Denver does the holidays with a mountain-town twist. There’s a German-style Christmas market with a new home on the Auraria Campus, a parade of lights through downtown, the Nutcracker with a live orchestra, a Thanksgiving morning run in Washington Park, and a Broncos game on Christmas Day. If you’re visiting this November or December, or you live here and keep meaning to get out more, this is your list.
These are the ten events we’d actually plan a weekend around, in date order, with who each one suits and what to pair it with nearby. Every date was checked against the organizer’s or venue’s own website on October 14, 2026. If an event hadn’t posted its 2026 dates yet, it didn’t make the list, so a few favorite traditions are missing for now. More on that at the end.
The quick version
| Event | Dates | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Arts Week | Nov 6–15 | Citywide |
| Denver Veterans Day Run, Festival and Parade | Sat, Nov 14 | Denver City Park |
| Denver Christkindlmarket | Nov 20 – Dec 23 | Tivoli Quad, Auraria Campus |
| A Christmas Carol | Nov 25 – Dec 27 | Wolf Theatre, Denver Center |
| Mile High United Way Turkey Trot | Thu, Nov 26 | Washington Park |
| Holiday concerts at the Colorado Symphony | Nov 27 – Dec 6 | Boettcher Concert Hall |
| The Nutcracker | Nov 28 – Dec 27 | Ellie Caulkins Opera House |
| 9NEWS Parade of Lights | Sat, Dec 5 | Downtown Denver |
| Elf The Musical | Dec 22–27 | Buell Theatre |
| Denver Broncos home games | Nov 22, Dec 6, Dec 25 | Empower Field at Mile High |
1. Denver Arts Week
November 6–15, 2026 · Citywide · Event details
Start the season with ten days of art. Denver Arts Week fills the city with hundreds of events, from gallery shows and dance to comedy and film. It kicks off with First Friday Art Walks across Denver’s creative neighborhoods, and it includes a FREE Night at the Museums, when many of Denver’s top cultural institutions are open for free.
It’s a great way to see neighborhoods you might otherwise skip, and there’s something for almost any taste. Check the event calendar for the night of the museum open house and the full list of happenings.
Our tip: plan one evening around the museums. Our Denver Art Museum guide covers what to see for your visit.
2. Denver Veterans Day Run, Festival and Parade
Saturday, November 14, 2026 · Denver City Park · Event details
The Colorado Veterans Project hosts its 17th annual Denver Veterans Day, and this year it all happens in City Park. The day starts with a 5K and 10K run and a 10K ruck, followed by the parade at 10:30 a.m. The parade wraps up around noon, and then the festival takes over with live music until 2:30 p.m.
It’s a meaningful morning for families, and a nice way to show up for the veterans in your life. If you’re a runner, you can register for the race and stay for the parade.
Our tip: City Park is a great place to spend the rest of the day. Our Denver City Park guide has ideas, and the Denver Zoo guide covers the zoo right inside the park.
3. Denver Christkindlmarket
November 20 to December 23, 2026 · Auraria Campus, Tivoli Quad, 1000 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80204 · Hours and details
This is the one to plan your visit around. The Denver Christkindlmarket is a German-style holiday market with local and European craft and food vendors, plus plenty of entertainment. It’s free and open to the public, so you can wander, grab a bite and browse for gifts.
Since last season, the market has been on the Auraria Campus at the Tivoli Quad. It’s open Monday through Thursday from 1 to 9 p.m., and Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. During the last week, December 17 to 23, it opens at 11 a.m. every day. On Thanksgiving it’s open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Our tip: the Tivoli Quad sits at the edge of downtown, so pair it with a stroll up Larimer Street. Our Larimer Square guide covers the restaurants and shops in the historic block, and Union Station is a short walk beyond.
4. A Christmas Carol at the Denver Center
November 25 to December 27, 2026 · Wolf Theatre, Denver Center for the Performing Arts · Tickets
The DCPA Theatre Company’s A Christmas Carol is a Denver holiday tradition. It’s a musical take on Dickens’ story, following Ebenezer Scrooge on his overnight journey to redemption, and the Denver Center calls it a show for the whole family.
It runs for more than a month, so it’s easy to fit around the rest of your plans, and it works just as well for a first-timer as for families who go every year.
Our tip: the Denver Center is downtown, close to the 16th Street Mall. Grab dinner nearby before an evening show, or make a matinee part of a day of holiday shopping.
5. Mile High United Way Turkey Trot
Thursday, November 26, 2026 (Thanksgiving) · Washington Park, 1700 E Louisiana Ave, Denver 80210 · Registration and details
Earn your Thanksgiving dinner. The 53rd Mile High United Way Turkey Trot is a 4-mile race and walk at Washington Park, plus the Lil’ Gobbler Family Fun Run, a 1-mile walk or run for the kids. It raises money for Mile High United Way’s work with families, kids and young adults around Denver.
Registration opens at 7:30 a.m., the first wave starts at 9 a.m. and the second at 9:30 a.m. Strollers and wagons are allowed in every start wave, and kids can hit the Lil’ Gobbler Family Fun Zone at the finish for games and face painting.
Our tip: dress in layers, since Thanksgiving mornings in Denver can start out cold. Our Washington Park guide has more about the park.
