9 Issues to do in Denver and Colorado this Dec. 17-19 weekend

COLORADO, USA — Colorado celebrates winter’s arrival subsequent week with vacation festivals, parades, musical performances, craft exhibits and extra.

Denver Zoo Lights, Blossoms of Mild, A Hudson Christmas, Camp Christmas, Cirque Goals Holidaze and Winter Wonderlights are simply a few of the must-see traditions in Denver and Colorado this weekend together with annual productions of “The Nutcracker,” “Granny Dances to a Vacation Drum,” and “A Christmas Carol.”

Have fun the vacation season this weekend by experiencing the distinctive tradition, meals and geography that makes Colorado so particular at one in every of these enjoyable occasions this December weekend.

> Have an occasion tip? Ship it right here.

DENVER — The Denver Broncos are making a push for the NFL playoffs and the Cincinnati Bengals are their greatest impediment but. Win on Sunday and the Broncos’ postseason goals are nonetheless alive. Lose on Sunday, hope could also be extinguished. Teddy Bridgewater, Javonte Williams, Patrick Surtain II and the Denver Broncos play the Bengals this Sunday at Empower Area at Mile Excessive in Denver. Kickoff is scheduled for two:05 p.m. Though the sport is offered out, some tickets can be found for resale at Ticketmaster.com.

RELATED: Broncos playoff image: 5 groups vying for remaining 2 AFC playoff spots

ALAMOSA — Downtown Alamosa will welcome subsequent weekend’s massive winter-season vacation with its annual Christmas Mild Parade on Saturday night time. This weekend’s parade, which characteristic greater than 40 floats, steps off at 6 p.m.

COLORADO SPRINGS — The Colorado Springs Philharmonic celebrates the Christmas season Sunday with its annual Christmas Symphony. Led by conductor Thomas Wilson, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic will carry out Christmas classics, seasonal favorites and a really merry sing-along. The symphony is scheduled for Sunday on the Pikes Peak Middle for the Performing Arts. Discover your tickets at CSPhilharmonic.org.

DENVER — Admit it, tubas get no respect. However some 300 tubas, euphoniums and different low-register brass devices unfold vacation cheer on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the Denver Middle Performing Arts Complicated (the outside, however coated Galleria space). It’s all a part of TubaChristmas 2021, a nationwide sequence of free live shows carried out by native, volunteer musicians who play tubas and different massive brass, and who assemble solely hours earlier than live performance time to rehearse their “heavy steel” tunes. This occasion was first revealed by MileHighOnTheCheap.com. For extra native offers and reductions go to MileHighontheCheap.com.

LITTLETON — Arapahoe Philharmonic is taking a visit down film reminiscence lane with music from basic vacation films like “Dwelling Alone,” “Frozen,” “Me Me in St. Louis,” “Gremlins,” “Babes in Toyland,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “Nightmare Earlier than Christmas.” The Holidays on the Motion pictures live performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec 17 at Denver First Church. For extra data or live performance tickets, go to Arapahoe-Phil.org.

RELATED: VOTE NOW: Christmas film bracket

DENVER — Seize the Christmas sweater and jog over to Denver’s Washington Park for the Christmas Sweater 5K run/stroll this weekend. Waves within the race will start at 8 a.m., 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Sunday, Dec 19. Gown in a cheesy sweater – the extra tinsel, bows, reindeer and sweet canes, the higher. Finishers will get a Christmas sweater race medal, a themed shirt and a end line expo with distributors, meals and cookies. Register on-line at ColoradoRunnerEvents.com.

LONGMONT — The Final Likelihood Reward Fest runs Saturday and Sunday on the Boulder County Fairgrounds. Over 150 distributors will probably be at this present which runs from 10 a.m. to six p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to five p.m. Sunday. Admission and parking are free every day for the occasion which additionally provides arts crafts, toys, dwelling décor, meals and extra. There will probably be dwell music from Kenny Lee Younger on Saturday and Likelihood Gallagher on Sunday beginning at midday.

LAKEWOOD — Denver BAZAAR is taking on an enormous indoor house close to the Belmar Plaza for a vacation buying expertise in downtown Lakewood. There will probably be greater than 80 distributors, trend vans and a holiday-themed pop-up bar this Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the Downtown Lakewood Vacation Bazaar.

