From Santa parades to quirky winter festivals, here are the top December happenings across Colorado

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.

Santa’s parades and events across Colorado

‘Tis the season. Santa still is busy bringing cheer to parades across Colorado.

The “Whimsical Winter Woods” parade of lights starts at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in downtown Fruita.
The Longmont Lights Parade starts at 5 p.m. Saturday on Main Street.
Boulder hosts the Lights of December Parade at 6 p.m. Saturday.
“Holiday Movie Magic” is the theme of the Olde Golden Holiday Parade at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
Alamosa’s parade of lights is at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, with Christmas caps and socks given away to all new December babies.
Downtown Pagosa Springs hosts its Old Fashioned Christmas from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20

Holiday dance show in Denver opens

The Wonderbound dance company in Denver debuts “Holidays at the Hideaway Hotel” on Thursday. Creator Garrett Ammon calls it a “black comedy about the holidays run amok. Think Wes Anderson meets the Coen Brothers meets David Lynch.” The original soundtrack will be performed live by Erik Deutsch (of the Black Crowes) and his band. Limited tickets are available for all performances.

The Sphere Ensemble will perform in Denver and Boulder this weekend. | Photo provided

Festive holiday concerts abound

Sphere Ensemble: Sphere is a 14-member string ensemble based in Denver that expands the ensemble repertoire from classical and baroque into rock, hip hop and more. Sphere’s Snow Ball concerts are coming to The Savoy in Denver at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, and the Mountain View United Methodist Church in Boulder at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Cherry Creek Chorale: The Cherry Creek Chorale brings its “Rejoice in the Season” concert to Bethany Lutheran Church in Cherry Hills Village at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The show includes choral favorites, audience sing-alongs and collaborations with other local musicians.
Gay Men’s Chorus concerts: The Denver Gay Men's Chorus has two more performances of “My Favorite Queens,” a campy celebration of holiday traditions. The shows will be Friday at Unity of Boulder; and Sunday at St. Andrew United Methodist in Highlands Ranch.
Hazel Miller at the Dairy Center: Local legend Hazel Miller returns to the Dairy Arts Center in Boulder at 4 p.m. Sunday. Hazel Miller & The Collective play a mix of originals and covers that span jazz, blues, R&B and pop music.
Mr. Sun’s Nutcracker: There are plenty of opportunities to see great performances of “The Nutcracker” all season, but it’s safe to say that none will be exactly the same as Mr. Sun’s performance at the Ent Center for the Arts at CU Colorado Springs. The bluegrass supergroup is reimagining Duke Ellington’s jazz reimagining of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite.”

Holiday Stories on Stage

“Making Merry” is a collection of holiday stories and songs coming to Arvada on Friday, Boulder on Saturday and Denver on Sunday. The shows are part of the 25th anniversary season for the local group. Guest performers include Neyla Pekarek, formerly of The Lumineers, and Pianist Dan Graeber.

“Every Brilliant Thing” continues in Boulder

The Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company presents “Every Brilliant Thing” Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 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.

Indigenous films screening in Granby

Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, a YMCA of the Rockies facility, will screen indigenous short films from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday. A panel discussion and Q&A session with the filmmakers will follow the screening.

The event aims to raise awareness and support for the Tlingit and Haida Native Youth Snowsports Camps in Alaska.

The event is free, but donations to the native youth camps are encouraged (click here to donate), and proof of any donation will earn a free cross-country or snowshoe trail pass.

Backcountry Film Festival in Golden

The Colorado Mountain Club hosts two different sessions of the Backcountry Film Festival, which also includes a gear sale and short clinics on backcountry communications. Thursday’s session is aimed at backcountry beginners. Friday’s event is aimed at experienced explorers. Both events start at 5 p.m., and proceeds benefit CMC’s Snow Rangers Program, dedicated to protecting public lands.

Big Air snowboard qualifier in Steamboat

For the second time, Steamboat Ski Resort hosts the Visa Big Air competition. It is the main qualifying event for the freeski and big air snowboard teams going to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina.

