardens into an extravaganza of holiday cheer. Purchase a delicious cup of hot cocoa or adult beverage before stopping by for a perfect free family photo opportunity with Santa.
Light the Lights
WHEN: TBA 2025
WHERE: City & County of Denver Building in Civic Center Park
Stroll over to the City & County building to watch the lights display running all season long! The light and music show repeats nightly from at 5:45 pm and 6:45 pm, except for Monday nights, December 6 (Parade of Lights) and December ## (annual memorial vigil honoring persons experiencing homelessness).
Cherry Creek North Winter Wanderland
WHEN: TBA 2025
WHERE: Cherry Creek North
Winter Wanderland displays a collection of free holiday offerings and festivities throughout the neighborhood! Festivities include a dazzling display of nearly one million twinkling lights on more than 600 trees spread throughout the walkable neighborhood and Giving Machines — vending machines that don't dispense snacks or drinks, but instead offer the chance to make a positive impact! Throughout the holiday season, enjoy The Million Light Plug-In (date TBA), Small Business Weekend (Nov. 29–Dec. 1), Saturday Night Lights with complimentary holiday treats and festive entertainment (Dec. 6, 13 & 20), a Chanukah celebration (date TBA) and the Cherry Creek North Holiday Market (Nov. 20–Dec. 24), where you can browse gifts from more than 40 local makers, designers and creators. After a long day of shopping, warm up inside the all-new Mistletoe Lounge (Nov. 20–Dec. 24), a new pop-up Christmas bar offering a festive drink menu and comfy seating in a setting that’s best described as the inside of a "real-life snow globe."
Grand Illumination
WHEN: Nov. 28, 2025
WHERE: Denver Union Station
The annual Grand Illumination event will feature an expanded lineup of family-friendly entertainment of classic holiday hits by the Denver Dolls, a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, and the grand highlight of the evening—the lighting of the station’s outdoor 40-foot-tall Christmas tree that features more than 7,000 holiday lights.
Elitch Holidays
WHEN: Nov. 28, 2025–Jan. 4, 2026
WHERE: Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park
This family-friendly event brings larger-than-life holiday displays and immersive experiences for all to enjoy. It features millions of dazzling lights, a 65-foot-tall Christmas tree, twinkling snowmen who never melt, a 300-foot-long candy cane tunnel, giant presents and ornaments, a wall of lights, rides on Elitch Gardens attractions, interactive activities like a light-up hopscotch, strolling holiday entertainers, Old Saint Nick and his elves, and more.
Blockbuster Exhibitions
The Secret World of Elephants
WHEN: Oct. 24, 2025–Jan. 25, 2026
WHERE: Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Enter The Secret World of Elephants to discover the remarkable science behind nature’s most lovable giants. How do elephants “hear” with their feet? What animals are their closest living relatives? How have elephants and humans coexisted for thousands of years? Through hands-on interactions, you will feel the low-frequency rumbles elephants use to communicate, explore how they reshape their environments and come face-to-face with some of their ancestors, including dwarf elephants. From the ancient Ice Age to the African savanna, get ready to be amazed by elephants’ incredible intelligence and fascinating history—and inspired to help protect their future.
The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro’s Impressionism
WHEN: Oct. 26, 2025–Feb. 8, 2026
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro’s Impressionism is the first major U.S. retrospective of Camille Pissarro, known as "the first impressionist," in more than 40 years. A versatile artist, Pissarro embodied the role of insider, contributing to the establishment of Impressionism as a coherent avant-garde phenomenon while maintaining his artistic independence as he eschewed his peers’ choice of upper-class subject matter to depict scenes of the mundane. The Honest Eye reflects this dichotomy, while selections from Pissarro’s letters provide insights into his artistic process and worldview more broadly.
Moments That Made US
WHEN: Nov. 22, 2025–Oct. 18, 2026
WHERE: History Colorado Center
See more than 40 artifacts that shaped the United States, including ceramics made by Ancestral Puebloan people long before Europeans arrived in North America, tobacco pipes used by the colonists in Jamestown, the spurs George Washington wore at Valley Forge, the inkwell used by Grant and Lee to sign the Confederate surrender at Appomattox Court House, Jackie Robinson’s bat, moon rocks from Apollo 11 and more.
