Christmas Events Are Coming to Town!
November 17, 2022
Thanksgiving is a week away and Christmas more than a month, but the festivities, lights, special events, plays, musicals and concerts have only just begun for the holiday season! Just look at everything you and your family can do this weekend and next in and around Aurora!
TODAY/TONIGHT, Thursday, November 17
CIRQUE OF DREAMS & A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS
Gaylord Rockies Resort invites guests to “freeze the day” this Christmas as the hotel’s annual holiday tradition, ICE!, returns this weekend through New Year’s Day. Using more than two million pounds of ice, the classic holiday story and animated special, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” will be brought to life by a team of 40 ice artisans who work for approximately six weeks to create the 17,500-square-foot, frozen attraction.
ICE! will feature more than 10 scenes from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and classic characters including Charlie Brown, his canine sidekick, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts gang. Ice carvings range in size from details as tiny as a coin to soaring scenes more than 30 feet tall. The environment will be kept frozen by a state-of-the-art chilling system that maintains the attraction’s temperature at a frosty 9 degrees Fahrenheit.
While ICE! is the signature attraction for Christmas at Gaylord Rockies, there are plenty more festive activities, events, live entertainment, hands-on activities, exciting attractions, and dazzling decorations throughout the resort – for all ages.
For example, an original Gaylord Hotels production, “Cirque: Spirit of Christmas” features high-flying stunts, acrobatic feats, elaborate staging, and a dramatic musical score. This Cirque-style show, presented in the bubly™ theater, centers on Noel, a child dismayed by the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Throughout the 75-minute show, Noel is visited in dreamlike chapters by trapeze artists, acrobats, aerial silk performers and others who help rekindle the Christmas spirit.
Adventurous outdoor fun awaits on Glacier Point. Guests can experience the thrill of zooming around on ice, sliding, spinning, and bumping with friends and family on Ice Bumper Cars. Other activities include Snow Tubing, Ice Skating, and Snowball Build and Blast where guests build and toss real snowballs to boost the power of the snowmaking machines and earn points.
Gaylord of the Rockies, 6700 N. Gaylord Rockies Blvd., Aurora
Various Days and Times
Tickets
Thursday-Saturday, November 17-19
WARREN MILLER’S DAYMAKER
It’s hard to feel the weight of the world when you’re flying through snow so deep, it may as well be the sky. Stress can’t keep up; anxiety won’t do the bumps, and frustration forgot a glove and had to go home. This is where Warren Miller Entertainment’s 73rd annual ski and snowboard film takes place: on peaks that replace the mountains in your mind with ones that free your mind. Join Crazy Karl Fostvedt, Michelle Parker, Katie Burrell, Hanna Beaman, Daron Rahlves, Ryland Bell, Cam Fitzpatrick, Connery Lundin and more on the hill, and you can’t really have a bad day.
British Columbia’s Monashees, the literal throne of the gods in Greece’s Olympus Mountains, Alaska twice and Snowmass, for the biggest party of the winter. The highlight – a surprise for a Warren Miller superfan at the base of Snowbasin who gets whisked away to ski with Jonny Moseley and Marcus Caston. We follow one of Europe’s most legendary mountain guides, rewrite the rules of adaptive backcountry riding, and try to keep up with some of the most exciting young skiers and snowboarders on the planet. Not just for winter sports lovers – but if you are one — this will make your day.
Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm, Denver
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $29-$25
Phone: 303-623-0106
MY FAIR LADY
Boasting such classic songs as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “On the Street Where You Live,” My Fair Lady tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady.” But who is really being transformed?
Buell Theatre, 1350 Curtis St., Denver
Thurs./Fri., 7:30 p.m.; Sat., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $25-$75
Phone: 720-865-4220
BIG JAY OAKERSON
Big Jay Oakerson has been a stand-out at comedy and music festivals around the world for the last two decades including Just For Laughs Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver & Sydney Australia, the New York Comedy Festival, and SXSW among others. He is currently the co-host of podcasts The Legion of Skanks & The SDR Show on Gas Digital Network and of The Bonfire with Big Jay Oakerson and Dan Soder, on Comedy Central Radio on SiriusXM.