DENVER — Greater than 50 craft distributors, trend vans, dwell music, a holiday-themed pop-up bar and road meals are at Belleview Station within the Denver Tech Middle this weekend. The occasion runs from 11 a.m. to five p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche are again at Ball Enviornment in Denver this Saturday night time. The Avs host the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7 p.m. Ball Enviornment is requiring proof of a detrimental take a look at or COVID-19 vaccination to attend this occasion. Tickets can be found by way of Ticketmaster.com.

WESTMINSTER — Colorado’s latest vacation lights occasion opens this weekend. Butterfly Pavilion’s Dwelling Lights will gentle up in a rainbow of colours as guests stroll amongst displays and see the world of invertebrates in a brand new approach. This entertaining and academic occasion options biofluorescent invertebrates together with scorpions, glowing displays, a Firefly Forest with aerial artists and fascinating performers culminating in an electrifying child’s glow-in-the-dark dance occasion and unveiling of the Firefly Princess.

Dwelling Lights runs nightly from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. from Friday, Dec 17 by way of Sunday, Jan 2. To study extra and buy tickets, go to Butterflies.org.

DENVER — The Colorado Ballet’s sixtieth manufacturing of The Nutcracker is again this vacation season on the Ellie Caulkins Opera Home. The Colorado Ballet’s manufacturing has been one in every of Denver’s hottest vacation traditions for many years. With a narrative that sparks the creativeness of audiences younger and previous, The Nutcracker showcases distinctive dancers in addition to Tchaikovsky’s beloved rating carried out by Colorado Ballet Orchestra.

This yr’s manufacturing options new costumes and new units created particularly for Colorado Ballet. The Nutcracker performs by way of Thursday, Dec 24. Performances promote out every year, so get your tickets early at ColoradoBallet.org.

RELATED: Colorado Ballet celebrates new costumes, set after COVID-19 introduced challenges

DENVER — The Colorado Conservatory of Dance’s annual manufacturing of The Nutcracker is a Denver holiday-season custom since 1993. The manufacturing from college students and neighborhood members additionally options world-class worldwide visitor artists. The Nutcracker will probably be carried out this weekend on the Performing Arts Complicated at Pinnacle Constitution Faculty. Tickets are on sale at CCDance.org.

LAKEWOOD — Ballet Ariel’s manufacturing of The Nutcracker has returned to the Lakewood Cultural Middle. That includes Tchaikovsky’s well-known rating and dancers from Ballet Ariel’s skilled firm and faculty, The Nutcracker follows Clara and the Prince’s journey of toy troopers, dancing snowflakes and Sugar Plum fairies. Ballet Ariel will maintain performances by way of Thursday, Dec 23. Tickets can be found at Lakewood.org/Tickets, at 303-987-7845 or the Lakewood Cultural Middle field workplace.

PARKER — The Nutcracker of Parker is a Douglas County vacation custom. Introduced by Parker Arts and the Colorado Faculty of Dance, this seventeenth annual, family-friendly manufacturing of Tchaikovsky’s vacation basic will play the PACE Middle by way of Saturday, Dec 18. For tickets, head to ParkerArts.com.

> Have an occasion tip? Ship it right here.

DENVER — Colorado’s largest manufacturing of A Christmas Carol has reopened this vacation season on the Denver Performing Arts Complicated. Based mostly on Charles Dickens’ basic novel, the Denver musical adaptation traces curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge’s triumphant in a single day journey to redemption.

A Christmas Carol was final carried out by the Denver Middle for the Performing Arts (DCPA) Theatre Firm in 2018. The manufacturing was paused in 2019 for theater renovations and was canceled as a result of pandemic in 2020.

A Christmas Carol will play the newly-renovated Wolf Theatre on the Denver Performing Arts Complicated by way of Saturday, Dec 26. Tickets are on sale now at DenverCenter.org beginning at $30.

RELATED: ‘A Christmas Carol’ returns after 3-year absence

GOLDEN — Miners Alley Playhouse’s vacation custom is again. This hilarious and face-paced manufacturing of A Christmas Carol makes use of 5 actors to carry Dickens’ beloved characters to life. The Josh Hartwell adaptation makes use of nothing greater than easy props, enjoyable physicality, and the ability of creativeness to inform the basic story of redemption. Miners Alley Playhouses’ A Christmas Carol has performances scheduled by way of Thursday, Dec 23. Tickets may be discovered at MinersAlley.com or by cellphone at 303-935-3044.