6. Holiday concerts at the Colorado Symphony
November 27 to December 6, 2026 · Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver Performing Arts Complex · Home Alone · A Classical Christmas
The Colorado Symphony has two very different holiday shows on back-to-back weekends:
- Home Alone in Concert, November 27 to 29: the whole movie on the big screen while the orchestra plays John Williams’ score live. Shows are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
- A Classical Christmas, December 5 and 6: carols and holiday favorites, from O Come, All Ye Faithful to Handel’s Hallelujah, with the Colorado Symphony and Chorus. Shows are Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
Our tip: Home Alone is a fun pick for the long Thanksgiving weekend with kids. A Classical Christmas falls on Parade of Lights weekend, so you could pair the Sunday matinee with a parade-night stay downtown.
7. The Nutcracker at Colorado Ballet
November 28 to December 27, 2026 · Ellie Caulkins Opera House · Dates and tickets
Colorado Ballet’s The Nutcracker has been a holiday tradition for more than 65 years. Clara and her Nutcracker Prince travel to the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairy, with mischievous mice, twirling snowflakes, and Tchaikovsky’s score played live by the Colorado Ballet Orchestra.
It runs about two hours and fifteen minutes, including two intermissions, and the ballet recommends it for ages 5 and up. There’s a sensory-friendly and audio-described matinee on Sunday, November 29 at 1 p.m., and audio-described matinees on Saturday, December 5 and Saturday, December 12 at 1 p.m.
Our tip: weekend matinees are the easy choice for families with young kids. Dress up a little and make it an occasion.
8. 9NEWS Parade of Lights
Saturday, December 5, 2026 · Downtown Denver · Parade details
The 52nd annual 9NEWS Parade of Lights rolls through downtown Denver on Saturday, December 5. Expect marching bands, cultural groups and local performers lighting up the streets. The Downtown Denver Partnership’s page says the parade is kept free to the public.
The page lists just one parade night this year, the Saturday, so plan around December 5. The start time and route hadn’t been posted when we checked, so look at the parade page closer to the date.
Our tip: downtown gets busy on parade night, so arrive early and claim your spot. Our 16th Street Mall guide and Union Station guide have ideas for warming up with dinner or a drink afterward.
9. Elf The Musical
December 22–27, 2026 · Buell Theatre, Denver Center for the Performing Arts · Tickets
If you’re in town for Christmas week, this is your show. Elf The Musical is based on the film, following Buddy as he heads to New York City and helps the city find its holiday spirit. It’s goofy, warm and made for families on school break.
It runs for just six days, from the Tuesday before Christmas through Sunday, December 27, so book early.
Our tip: the Buell is in the same arts complex as A Christmas Carol and the Nutcracker, so if you’ve got a theater-loving family, you could make it a holiday double feature.
10. Denver Broncos home games
Sunday, November 22 · Sunday, December 6 · Friday, December 25, 2026 · Empower Field at Mile High · Schedule
If you want to see Denver at full volume, go to a Broncos game. Here are three home games in these two months:
- Sunday, November 22, at 2:25 p.m. MST against the Las Vegas Raiders
- Sunday, December 6, at 2:05 p.m. MST against the Miami Dolphins
- Friday, December 25, at 2:30 p.m. MST against the Buffalo Bills
The Christmas Day game is one for the holiday memory books, and it’s streaming on Netflix if you can’t get to the stadium. The Broncos also host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, November 1. Kickoff times can change later in the season, so check the schedule before you go.
Our tip: dress warmly for a December game, and make a day of it afterward at Confluence Park or Union Station.
A few more worth a look
These didn’t make the top ten, but their dates are posted and they’re worth your time.
- Denver Film Festival: wraps up November 1, at the Sie FilmCenter and other venues. Catch the last weekend if you’re in town early. Details.
- Mozart Requiem with the Symphony Chorus: November 6 to 8, with the Colorado Symphony at Boettcher Concert Hall. Details.
- Bluey’s Big Play: Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22 at the Buell Theatre. A sure hit with preschoolers. Details.
- Jersey Boys: December 1 to 6 at the Buell Theatre, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Details.
- Mannheim Steamroller Christmas: Friday, December 18 and Saturday, December 19 at the Buell Theatre. Details.
A few traditions we’re still waiting on
Some of Denver’s favorite holiday traditions hadn’t posted their 2026 dates when we checked, so we left them off rather than guess. That includes Blossoms of Light at the Denver Botanic Gardens, Trail of Lights at Chatfield Farms and Zoo Lights at the Denver Zoo. Check the official sites for this year’s dates. See our Denver Botanic Gardens guide and Denver Zoo guide to plan ahead. Downtown’s New Year’s Eve fireworks hadn’t been announced for this season either. We’ll add them once the dates are official.
How to make the most of a Denver holiday season
- Book the popular shows early. The Nutcracker, A Christmas Carol and Elf get busy closer to Christmas, so lock in your date.
- Stack your days by neighborhood. The Denver Center, the Buell and Boettcher Concert Hall are in one downtown arts complex. Larimer Square, Union Station and the Christkindlmarket are a short walk apart.
- Dress for the weather. Denver can swing from sunny afternoons to cold nights, and snow can show up any time in these months. Bring layers, especially for outdoor events after dark.
- Plan around game days. Downtown and the stadium area get busy when the Broncos play at home, so leave extra time if you’re driving.
- Check before you go. Dates and times come from each organizer’s website and can change, so follow the links above for the latest.
That’s our list. From the Christkindlmarket to a Broncos game on Christmas Day, Denver packs a lot of holiday cheer into these two months. Which one are you most excited about?
Last checked: October 14, 2026.