Jay has appeared on multiple television shows including his one hour special Live at Webster Hall followed by his half-hour special on Netflix which premiered as part of the hit series The Degenerates. Other appearances include Comedy Central’s Inside Amy Schumer, The Late Show with Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central’s The Comedy Jam and This Is Not Happening as well as the IFC show Z-Rock.
Denver Comedy Works, 1226 15th Street Denver
Thurs., 8:00 p.m., Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.
Tickets: $25-$30
303-595-3637
Thursday-Sunday, November 17-20
FOR THE LITTLES: LITTLE RED
Get your tickets and bring your children to their first theatre experience and spark a lifetime of wonder. Enter the forest for an adventure with the lovable LITTLE RED. This charming, song-infused retelling of Little Red Riding Hood finds Little Red at the center of new adventures and new ways of seeing familiar characters. With a wandering wolf, a gardening grandma, a forest at risk, and characters from other tales joining in, Little Red discovers her own power as a vital doer in her community. Joyous and inspiring, the musical captures the warmth of Little Red and her family of smart, engaged females while also welcoming a new friendship between Red and Wolf.
Randy Weeks Conservatory Theater, 1101 13th St., Denver
Thurs./Fri., 10:00 a.m.; Fri., 12:00 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 1:30 & 3:30 p.m.
Tickets: $16-$30
LAST WEEKEND: THE CROWN: LIVE!
Two actors reimagine the story of how Elizabeth Windsor became Queen Elizabeth II — and recreate the resplendent Netflix series in 80 minutes of frenetic hat-passing, period accents and corgi impressions.
Originally staged in 2019, the show pays due respect to both the Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh’s historic reign and what the future holds since they’ve passed. A perfect treat for both fans of the show keenly waiting for the fifth season–and for those wondering what all the fuss is about! This royal comedy comes from the pen of parodic mastermind Daniel Clarkson, co-creator of Olivier Award-nominee Potted Potter.
Having been cruelly overlooked for her dream role as Queen Elizabeth in blockbuster series The Crown, budding starlet and number one fan of all things royal, Beth brings her own take on the epic story of the Royal Family to the stage instead… with her agent Stanley coerced into playing (almost) all the other roles–from Prince Philip to Princess Margaret, and all the commoners in between.
DCPA, Garner Galleria Theatre, 1385 Curtis St., Denver
Thurs.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $42-$46
Friday, November 18
BRIAN REGAN LIVE
Critics, fans and fellow comedians agree: Brian Regan is one of the most respected comedians in the country with Vanity Fair calling Brian, “The funniest stand-up alive,” and Entertainment Weekly calling him, “Your favorite comedian’s favorite comedian.” Having built his 30-plus year career on the strength of his material alone, Brian’s non-stop theater tour continuously fills the most beautiful venues across North America, visiting close to 100 cities each year.
On February 23, 2021, Brian premiered his second Netflix stand-up special, Brian Regan: On The Rocks, which was shot at Tuachan Center for the Arts, an outdoor amphitheater in Utah. Brian’s first Netflix special, Brian Regan: Nunchucks And Flamethrowers, premiered to rave reviews on November 21, 2017, and is also available as a vinyl album.
Brian stars in his own Netflix series, Stand Up And Away! With Brian Regan, which premiered on Christmas Eve 2018.Brian and Jerry Seinfeld Executive Produce the four-episode original half-hour series that combines sketch comedy and stand-up. In 2015, Brian made history with his stand-up special, Brian Regan: Live From Radio City Music Hall, as the first live broadcast of a stand-up special in Comedy Central’s history.
Bellco Theatre, 700 14th St., Denver
8:00 p.m. (Doors Open at 1:00)
Tickets: $49.50-$85
Phone: 303-778-1500
Saturday, November 19
SOUTHLANDS HOMETOWN PARADE
Kick off the holiday season at our Annual Holiday Hometown Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony. You may even catch a glimpse of some special guests—including Santa himself!
Southlands Town Square, Main Street, Aurora
6:00 p.m.