A Century of Art in Latin America
WHEN: Thru June 15, 2027
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
From soaring mountains and scorching deserts to sprawling forests and splendid beaches, Latin America is a vast place. As a concept, it tries to contain cultures and landscapes with millennia of differing histories under one name. Works that artists from Latin America created during the 20th and current 21st century showcase a range of practices as complex as the places they call home. While previous exhibitions have centered around a single art movement, such as Surrealism or Abstraction, A Century of Art in Latin America offers a broader and more inclusive exploration of the rich and varied artistic trends across the region, encompassing an array of styles, time periods, nationalities and mediums, and presenting a comprehensive survey of Latin American art throughout the past 100 years.
Holiday Shopping Kicks Off
The holiday shopping season kicks off after Thanksgiving! There will be free parking on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday in the Denver Pavilions underground garage while Cherry Creek North celebrates Small Business Weekend.
Cherry Creek Holiday Market
WHEN: Nov. 20–Dec. 24, 2025
WHERE: Cherry Creek North
The Cherry Creek North Holiday Market at Fillmore Plaza features more than 50 local artisan vendors, live music, and festive drinks and decor. The market is free, open to the public and family- and dog-friendly.
Denver Christkindlmarket
WHEN: Nov. 21–Dec. 23, 2025
WHERE: Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus
This outdoor event brings the most beloved elements of an authentic German holiday experience to the Mile High City. Stroll through a European village decorated for the holiday season as you shop for finely crafted artisan gifts and treats at charming wooden huts. Fuel your shopping with authentic Glühwein (mulled spiced wine), German Biers and hot chocolate, and nosh on Bavarian-style pretzels, fresh smoked salmon, Knödel, Goulasch, Nürnberger Sausages, pastries, caramels and European chocolates.
Graveyard Markets: The Lemur and Friends Bazaar
WHEN: Nov. 29 & Dec. 14, 2025
WHERE: The Learned Lemur
The Lemur and Friends Bazaar is a monthly artist market hosted right on The Learned Lemur's back patio. The bazaar hosts all kinds of artists from across Colorado, from bakers to jewelers. Pick up that perfect unique gift or something special for yourself!
Urban Holiday Market
WHEN: TBA 2025
WHERE: Denver Union Station
This highly attended annual curated marketplace features an awesome selection of one-of-a-kind seasonal items, high-quality handcrafted goods, fabulous holiday gift ideas, delicious specialty foods, home décor, and unique holiday gifts.
12th Annual Tennyson Berkeley Small Business Passport Crawl
WHEN: TBA 2025
WHERE: Tennyson Street
Grab your passport and visit participating shops and restaurants to receive special deals and discounts. Support your community and discover hidden gems along Tennyson Street.
Mistletoe Market
WHEN: TBA 2025
WHERE: Dairy Block
Dairy Block is excited to celebrate the magic of the season with Holiday on the Block, an extensive line-up of festive events including a local makers market, Who-ligan entertainment, live music, winter art installations and more.
Family-Friendly Events & Activities
The Polar ExpressTM Train Ride
WHEN: Nov. 7–Dec. 23, 2025
WHERE: Colorado Railroad Museum, Golden
The story of The Polar ExpressTM is theatrically re-created and combined with a magical train ride at the Colorado Railroad Museum. Children get to meet Santa and experience all the sights and sounds of this classic tale as if happening all around them. This year, a whole host of carefully crafted updates have been made to ensure the health and safety of guests, cast and crew, so put on your pajamas and your most fashionable mask and bring the family to enjoy sharing hot cocoa and cookies together as the "Hot, Hot, Hot—Chocolate" song and dance unfolds before your eyes.
Santa's Flight Academy
WHEN: TBA 2025
WHERE: Cherry Creek Shopping Center
There's lots to celebrate at Cherry Creek Shopping Center!
Christmas in Color
WHEN: Nov. 13–Dec. 30, 2025
WHERE: Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre | Water World | Arapahoe County Fairgrounds
At three locations, drive through millions of lights perfectly synchronized to holiday music that you’ll hear right through your radio. You'll see giant candy canes, snowmen, arched pathways and more.
McGregor Skate
WHEN: TBA 2025
WHERE: McGregor Square Plaza
The magic of winter has made its way to LoDo with McGregor Skate, an ice skating rink for all ages. Skates are available on-site for rental, or bring your own. Skating starts at just $6, with kids under age 2 and seniors age 65+ always skating for free! An outside bar will be available serving hot chocolate and more.
