So Many Christmas Events, So Little Time!

December 16, 2021

Now that holiday performances are up and running, how do you choose which to attend? Traditional Christmas shows like Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker are back with brilliant new productions, but if you’re less sentimental about the holidays, check out these tongue-in-cheek productions: Who’s Holiday is a spoof about a grown-up Cindy Lou Who, while Santa’s Big Red Sack is non-stop sketch comedy!

TODAY/TONIGHT, December 16

HOLIDAYS UP CLOSE
You don’t need to go far to find holiday spirit—this FREE collection of live music and art is at the Town Center in Aurora! You’ll find fresh art and serious culture right in the neighborhood. Just the holiday masterpiece you’ve been waiting for!

Center Court at Town Center at Aurora, 14200 E. Alameda Ave., Aurora
3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Information: FREE

WHO’S HOLIDAY?
Who can forget that smallest of Whos in Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch Who Stole Christmas? Ever wonder what happened to her? Who’s Holiday is not your typical sentimental holiday tale. Instead, it picks up on Cindy Lou Who’s life some years later and fills in lots of gaps for ADULT audiences only—there are twisted turns her life has taken that are hilarious but not appropriate for children. 

Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
Thurs., 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25
Phone: 303-856-7830

A VERY DEVOTCHKA HOLIDAY
DeVotchKa joins the Colorado Symphony in a unique and energetic holiday concert, filled with old favorites, new works, and an all-new way to enjoy the sounds of the holiday. DeVotchKa is a Russian-inspired, four-piece, multi-instrumental and vocal ensemble. When they collaborate with the Symphony, their lush orchestrations are sheer magic!

Boettcher Concert Hall, 1000 14th Street, #15, Denver
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$89
Phone: 303-623-7876

Thursday-Sunday, December 16-20

WALKING IN A WINTER WANDERLAND
You can stroll through an urban Winter Wanderland when you head for the nearby Cherry Creek North neighborhood. Dazzling holiday decorations and lighting displays are sure to get you in the holiday spirit! This 16-block district will be lit up with more than a half million twinkling lights wrapping over 600 trees from trunk to tip. Don’t miss the eight musical trees elaborately decorated with long hanging strands of lights in motion! 

Cherry Creek North and Fillmore Plaza, E. 2nd Ave. and Fillmore St., Denver
10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Information: FREE
Phone: 303-394-2904

EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS
For a taste of an Old-World Christmas, the Christkindl Market recreates the kind of European celebration that was celebrated in Germany, Austria, and the German-speaking part of Switzerland centuries ago. You can also peruse artisan booths with handmade gifts and homemade delicacies, perfect for Christmas gifts. Live music performances include polka music, holiday hymns, rock music, and more!

Civic Center Park, Speer Blvd. and Broadway, Denver
11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE

MISTLETOE HOLIDAY POP-UP
If you are frustrated with online holiday shopping, head down to the People’s Building, where a variety of multicultural indie makers and creators are displaying their unique wares for sale! Maybe you’ll find the perfect gift for that hard-to-pleased loved one!

The Peoples Building, 9995 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora
Thurs./Fri., 5:00 – 9:30 p.m.; Sat., 2:00 – 9:30 p.m.; Sun., 12:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Information: FREE
Phone: 720-819-6680

CHRISTMAS ON THE FARM
The closest thing to a rural attraction you can find within city limits is Four Mile Historical Park, which has transformed into a sparkling winter wonderland for the holidays! The entire family will enjoy an evening of activities, including crafts for the kids, cool outdoor video games, art installations, delicious snacks, and a scavenger hunt! For an additional $5, you can even ice skate on an outdoor pond.

Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest St., Denver
Thurs./Sun., 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.; Fri./Sat., 5:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Tickets: $10 – $16

BE DAZZLED BY ZOO LIGHTS
No one can resist the magic of the Denver Zoo lit up at night—the animals are staying up late to help celebrate! There’s a brand-new crop of colorful installations, as well as your old favorites, including nightly ice-carving demonstrations.