Skier training and qualifying runs start on Thursday, with snowboarder training and qualifying on Friday. Finals in both events are on Saturday, followed by a balloon glow, athlete autograph session and concert with The Motet.

“SNL” alum Colin Quinn performs at Aspen’s Wheeler Opera House on Saturday. | Photo provided

Winter festival in Aspen

Since 1951, Wintersköl has been Aspen’s toast to winter. It returns Thursday through Sunday, with snow sculptures, live music, a huge bonfire, a beer festival and soup contest, torchlight descent and fireworks.

Meanwhile, Aspen’s Wheeler Opera House hosts two high-profile comedy shows. Former “Saturday Night Live” Weekend Update anchor Colin Quinn brings his standup at 5 p.m. Saturday. Later, at 8 p.m. Netflix stars Chad and JT will perform, with JT’s standup and Chad’s TED-style seminar “Chill Towards Enlightenment,” about his “stoke philosophy.”

Winterfest in Boulder

Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder hosts its annual Winterfest Friday and Saturday, with festive food and drinks, live music, horse-drawn carriage rides, petting zoo and plenty of other family activities. Adult tickets cost $36, with discounts for family packs.

More ski resort openings Friday and Saturday

Three more resorts expect to have enough snow to open. Sunlight Mountain, outside Grand Junction, plans to open Friday. Up the road, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk both plan to open Saturday.

Wacky winter sports festival in Estes

The new Sleigh the Games festival brings snowball battles, indoor snow tubing, human curling and more to Estes Park. Along with the sporting events on Saturday and Sunday, there also will be Chase the Glow one- and four-mile races on Friday, and a sweets stroll through downtown Estes Park on Sunday. Read our story for more details on the festival.

Benefit craft show in Colorado Springs

The Candy Cane Craft and Gift Show brings 130 Colorado vendors to Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs on Saturday and Sunday. The event also includes music, dance and puppetry performances, as well as face painting, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and more. Admission is free, and proceeds benefit Harley’s Hope Foundation, which offers financial assistance with veterinary care for older adults’ pets.

PLAN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS

Viking festival in Breckenridge Dec. 18-20

The 62nd Ullr Fest celebrates Vikings, winter and Ullr, the Norse god of snow in Breckenridge. Celebrants can join the Main Street parade, participate in a world record-breaking attempt at the longest Shotski, and enjoy a bonfire.

Snowboarding competition in Breck Dec. 19-21

Breckenridge Ski Resort also hosts a new snowboarding event alongside UllrFest. The Rockstar Energy Open snowboarding festival is free and open to the public, combining world-class snowboarding competitions with live music, art installations and an interactive fan village. The event will draw Olympic gold medalists and debut a new rider-designed, multi-terrain course.

Holiday fireworks and torchlight parades in the mountains

Torchlight parades schussing down ski slopes are a wonderful holiday tradition for your Colorado bucket lists. This year, make plans to celebrate Christmas and new year at these resorts:

Winter Park hosts a torchlight parade at 5:30 p.m. Christmas Eve.
Telluride’s Christmas Eve torchlight parade starts at 6:30 p.m. Telluride will have another torchlight parade, along with fireworks, on New Year’s Eve.
Snowmass hosts a torchlight parade (registration is now available for intermediate skiers) and fireworks on Fanny Hill on New Year’s Eve.
Granby Ranch’s New Year’s Eve celebration starts with a kids LED light parade, adult torchlight parade, fireworks and a party until midnight.
Powderhorn also has an LED children’s parade at 5:40 on New Year’s Eve, followed by fireworks and accompanied by a live DJ.
Down south, Purgatory has a torchlight parade and fireworks on the Ski Beach, starting at 6 p.m. New Year’s Eve.
Grand Lake lights New Year’s Eve fireworks against the mountains and over the frozen lake.
Steamboat Springs changes it up with a glowing Snowcat parade at 5:30 p.m., along with fireworks, a torchlight parade, night skiing and a DJ dance party.
Vail’s torchlight parade and fireworks display begin at 6:15 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.

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.