Candlelight Nights
WHEN: Dec. 5, 2025
WHERE: City of Golden
Golden’s beloved Candlelight Nights returns with quaint holiday shops and festive decorations along historic Washington Avenue and thousands of twinkling lights lining the banks of Clear Creek. The annual Candlelight Walk occurs on Dec. 5, featuring revelers strolling Washington Avenue holding candles and singing carols. Golden’s Holiday Parade returns on Dec. 13, with marching bands, floats, horses, Victorian carolers, elves, fire trucks and, of course, Santa. Come back for a magical day in Golden meeting and mingling with family favorite holiday characters along Washington Avenue on December 20, during the Jingle On the Avenue.
Food & Drink
Thanksgiving at FIRE
WHEN: Nov. 27, 2025
WHERE: FIRE at the ART Hotel
Gather with family and friends at FIRE for a festive holiday buffet filled with seasonal flavors and all the classics you love. Indulge in chef-curated offerings from a fresh seafood display to bourbon-glazed ham, roasted and smoked turkey from the carving station, and a made-to-order omelet station. Seasonal sides include cheddar and chive mashed potatoes, focaccia stuffing, acorn squash with goat cheese, green bean casserole and all the traditional fixings: gravy, cranberry sauce and warm rolls with whipped butter. Start your feast with crisp salads, fresh fruit, artisan cheeses and savory small bites like deviled eggs, pimento cheese and hummus. And be sure to save room for dessert—this holiday spread features apple, pecan and pumpkin pies, gluten-free brownies, assorted cookies and a build-your-own ice cream bar with toppings galore. Each 90-minute seating time (adults $68, kids $20) includes coffee, juices and soft drinks. Add bottomless mimosas & sparkling rosé for $20 per person.
Music, Film & Performing Arts
'A Christmas Carol'
WHEN: Nov. 21–Dec. 28, 2025
WHERE: Wolf Theatre
Essential to the holiday season in Denver, "A Christmas Carol" is a joyous and opulent musical adaptation for the whole family that traces money-hoarding curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge’s triumphant overnight journey to redemption. Based on Charles Dickens’ classic novel, the DCPA Theatre Company’s production is “a splendidly festive tradition” (BroadwayWorld) that illuminates the meaning of the holiday season in a way that has resonated for generations.
Adulti-Verse Tryptophantasia
WHEN: Nov. 26, 2025
WHERE: Meow Wolf Denver
Party tonight, nap tomorrow! Adulti-Verse is a 21+ event.
Colorado Ballet: 'The Nutcracker'
WHEN: Nov. 29–Dec. 28, 2025
WHERE: Ellie Caulkins Opera House
The beloved holiday favorite returns in a dazzling production like no one's ever seen, featuring all-new sets and costumes created especially for Colorado Ballet. A sellout every year, this magical tale of Clara, the Nutcracker and the Mouse King is going to be dreamier than ever.
Fitness, Outdoor & Sporting Events
Turkey Trails
WHEN: Nov. 1, 2025
WHERE: Washington Park
The annual Turkey Trails 5k/10k is a fun, Thanksgiving-themed event that's perfect for the whole family. Take home great swag, get free photos and enjoy delicious treats waiting at the finish line. The timed 5k/10k registration includes a custom bib, designer shirt and an awesome finisher medal. The 1-mile race is untimed and also a bib, shirt and finisher medal. The kid's dash is a fun, untimed dash for kiddos ages 10 and under. Registration includes a mini bib, a youth-sized shirt and a medal.
Mile High United Way Turkey Trot
WHEN: Nov. 27, 2025
WHERE: Washington Park
Lace up your sneakers and make the Mile High United Way Turkey Trot a part of your Thanksgiving celebration and help support families in our community! Join Mile High United Way on Thanksgiving morning for this annual 4-mile walk/run and community celebration. The event is one of the biggest Turkey Trots in the country and is for adults, families and furry friends alike, featuring a 1-mile Lil Gobbler Fun Run, Kids Zone, Great Divide Beer Garden and more! Your registration also includes a collectible 2025 Turkey Trot T-shirt, race bib and free digital photos.
Colorado Avalanche vs. Montreal Canadiens
WHEN: Nov. 29, 2025
WHERE: Ball Arena
Root for the Avalanche as they take on the Montreal Canadiens!
