Christmas Weekend Light Shows and Performances!
December 21, 2017
Plan your Christmas break with final performances of A Christmas Carol and Santaland Diaries plus some of the most spectacular light shows in Colorado — all within a 30-minute drive from Southshore in Aurora!
TODAY/TONIGHT, Thursday, December 21
CUB CLUB HOLIDAY PARTY
Don’t miss the Cub Club Holiday Party with ornament-making activities, dreidel painting, karaoke and more! Plus, moms who want to squeeze in some last-minute shopping can do so while kids stay for activities at the YMCA Drop n’ Shop — until 1:00 p.m.
YMCA Youth Center, 6205 S. Main St., Aurora
10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
RSVP: 720-870-2221
Thursday-Saturday, December 21-23
BE THE ASTRONAUT
Looking for somewhere to take the kids over the holiday break? Be the Astronaut is an engaging and interactive pod-based exhibit that teaches STEM-based content via a fusion of technology and traditional exhibits.
Made up of a series of interactive games and simulations, Be the Astronaut speaks powerfully to adults and children alike. Visitors learn about the challenges and excitement of spaceflight — then apply that knowledge as they fly spaceships, pilot landers, and drive rovers across locations such as Earth’s orbit, the moon, Mars, Ceres and Jupiter.
Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver
10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Tickets: $8.50-$15:00 (Museum Admission)
Phone: 303-360-5360
CLINTON JACKSON LIVE!
After graduating high school, Clinton Jackson began to hone his craft in San Francisco’s thriving comedy scene, quickly moving up the ranks to become one of the city’s youngest headliners. Clinton has since appeared on many stand-up comedy television shows including his own stand-up special Comedy Central Presents: Clinton Jackson and a guest appearance on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Clinton was cast in a series-regular role on the WB’s Nick Freno with guest appearances on The Disney Channel and Nickelodeon showcasing Clinton’s trademark guy-next-door appeal.
Comedy Works-Downtown, 1226 15th St., Denver
Thurs., 8:00; Fri./Sat., 7:30 & 9:45 p.m.
Tickets: $17-$27
Phone: 303-595-3637
Thursday-Sunday, December 21-24
SPIN AROUND THE ICE!
Time to don those ice skates and get to The Pond (or rent a pair there) for a spin around the ice this winter! Perfect your sit spin, or just glide around the groomed ice for a fun winter activity!
The Pond at Southlands Mall, Main St., Aurora
Thurs., 4:00-9:00 p.m.; Sat., 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.; Sun., 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Admission: $8/Skate Rental: $2.50
Phone: 303-928-7536
ZOO LIGHTS!
Zoo Lights spans 60 acres with eye-catching illuminated animal sculptures that swing through trees, jump across lawns, hide in bushes, and appear in places where they’re least expected. Zoo Lights features nightly entertainment, animal encounters, Santa meet-and-greets, and more!
Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St., Denver
5:30-9:00 p.m.
Tickets: $7-$13
Phone: 720-337-1400
BLOSSOMS OF LIGHT SPECTACULAR!
More than a million twinkling lights plus interactive displays, and animated LED lights keyed to sound for awe-inspiring seasonal entertainment have transformed the Botanic Gardens into Blossoms of Light. The spectacular and popular event offers timed tickets, issued on the hour, with holiday treats and drinks available for purchase. Don’t miss one of the city’s most dazzling displays, through the weekend.
Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St., Denver
5:00-9:00 p.m.
Tickets: $16-$20
Phone: 720-865-3500
FINAL PERFORMANCES: A CHRISTMAS CAROL!
Essential to the holiday season in Denver, A Christmas Carol promises to “warm your heart and renew your holiday spirit” according to the Examiner. Based on Charles Dickens’ classic novel, this joyous and opulent musical adaptation traces money-hoarding skinflint Ebenezer Scrooge’s triumphant overnight journey to redemption. A Christmas Carol illuminates the meaning of the holiday season in a way that has resonated for generations.
Stage Theatre/DCPA, Speer Blvd. & Arapahoe St., Denver
Thurs., 1:30 & 6:30 p.m.; Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sat., 1:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30 & 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $35-$85
Phone: 800-641-1222
SANTALAND…FOR ADULTS!
Looking for a little more snark in your stocking? Crumpet the Elf returns for more hilarious hijinks in this acclaimed one-man show based on stories by David Sedaris. Crumpet’s twisted tales from his stint in Macy’s SantaLand are the cure for the common Christmas show. Release your holiday stress, get all of those old carols out of your head and check out a late-night option this year.
