To find 2019 holiday events, check out our updated event guide here.
Northern Colorado is a winter wonderland during the holidays. Snow falls on mountaintops, holiday lights are strung and our communities come together for some of the most festive events of the year. Between downtown festivals, theater performances and holiday parties, it’s hard to decide how to celebrate.
To make it a little easier, we put together a list of our most anticipated events of the season. There are opportunities to gift shop, sip local brews and sing along with choirs. When you’re not on the ski slopes this year, celebrate winter the NoCo way! Get the family together and hit the town.
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
November 15
Budweiser Events Center
Get ready for Christmas early with one of America’s favorites, Mannheim Steamroller. In 1984, Chip Davis released the Christmas album that changed the music industry and now you can see it for yourself — and everything that has developed since. These tickets will sell out fast so get yours today!
Foodie Walk
November 18
Downtown Fort Collins
The Foodie Walk is Downtown Fort Collins’ celebration of FoCo foodie culture — and we have a lot of it! The November walk will feature Thanksgiving and fall inspired classics. That means plenty of pumpkin spice!
Santa in Old Town
Photo courtesy of Downtown Fort Collins | Sean Lara
November 19, 12 – 6 p.m.
Downtown Fort Collins
Santa will make a stop in Old Town on his way back to the North Pole this year. With his elves, he’ll ride into Old Town Square atop a horse-drawn carriage and listen to children’s holiday wish lists all day. You don’t want to miss Santa, his elves and the chance to see Old Town filled with Christmas music and holiday cheer!
Front Range Village Holiday Lights
November 19, 3 – 6 p.m.
Front Range Village
Front Range Village will be packed with holiday cheer on November 19 as we all celebrate the Holiday Lights. There will be carriage rides, photos with Santa and the Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
Anheuser-Busch Brewery Lights
Image courtesy of Anheuser-Busch
November 19 – January 3
Anheuser-Busch
For the entire holiday season, you can celebrate with fire pits, s’mores, beer sampling and a Biergarten buffet on the brewery grounds. Surrounded by Christmas lights, trees and holiday cheer, you and your whole family can also take a holiday photo with the Budweiser Clydesdales! Get tickets and more information here.
Downtown Santa’s Shopping Quest
November 25 – December 11
Downtown Fort Collins
Up to 35 Downtown Fort Collins businesses will participate in Santa’s Shopping Quest this year. Each store will have their own personalized Santas for participants to find and record on their Santa Quest sheet.
Finding 17 Santas will get you an entry into a drawing for a $200 or $300 Downtown gift card. And finding all 34 will give you a chance to win one of two $500 gift cards! The Grand Prize winner will also get to play Santa and choose a charity organization to receive $500. The drawing is on December 16, so get out to Old Town and find those Santas!
Face Holiday Concert
Photo courtesy of Face
November 25, 7 p.m.
Lincoln Center Performance Hall
Based out of Boulder, Face is a vocal rock group. They use just four singers and a vocal drummer to put on a rock phenomenon that you won’t soon forget! They’re bringing their show to Fort Collins to start off the holiday season with Christmas classics and modern holiday jams. Get your tickets online.
A Wonderful Life
November 25 – December 31, multiple showtimes
Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Join Candlelight Dinner House for their holiday production, A Wonderful Life. The classical film is brought to life in the theater with some of the area’s best actors and music by Composer Joe Raposo. Your tickets include fresh bread, soup or salad, and a choice of five entrées. Get your tickets here.
Garden of Lights
December 2 – January 8
The Gardens on Spring Creek
One of Northern Colorado’s best and most festive traditions, The Gardens at Spring Creek will be twinkling with hundreds of thousands of lights for the holiday season. You’ll be able to see all your old favorites — perennial flowerbeds, huge sculpture flowers and a John Deere tractor — lit up with cheer. There will even be a Primordial Forest of towering dinosaurs made entirely out of lights. A $5 donation is recommended for admittance.
OFC Presents: WinterSong
Image courtesy of Opera Fort Collins
December 2, 6 p.m.
Lory Theater, CSU
Join Opera Fort Collins for its 17th Annual WinterSong performance and event. The gala will feature an evening of fine foods, auction items, and a festive live performance of opera arias, songs and holiday classics. Proceeds help Opera Fort Collins with their operations for the full year! Get tickets here.
First Friday Gallery Walk
December 2, 6 – 9 p.m.
Downtown Fort Collins
On the first Friday of each month Downtown Fort Collins gets together to celebrate art and culture. Both fine and folk art galleries open their doors for the self-guided walking tour so you can learn and experience all the talent FoCo artists and galleries have to offer. The December Walk is sure to be festive and bright! See the full list of participating businesses here.
Jingle Bell Run
December 3, 8 a.m.