Museum & Gallery Exhibitions
What We’ve Been Up To: Landscape
WHEN: Thru Dec. 7, 2025
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
This exhibit is a unique selection of photographs from the museum's collection that have never been shown to the public. Featuring acquisitions from the past 17 years since the Photography department was established in 2008, the exhibition represents the variety of ways landscape photographs help us see and appreciate other times and places and consider where the world has been and what it is becoming. All are bound together by the idea that landscape can serve as an autobiography of the people, societies, and natural forces that shape the world over time.
Gallery Uno: Catawampus
WHEN: Thru Dec. 31, 2025
WHERE: Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus
Deep in the heart of the Children’s Museum, there is a world where nothing is quite as it seems. If you dare to grab a lantern and step through the threshold, you will find yourself in a realm full of curious creatures and unexpected environments…You’ve entered Catawampus!
Horizon: On the Plains with John Fielder
WHEN: Thru Jan. 1, 2026
WHERE: History Colorado Center
This exhibit is a new exhibition that features a selection of iconic large-format prints by Colorado’s most celebrated nature photographer. These prints evoke the photographer's emotional connection to these sublime and diverse landscapes of Colorado and invite viewers to lose themselves in the expanse of the Great Plains.
Shiki Dreams
WHEN: Thru Jan. 2, 2026
WHERE: Colorado Mills, Lakewood
Shiki Dreams by Prismajic is an award-winning immersive art installation. After showing up for your time slot and watching a short introductory video, you are given a magic flashlight to explore the real and dream worlds of Shiki, the magical yeti. Sites, smells, sounds and more surround the explorer while navigating the first installment of this zen experience. Family friendly, the environment encourages the explorer to search for red butterflies, frogs and snails. While doing so, you will find treasures of all kinds.
The Bombing of United 629
WHEN: Thru Feb. 8, 2026
WHERE: History Colorado Center
Created in collaboration with the Denver Police Museum, The Bombing of United 629 explores the enduring legacy of this tragic event while serving as a tribute to all who were lost. Having occurred 70 years ago, the bombing of United 629 was the first confirmed case of sabotage against a commercial airliner in the U.S. The subsequent investigation set new standards for forensic science in crash investigations, revealing that John Gilbert Graham planted dynamite in his mother’s suitcase. This tragedy not only led to a landmark ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court, which allowed the trial to be televised and paved the way for greater media access to courtrooms nationally, but also prompted stricter passenger safety policies for air travel.
The Disappearance of Thomas Riha
WHEN: Thru March 15, 2026
WHERE: History Colorado Center
CU Boulder Russian history professor Thomas Riha vanished on March 15, 1969. He’s never been found. Was it the FBI? The CIA? Russian intelligence? Or a mysterious woman who left a trail of lies in her wake? This exhibit invites you to investigate this unique Colorado cold case. Riha vanished during the Cold War, raising questions about possible links to international espionage. For the first time, see original documents, photos, and artifacts from key suspects and intelligence agencies relating to Riha’s disappearance. From Boulder and Washington, DC, to Moscow and Prague, History Colorado Center asks you to dig into the files and examine the evidence. What do you think happened to Thomas Riha?
Ms. Destiny
WHEN: Thru March 29, 2026
WHERE: Center for Colorado Women's History
Throughout history, Colorado women have forged opportunity out of scarcity as they created lives they desired. Ms. Destiny highlights the stories of seven unique and resilient Colorado women who took fate into their hands, overcame barriers and defined their realities. Through the lenses of relationship, financial access and occupation, and presentation, Ms. Destiny explores the self-determination and tenacity of women in the Centennial State.
Expedition 1776
WHEN: Thru April 12, 2026
WHERE: History Colorado Center
In 1776, two Franciscan priests named Domínguez and Escalante set out from Santa Fe into territory unknown, lands claimed by Spain but controlled by the Tribes who called it home. With Indigenous guides and the help of Native tribes, the Padres and their party of 12 navigated harsh terrain, mapped vital trade routes, and documented Native cultures that had thrived in the region for centuries before Europeans arrived. Carefully selected artifacts, accounts from Escalante’s journal, and stunning landscape photographs will invite visitors to retrace the journey.
Guest of Honor: Rembrandt
WHEN: Thru Feb. 26, 2027
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
A masterpiece by Rembrandt van Rijn titled A Woman Holding a Pink and an additional portrait of Rembrandt, likely painted by his studio, are on view in the European Art Before 1800 galleries (on the 6th level of the museum’s Martin Building) as part of the National Gallery’s “Across the Nation” program. The collaboration, which brings some of the most important and beloved works of art to communities across the country, is part of the NGA’s program commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America in 2026.