DENVER — Carried out by the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Granny Dances to a Vacation Drum has been a Colorado multicultural celebration for 30 years. The manufacturing, which blends dance, dwell music, spoken phrase and seasonal celebrations and customs from around the globe, is a vacation custom you will always remember. The 2021 manufacturing runs by way of Sunday, Dec 19 on the Cleo Parker Robinson Theatre. Tickets for Granny Dances to a Vacation Drum are offered at CleoParkerDance.org.

PHOTOS: Granny Dances to a Vacation Drum

AURORA — A brand-new Christmas expertise is open at Gaylord Rockies this vacation season. Mission: Save Christmas that includes Elf will probably be open on the Aurora resort resort and conference middle by way of Sunday, Jan 2. The brand new, all-ages multisensory marquee expertise lets company be a part of Buddy the Elf in answering the decision from Santa to assist muster sufficient Christmas cheer to assist Santa’s sleigh fly. In a single day packages and occasion tickets may be bought at ChristmasatGaylordRockies.com. Advance on-line reservations are required for all ticketed occasions.

RELATED: New ‘Elf’ vacation expertise coming to Gaylord Rockies 

AURORA — Gaylord Rockies’ household vacation present Cirque Goals Holidaze — which final performed on the Bubly theater at Gaylord Rockies in 2019 — is again this vacation season. A cirque journey and Broadway-style musical wrapped into one family-friendly vacation present, Cirque Goals Holidaze is a celebration of toy troopers, snowmen, reindeer, gingerbread, penguins, vacation characters and Santa. The present options greater than 300 dazzling costumes and world-class aerialists, singers and dancers. The present performs by way of Sunday, Jan 2.

RELATED: ‘Cirque Goals Holidaze’ returns to Gaylord Rockies

DENVER — The Mile Excessive Tree, a seven-story tall, 39-foot diameter conical construction will as soon as once more characteristic dynamic gentle exhibits choreographed to multi-cultural vacation music on the tallest pixel LED know-how tree within the nation. The enormous tree will seem for a second-straight yr on the sixteenth Avenue Mall at Welton Avenue. The Mile Excessive Tree will probably be lit up nightly by way of Saturday, Jan 1 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Entry to see the tree is free and open to the general public.

RELATED: America’s tallest digital tree returning to Denver

LITTLETON — A Hudson Christmas is an outside competition of Christmas lights at Hudson Gardens that’s positive to brighten your vacation spirit. Again after two lengthy years, the backyard’s woods are reworked right into a winter wonderland of brightly lit timber set in opposition to the night time sky, reflecting off our bodies of water. With family and friends, sizzling chocolate, tasty treats and picture alternatives, A Hudson Christmas is a must-see Colorado custom. A Hudson Christmas will probably be open choose dates by way of Christmas. Tickets may be discovered at HudsonGardens.org.

LAKEWOOD — Company can journey by way of Denver Middle for the Performing Arts’ greatest vacation expertise ever at Camp Christmas. New this yr, the expertise will probably be an outside/indoor extravaganza at Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park, that includes artist Lonnie Hanzon’s fantastical wonderland of lights, dazzling decorations, music and memorabilia in numerous yuletide scenes throughout a six-acre panorama. Camp Christmas runs by way of Sunday, Jan 2. Get your tickets at DenverCenter.org.

DENVER — Denver Botanic Gardens’ Blossoms of Mild has been the Backyard’s signature occasion for over three many years. The vacation custom transforms the York Avenue gardens into a vacation wonderland. The family-friendly occasion is brighter and greater than ever earlier than with hundreds of ever-changing shows of sunshine and shade. Blossoms of Mild runs by way of Jan 8. Get your ticket reservations early at BotanicGardens.org.

LITTLETON — Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms has been reworked right into a glistening path of lights. The Path of Lights vacation expertise provides singing Christmas timber, synchronized music in a youngsters’s play space, gentle tunnels, mannequin tractor shows, sizzling drinks, nuts, kettle corn and extra. Path of Lights at Chatfield Farms will probably be open numerous evenings by way of Sunday, Jan 2. Tickets are offered at BotanicGardens.org.