Stage Theatre/DCPA, Speer Blvd. & Arapahoe St., Denver
Thurs.-Sun.,7:00 p.m.; Fri., 10:00 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $25-$33
Phone: 800-641-1222
WAITRESS OPENS
The non-holiday entertainment this weekend includes a new play inspired by Adrienne Shelly’s beloved film, Waitress. Brought to life by a groundbreaking all-female creative team, this irresistible new hit features original music and lyrics by six-time Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles (Brave, Love Song”, a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam) and direction by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus (Hair, Pippin, Finding Neverland).
Waitress tells the story of Jenna — a waitress and expert pie maker, who dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town’s new doctor may offer her a chance at a fresh start, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes for happiness. Don’t miss this uplifting musical celebrating friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie.
Buell Theatre/DCPA, Speer Blvd. & Arapahoe St., Denver
Thurs.-Sun.,7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $30-$115
Phone: 800-641-1222
HOLIDAY LIGHTS DRIVE
Feeling like a neighborhood drive through streets dressed in lights? Check out the Denver Post’s Holiday Lights Map and build your route!
ILLUMINATION AT UNION STATION!
Join the LoDo District and the Union Station Alliance as they light Denver Union Station. Enjoy carolers and treats, drinks at The Terminal Bar, and the revealing of this year’s holiday lighting of the iconic station! Union Station will be ablaze with brightly colored floodlights illuminating the historic structure in the heart of Lower Downtown and its lighted tree in front. The tree market is open daily from 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., and Santa is here for photo ops, and present talk from 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop, Denver
5:00 p.m. nightly
LIGHT THE LIGHTS!
One of the largest lighting displays in Denver can be seen at the City and County Building at Civic Center Park, where 600,000 lights decorate the massive building.
Civic Center Park, 1435 Bannock St., Denver, 80202
5:00-7:00 p.m.
Friday-Saturday, December 22-23
TOO HOT TO HANDEL
This exuberant jazz, gospel, and R&B-infused concert brilliantly reinvents Handel’s Messiah and returns by popular demand for the 2017 Holiday season! Featuring audience-favorite guest soloists and members of the Colorado Symphony Chorus, this exhilarating night of music will have you rejoicing in the aisles.
Boettcher Concert Hall, 1000 14th St., Denver
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$94
Phone: 303-MAESTRO
CHRISTMAS IN VEGAS!
Christmas lights and Vegas lights… it’s a match made in heaven. Get a joyful dose of holiday cabaret with this star-studded, Vegas-style spin on the most wonderful time of the year. All the warmth and music of the holidays melds with the allure of the late-night city in this second installment of Christmas in Vegas. For ages 21 and older.
Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
10:30 p.m.
Tickets: $5-$10
Saturday, December 23
SEVENTH ANNUAL KLEZFEST
The Mizel Museum will host its seventh annual Klezfest concert with an exciting fusion of klezmer music – sounds rooted firmly in traditional Jewish modes and melodies and driven by contemporary rhythms and danceable grooves. Featuring The Lost Tribe, a group that steeps its songs in rock, reggae, salsa, funk and hip-hop influences; Rabbi Joe Black, a prolific musician and songwriter joined by Boulder-based violinist Sandra Wong; and Gora Gora Orkestar, a 10-piece brass band with an infectious rhythm and its own brand of feel-good music. Their sound is an eclectic mix, blending Old World melodies of Eastern European folk music with the backbeat of American funk and the sultry sway of South American tango.
Mercury Café, 2199 California St., Denver
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25
Phone: 303-394-9993
Tuesday, December 26
THE HISTORY OF TEA
Other than water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world and one of the oldest, tracing its roots to at least the 5 BCE. Join Active Minds as they explore the story of tea, including the role it played in building the colonial empire, the various types of tea, how it is grown and processed, who grows and drinks the most (which are not the same, by the way), and much more!
Tattered Cover, 2526 E. Colfax Ave., Denver
5:00-6:00 p.m.
Free
Phone: 303-322-7727
Merry Christmas from Southshore!
We’re wishing you a holly-jolly holiday at Southshore, where spirits are merry and bright! If this isn’t your master-planned community, drive over to see the offerings from Toll Brothers in Vista Point, Richmond American Homes and Century Communities in The Hills at Southshore. Ranch and two-story models in the amenity-rich community are priced from the upper $300s to the $700s.