Denver Zoo, 2900 E 23rd Ave., Denver
Thurs./Sun., 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.; Fri./Sat.; 5:00 – 10:00 p.m. 
Tickets: $10 – $15

PARTY AT CAMP CHRISTMAS
It’s a Christmas spectacular with something for everyone! The entire family will love this new holiday adventure that gets you in the spirit with over-the-top light displays and plenty of activities. You can even visit Santa in his cool Glampsite! 

Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park, 801 S. Yarrow St., Lakewood
Thurs., 5:00 – 10:00 p.m.; Fri./Sat./Sun., 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$30 (not including Santa tickets)

THE NUTCRACKER REIMAGINED
It’s a brand-new show with brand-new costumes and sets! But the story and music are the familiar favorite that you love. The Colorado Ballet dancers will enchant you with their artistry, while the Colorado Ballet Orchestra plays Tchaikovsky’s beloved score live.

DCPA, Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 1385 Curtis St., Denver 
Thurs./Fri., 7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $40-$175

THE LION KING LIVE
The music, the sets, and above all, the spectacular puppets will captivate you and and your kids in this most beloved Broadway musical. The birth of the new lion king sets forth a story as captivating as any epic play. You’ll be singing the memorable score for weeks!  

Buell Theatre, 1350 Curtis St., Denver
Thurs./Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sat., 2:00 p.m.; Sun., 1:00 and 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $35-$120
Phone: 720-865-4220

A CHRISTMAS CAROL
The beloved Christmas classic comes to life onstage with gorgeous period costumes and opulent sets. Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is the story of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge who is given one last chance to reform when three ghosts visit him on Christmas Eve.

DCPA, Marvin & Judi Wolf Theatre, Speer Blvd. &, Arapahoe St., Denver
Thurs./Fri./Sat./Sun., 7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun. 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $30-$85

SANTA’S BIG RED SACK
If you’re more Bah-Humbug than Most Wonderful Time of the Year and have a healthy sense of humor, then this is the show for you! Santa’s Big Red Sack is hilarious sketch comedy combined with music and technology. If irreverent humor is on your Christmas list, don’t look any further!

The Peoples Building, 9995 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora
Thurs./Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 4:00 p.m.
Tickets: $29.50
Phone: 303-218-7315

Friday-Sunday, December 17-19

12 DATES OF CHRISTMAS
A contemporary Christmas tale about a heartbroken woman who is dumped by her fiancee one Christmas and spends the next year in a series of catastrophic dates. As the one year anniversary of her break-up—and Christmas—draw near, she finds new hope through the innocence of a child.

Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$34
Phone: 303-856-7830

Saturday, December 18

WINTER TALES
Holiday books come to life when an acting troupe dramatizes classic holiday stories with four short plays. It’s an interactive theatre experience for children, and they’ll have the opportunity to purchase the book at the end of the event.

Factory Five Five, 10255 E. 25th Ave. #Unit 5, Aurora
10:00 – 11:15 a.m.
Tickets: $8

SANTA IN THE HANGAR
It’s not every day you get to see Santa flying in on a helicopter! At the Air and Space Museum, you’ll have a completely different perspective on the holidays! Get a family portrait taken in front of a vintage war airplane and enjoy a wide variety of live music and entertainment. The day concludes with a sing-along performance of the Colorado Carolers singing Christmas songs!

Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $9.95 – $16.95

Saturday-Sunday, December 18-19

ELF IN CONCERT
Everyone’s favorite Christmas movie, Elf, will be screened on a giant screen as the wonderful score is played live to picture by the Colorado Symphony! Buddy the Elf was brought up at the North Pole, but when he grows up he discovers he’s not an elf at all. So he journeys to New York City in search of his real father and helps everyone south of the Pole to discover the meaning of Christmas.

Boettcher Concert Hall, 1000 14th Street, #15, Denver
Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$94
Phone: 303-623-7876

Sensational Holiday Happenings Near Southshore!

Enjoy Life at the Lake during the holidays and any day in the master-planned community of Southshore where you’ll find culture and entertainment within easy reach! Looking for a new home you can add your signature style to? With beautiful model homes from Toll Brothers, Taylor Morrison, and Richmond American Homes, it’s easy to picture yourself in your own new home, priced from the upper $400s to the $700s.