Colorado lights up the holidays, opens the slopes and more in the coming weeks

By the Thirst Team

Get Out of Town is our roundup of the best events across Colorado for the next few weeks. For more happenings, check out our events calendar.

It’s time to start the (Christmas) music, It’s time to light the lights

Ready or not, the holiday season is lighting up all over Colorado. Here are some events around Colorado to get you in the spirit:

Denver’s mayor lights the lights on the City and County Building on Friday, starting two months of free light and music shows.
The Denver Botanic Gardens will switch on millions of lights on Friday at the York Street and Chatfield Farms locations. Both are open through Jan. 11, and tickets are available.
Santa lights the tree and Main Street lights in Grand Junction Saturday.
Saturday also brings the starlighting on top of Castle Rock’s namesake mesa, followed by fireworks, caroling, chili supper and more on Saturday.
Estes Park lights its tree at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. The event also brings Santa pictures, holiday crafts and horse-drawn carriage rides.
Downtown Boulder switches on the holiday lights Sunday. The festivities also include a cookie crawl, a scavenger hunt, and dance and music programs.
The Denver Zoo switches on more than three million holiday lights on Monday.

Steamboat Springs opens for the season on Saturday. | Photo by KAT (stock.adobe.com)

Schussing into ski season

Snow is finally falling in the mountains (not so much on the summer-like Front Range). That works out for the already-open Arapahoe Basin, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Keystone, Loveland, Vail and Winter Park. It also bodes well for these resorts that plan to switch on the lifts this week:

Monarch Mountain (Friday) — An unusual snow pattern means Monarch can open the Garfield lift on opening day, which is unusual.
Powderhorn Resort (Friday) — This date is still tentative. Check with them before putting the skis on the rack.
Steamboat Springs (Saturday) — First 100 on the mountain get limited-edition swag, and everyone gets free doughnuts and a chance at prizes stashed around the mountain.
Purgatory (Saturday) — This southwestern Colorado resort’s opening date is still tentative, but expect live music and “powder”ed pancakes.
Aspen Mountain, Beaver Creek, Crested Butte, Ski Granby Ranch, Snowmass all plan to open next Wednesday and Thursday for Thanksgiving runs.

Kick the keg party Friday

One of the last events at Call to Arms Brewing in northwest Denver will be the first kick the keg competition. More than 20 Colorado craft breweries will tap kegs and compete to finish their keg first and win a $500 prize. Proceeds benefit the Colorado Brewers Guild (CBG). Advance tickets cost $40. Participating breweries are listed on the CBG website.

Last Waltz tribute shows starting Saturday

Dozens of Colorado’s best musicians gather every November to pay tribute to The Band’s legendary “Last Waltz” farewell concerts. Polytoxic will helm the Saturday show at the Boulder Theater and the Nov. 26 show at the Fillmore Auditorium. Andy Frasco and Shawn Eckels also are in the Boulder lineup. Denver guests include Eddie Roberts of The New Mastersounds and phoffman of Greensky Bluegrass.

Washington’s in Fort Collins also hosts a Last Waltz tribute on Saturday, with at least 30 northern Colorado musicians playing at least 30 songs.

Denver Concert Band show Sunday

The Denver Concert Band presents “Heroes and Holidays” at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Lone Tree Arts Center. The program features John Williams’ “Superman March,” Edward Gregson’s “The Sword and the Crown,” Leroy Anderson’s Christmas Festival, Andrew Boysen Jr.’s “December Dance.” The Denver Concert Band has 90 volunteer musicians, and have performed around the world.

Record Show in Colorado Springs Saturday

The largest record show in southern Colorado is at the Antlers hotel on Saturday. In addition to records, CDs and tapes, the event also includes clothes, books, memorabilia and limited-edition posters.

Admission is $5, or $13 for early bird admission to snag those coveted rarities.

PLAN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS

Cookie contest in Beaver Creek Nov. 26

Beaver Creek's annual cookie competition returns Wednesday, Nov. 26. Five finalists will have cookies available for tasting, and guests will vote on their favorite. The winner earns a prize and a year of bragging rights.

Community Thanksgiving lunch and fundraiser in Denver Nov. 27

Hogshead will serve a turkey alongside its cask-conditioned ales on Thanksgiving Day. It costs $15 to attend the 2 p.m. dinner, and attendees are encouraged to bring sides. The ticket cost will be donated to the Bienvenidos Food Bank in north Denver.

World Cup skiing at Copper Nov. 27-30

Copper Mountain hosts the Stifel Copper Cup, an Audi FIS Ski World Cup event, with men’s and women’s races in the leadup to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

The races are free to attend, but VIP passes and grandstand tickets are available. There also will be live music, fireworks and more in the festival village.

Wine Fest in Estes Park Nov. 29

The 6th annual Estes Park Holiday Wine Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, at the Estes Park Events Center. The festival includes about 20 Colorado wineries, retail and holiday vendors, food vendors, free pics with Santa and free kids’ activities. Each ticket includes a wine glass, wine tote and unlimited tastings.

Gay Men’s Chorus concerts in Denver Dec. 5-15

The Denver Gay Men's Chorus launches its 44th season with five performances of “My Favorite Queens,” a campy celebration of holiday traditions. The shows will be Dec. 5 to 7 at Central Presbyterian Church in Denver; Dec. 12 at Unity of Boulder; and Dec. 14 at St. Andrew United Methodist in Highlands Ranch.

“Every Brilliant Thing” in Boulder Dec. 5 to 28

The Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company presents “Every Brilliant Thing” Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays Dec. 5 to 28. The play begins with a child grappling with his mother’s attempted suicide. The child makes a list of brilliant, joy-giving things and leaves it on Mom’s hospital pillow. The award-winning play promises to be funny and life affirming, and will be performed at the Dairy Arts Center.

Berner dog festival, Santa race and more in Breck Dec. 6

Continental Divide Winery in Breckenridge celebrates its mascot, Scout the Bernese Mountain Dog, with a Berner parade and other events, including brunch, a champagne party and a giant group photo for dogs and owners before the parade starts at 3 p.m.

Following the parade is the annual Race of the Santas costumed 5K at 4:20 p.m., and the Lighting of Breckenridge’s Main Street at 5 p.m.

ColderBOLDER coming Dec. 6

Boulder hosts the ColderBOLDER 5K on Saturday, Dec. 6. It is labeled the “polar opposite” of the summer BOLDERBoulder, and is a shorter, smaller and, yes, cooler event than the giant summer race. The first 13 races through the CU Boulder campus are invite-only heats for runners who qualified in the last ColderBOLDER or BOLDERBoulder. A final race is open, with no qualifying standards, followed by a walking wave.

As always, please send us your events and announcements. We’re happy to share them. If they don’t fit in the Get Out of Town column, we will add them to our events calendar.