The Ranch Events Complex
The Jingle Bell Run is the largest holiday-themed 5K race series anywhere and you can take part in the Loveland run this year to benefit the Arthritis Foundation. Tie jingle bells to your shoelaces, find your ugliest sweater and show up on race day in support of finding a cure and celebrating the holidays in the most NoCo way — getting outside! Register here.
Polar Pints Brew Fest
Image courtesy of Budweiser Events Center
December 3, 1 – 5 p.m.
Budweiser Events Center
Sample all the local, seasonal brews you can handle at Polar Pints Brew Fest in Loveland! General admission tickets ($32) include ten sampling tokens and a four-ounce sampling mug. More costly admission will get you more sampling and VIP experiences. A portion of every ticket purchased will go toward Special Olympics Colorado. Beer, holidays, music and charity — what more do we need to celebrate the season?
Annual Holiday Spectacular
December 3 + 5, multiple showtimes
Griffin Concert Hall
The Annual Holiday Spectacular celebrates the holidays, our community, CSU students and faculty. Featuring performances from various CSU ensembles and other special guests, this is a can’t-miss festive event. There will be a little something for the whole family, so buy everyone tickets here.
Downtown Shop & Walk
December 9
Downtown Fort Collins
On the second Friday of each month, Downtown businesses stay open until 8 p.m. Explore all Downtown Fort Collins has to offer by starlight — and holiday light! The December event will be the perfect opportunity to get some gift shopping done.
The Nutcracker
Image courtesy of Canyon Concert Ballet / Scott Freeman: Poster Art
December 9, 10 + 11, multiple showtimes
Lincoln Center Performance Hall
A part of the Fort Collins community for over 35 years, Canyon Concert Ballet is filled with talent and they’re putting on an unforgettable show this season. The Nutcracker is a Christmas classic for the whole family and it’s the perfect way to ring in the holidays! Buy tickets here.
Sweaty Sweater Race
Photo courtesy of Front Range Freeze
December 10, 9 a.m.
Anheuser-Busch
Whether you’re walking, running or prancing through the snow, you’ll want to get to the finish line for hot chocolate and beer! The Sweaty Sweater Race benefits the Adopt-A-Family program at Timberline Church. In addition to the 5K walk/run, there will be an ugly sweater contest, awards and plenty of holiday cheer! Register here.
TUBA Christmas Northern Colorado
December 10, 2 p.m.
Oak Street Plaza
Music starts at 2 p.m. for TUBA Christmas, a holiday tradition in Fort Collins and across the globe. Each year, tuba and euphonium players are invited to play holiday classics in a celebration of the season and their communities. Get to Oak Street Plaza on December 10 so you don’t miss it!
Foodie Walk
December 16
Downtown Fort Collins
The Foodie Walk is Downtown Fort Collins’ celebration of FoCo foodie culture and you won’t want to miss December’s holiday themed evening! Walk Old Town streets by nights and sample some of the best foods and drinks Fort Collins has to offer. Maybe you’ll get some ideas for your own holiday feast!
Handel’s Messiah
December 17, 7 p.m.
Griffin Concert Hall
Join The Colorado Bach Ensemble for a classical holiday celebration. Their performance of Handel’s Messiah has left audiences all over the state in awe. At only $4 for an adult ticket, this is a must-see event for both new and old classical music lovers. Get tickets in advance here.
Candlelight Christmas Concert
December 17 + 18, multiple showtimes
First United Methodist Church
The Larimer Chorale and guest artists are performing an unforgettable holiday pageant this holiday season. Inspirational readings and poetry will be interwoven with great choral music and contemporary songs in this one-of-a-kind, non-stop production of seasonal favorites. You’ll even be invited to sing along for a few songs! Get tickets here.
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
December 20, 7:30 p.m.
Lincoln Center Performance Hall
It’s not Christmas without A Christmas Carol. Read it, watch it and see it live right before the holiday! Bring the whole family along as Ebeneezer Scrooge takes the audience on a wild ride through the night — until we finally learn what Christmas is all about. Buy tickets here.
First Night
Image courtesy of Downtown Fort Collins
December 31, 5:30 – 10 p.m.
Downtown Fort Collins
Ring in the New Year in Downtown Fort Collins this year. First Night is a non-alcoholic, family-friendly, arts-based event. Every year it’s packed with dance, music, comedy and other live shows. This year’s theme, “Discover the Magic” will bring us performances from Canyon Concert Ballet, Bas Bleu Theatre, Fale African Drum and Dance Collective and Debut Theatre. And it’s all free!
Show the kids what New Year’s Eve is all about with balloon drops, a bounceland, face painters and an early Kids’ Countdown. Then, stick around to celebrate the New Year at various downtown businesses!
Have a happy holiday!
However you decide to celebrate this season remember to stay safe, merry and bright. And from all of us at The Group, Inc. have a very happy holiday!
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