FREE
JAY LENO AND JEFF FOXWORTHY
Acclaimed TV late night show host, admired stand-up comedian, best-selling children’s book author, much-in-demand corporate speaker, TV and movie voice-over artist, pioneering car builder and mechanic, and philanthropist…Jay Leno is widely characterized as “the hardest working man in show business.” Jay Leno’s late night television ratings domination included two decades as the host of the #1-rated “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” –after the first two years Jay Leno never lost a single ratings year in which he served as host.
Leno is renowned for his incredibly funny monologues, celebrity interviews, and of course his wry look at news headlines that never should have made it into print. He’s not afraid to talk about current affairs or to satirize public figures, but does it with a twinkle in his eyes that never comes off as mean-spirited. A keen observer of modern phenomena, he manages to keep his material fresh and up to date, whether he is talking about binge watching television shows or lambasting his futility with technological advances.
Jeff Foxworthy is one of the most respected and successful comedians in the country. He is the largest selling comedy-recording artist in history, a multiple Grammy Award nominee and best-selling author of 26 books. Widely known for his redneck jokes, his act goes well beyond that to explore the humor in everyday family interactions and human nature, a style that has been compared to Mark Twain’s. Two legends, one historic night! Jay Leno & Jeff Foxworthy will join forces for an unforgettable night of comedy.
Bellco Theatre, 700 14th St., Denver
8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $49.50-$85
Phone: 303-778-1500
Friday-Sunday, November 18-20
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
The story, suddenly conceived and written in a few weeks, is one of the outstanding Christmas stories of modern literature. Essential to the holiday season in Denver, A Christmas Carol is a joyous and opulent musical adaptation for the whole family that traces money-hoarding curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge’s triumphant overnight journey complete with various ghosts and spectral visions to redemption. God bless us one and all.
Based on Charles Dickens’ classic novel, the DCPA Theatre Company’s “blessedly exhilarating!” (Westword) production illuminates the meaning of the holiday season in a way that has resonated for generations. Hurry — tickets are limited!
DCPA, Wolf Theater, 1101 13th St, Denver
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun. 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $10-77
MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT
The Hilarious Musical Ripped from The Hilarious Film! England. 932 AD. The Legendary King Arthur is on a quest to find the Holy Grail and restore peace to the land. With the knights of the round table by his side, he’ll have to grapple with beautiful dancing girls, flatulent Frenchmen and killer rabbits. The smash-hit Broadway comedy comes to life at Vintage this fall! Playing in the Nickelson Auditorium.
Vintage Theater, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
Fri.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $20-38
Phone: 303-856-7830
TCHAIKOVSKY: WITH OLGA KERN
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky — so highly regarded for his symphonic compositions — placed himself among the greats of the keyboard with the completion of his First Piano Concerto. The work is filled with towering grandeur, gorgeously lyrical melodies, and unmistakable Romantic spirit. For pianists what Everest is to climbers, the Concerto in B-flat has become the standard against which all virtuosos must measure themselves, featuring iconic opening flourishes and a pyrotechnics-filled finale.
Denver favorite Olga Kern lends her dazzling technique and innate musicality to this cornerstone of the Classical Canon. Your Colorado Symphony and Conductor Christian Reif — dubbed a “remarkable talent” by the San Francisco Chronicle — conclude the program with Shostakovich’s stormy and brooding Tenth Symphony. Written to symbolize the power of the people, Shostakovich employs memorable themes and complex orchestrations that mirror his own battles against Soviet oppression. Ending on a triumphant note, this is a finale that will leave you breathless.
Boettcher Concert Hall, 1000 14th Street, Denver
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$98 plus fees & taxes
Phone: 303-623-7876
DOT – AN UNFORGETTABLE HOLIDAY COMEDY
The holidays are always a wild family affair at the Shealy house. But this year, Dotty and her three grown children gather with more than exchanging presents on their minds. As Dotty struggles to hold on to her memory, her children must fight to balance care for their mother and care for themselves. This twisted and hilarious new play grapples unflinchingly with aging parents, midlife crises, and the heart of a West Philly neighborhood. Playing in the Bond-Trimble Theatre.