ARVADA — Olde City will probably be internet hosting its first-ever Vacation Makers Market this yr. The market runs every weekend by way of Sunday, Dec 19. This occasion was first revealed by Mile Excessive on the Low-cost. For extra native offers and reductions, go to MileHighontheCheap.com.

DENVER — The twenty first annual Denver Christkindl Market is open every day by way of Thursday, Dec 23 on the Greek Amphitheater in Civic Middle Park. The Denver Christkindl Market recreates the enjoyment of strolling a European village sq. in the course of the holidays.

Company to the market can savor the season whereas having fun with genuine Glühwein (mulled spiced wine) and European drinks whereas looking for distinctive artisan presents and vacation treats offered by native Coloradoan, European, and worldwide retailers in wood huts. Every day leisure may even happen on the Greek Amphitheater Stage together with German polka music, German conventional dancers, vacation hymns in a number of languages, accordion and blue grass music, highschool bands and extra.

RELATED: Christkindl Market returns to downtown Denver

RELATED: Go to these vacation markets to seek out distinctive presents this Christmas

COLORADO SPRINGS — The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Electrical Safari provides 60 gentle sculptures illuminating the zoo’s 50 acres. Together with the warming fires all through the zoo, the astounding shows will fill you with heat and vacation spirit as you gaze out on the glowing lights of Colorado Springs. Electrical Safari is open most nights by way of Jan 1. Reserve your passes at CMZoo.org.

PHOTOS: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Electrical Safari 

DENVER —  The Denver Zoo will gentle greater than two million lights for its thirty first annual Zoo Lights celebration. Zoo Lights will span 80 acres and with new installations and choices in addition to returning favorites together with nightly ice-carving demonstrations. Zoo Lights runs by way of Sunday, Jan 2 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Denver Zoo officers mentioned Zoo Lights tickets promote out every year. The zoo encourages people to e-book tickets on-line upfront to safe a spot.

PHOTOS: Zoo Lights on the Denver Zoo

PUEBLO — ElectriCritters will probably be delighting youngsters of all ages for a twenty eighth yr on the Pueblo Zoo. The 2021 occasion continues by way of Sunday, Dec 26. The Pueblo Zoo custom options 150 magical gentle creations, sizzling cocoa, tasty treats, vacation buying, and free pictures with Santa Claus on Dec 19, Dec 20 and Dec 21. Go to PuebloZoo.org for tickets.

FEDERAL HEIGHTS & MORRISON — Denver’s greatest drive-through Christmas gentle shows are open for one more vacation season. Christmas in Shade has drive-through gentle shows at Water World in Federal Heights and Bandimere Speedway in Morrison. The show options a couple of million LED lights organized into tunnels, timber, large sweet canes, snowflakes and extra, all synchronized to festive vacation music on the FM radio dial. Tickets are on sale now at ChristmasinColor.internet.

RELATED: 2 drive-through Christmas shows with 1 million LED lights every returning to Colorado

DENVER — Broadway is again in Colorado for the primary time in 22 months. Disney’s “The Lion King” is enjoying on the Buell Theatre on the Denver Performing Arts Complicated by way of Sunday, Jan 2. Greater than 95 million individuals have skilled the unbelievable music, units and costumes of this Broadway spectacular. A winner of six Tony Awards, “The Lion King” continues its reign as one of many greatest musicals in historical past. For tickets and showtimes, go to DenverCenter.org.

Final weekend’s prime movie, “West Aspect Story,” welcomes a Marvel blockbuster sequel to film theaters this weekend. “Spider-Man: No Approach Dwelling” might develop into the primary film of the pandemic period to open greater than $100 million.

“West Aspect Story” and Disney’s “Encanto” ought to have lengthy legs by way of the vacation season. Newcomers coming over the upcoming Christmas weekend embody “The King’s Man,” “Sing 2” and “The Matrix Resurrections.”

• Spider-Man: No Approach Dwelling
• Nightmare Alley

1. West Aspect Story — $10.5 million
2. Encanto — $9.4 million
3. Ghostbusters: Afterlife — $7.1 million
4. Home of Gucci — $4.1 million
5. Eternals — $3.1 million

RELATED: Properly-reviewed ‘West Aspect Story’ debuts to $10.5M

> Would you prefer to see your favourite Colorado competition, honest, expo, live performance, drama, musical, ballet, run or occasion listed in 9Things? Ship it to alexander.kirk@9news.com.

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