Vintage Theater, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
Fri.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $20-34
Phone: 303-856-7830
NEXT WEEK: Wednesday, November 23
AN EVENING WITH MORRISSEY
Morrissey is a British singer-songwriter whose work with The Smiths made him one of the foremost lyricists and vocalists in the ’80s indie music scene. Known for his poetic lyrics, energetic live performances and unusual baritone vocals, Morrissey launched a successful solo career when The Smiths disbanded in 1987. Various rock publications have described him as one of the most important artists of the last four decades.
His first two solo singles, namely “Suedehead” and “Everyday Is Like Sunday”, reached the U.K. Top 10. Morrissey’s debut album, Viva Hate (1988), also peaked at number two on the U.K. Albums chart. From 1989 to 1991, several of his non-album singles earned a place in the U.K. Top 20. Morrissey’s seventh solo album, You Are the Quarry (2004), spawned four hit singles. It reached number 2 on the U.K. Albums chart and number 11 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart. In 2013, he released his autobiography which was published under the Penguin Classics imprint. It has sold more than 140000 copies worldwide.
Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm, Denver
8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $55-$80
Phone: 303-623-0106
Friday-Saturday, November 25-26
HOME ALONE WITH THE SYMPHONY
Celebrate the modern holiday classic, Home Alone, with your Colorado Symphony! The event features renowned composer John Williams’ charming and delightful score performed live as the film is screened for your enjoyment! Macaulay Culkin stars as Kevin McCallister, an eight-year-old boy who’s accidentally left behind when his family leaves for Christmas vacation, and who must defend his home against two bungling thieves (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern). Hilarious and heartwarming, Home Alone is holiday fun for the entire family.
Boettcher Concert Hall, 1000 14th Street, Denver
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$98 plus fees & taxes
Phone: 303-623-7876
Saturday-Sunday, November 26-27
THE NUTCRACKER BALLET
You know it’s almost Christmas when The Nutcracker ballerinas put on their toe shoes. The holiday spirit leaps to life in this treasured family tradition. Featuring breathtaking new sets and costumes for the second year, Colorado Ballet invites you to follow Clara and her Nutcracker prince on the sweet, snow-dusted adventure only Tchaikovsky could score. See where the story you know by heart takes yours this year.
Ellie Caulkins Opera House,1385 Curtis St., Denver
Sat., 6:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.
Tickets: $40-$145
Saturday, November 26
WHEEL OF FORTUNE LIVE!
America’s beloved guessing game is going on tour! Wheel of Fortune Live! is traveling across North America and coming to you with a chance to be part of the excitement! Join the fun and take a spin to solve the puzzles in person. Guests can try out to go ON STAGE and play to win big at every show. Audience members will be randomly selected to win cash and prizes! One of the greatest game shows of all time wants to make everyone a winner at “Wheel of Fortune Live!” – so bring the family and get ready to play the popular television show you’ve watched for YEARS!
Bellco Theatre, 700 14th St., Denver
8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $28-$78+
Phone: 303-778-1500
Sunday, November 27
PEPPA PIG’S ADVENTURE
Come join Peppa this Holiday season on an exciting camping trip in the winter woods with George and her school friends, including Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep and Gerald Giraffe. With lunchboxes packed and Daddy Pig driving the bus, Peppa and friends are excited about their outdoor holiday adventure, full of singing, dancing, games and surprises. Little piggies everywhere will love celebrating the season with this 60-minute live musical experience! Sensory Notice: This show contains Flashing Lights, Haze (Fog), and Confetti.
Bellco Theatre, 700 14th St., Denver
2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $29-$65
Phone: 303-778-1500
Holiday Season Activities Near Southshore!
Oh,
what fun it is to enjoy Life at the Lake in the master-planned community of Southshore—and find all sorts of entertainment within easy reach! You can personalize your living space – just check out the beautiful model homes from Richmond American Homes and Century Communities. It’s easy to picture yourself in your own new home here, priced from the $700s.