Let there be lights in LoDo

On Sunday night, a fellow judge and I careened around all the road work downtown, attempting to look at the 21 windows that are all competing in LoDo Aglow, an annual decorating contest sponsored by the LoDo District. Not only did we find an impressive official expression of holiday cheer...

By Patricia Calhoun

December 15, 2010

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

On Sunday night, a fellow judge and I careened around all the road work downtown, attempting to look at the 21 windows that are all competing in LoDo Aglow, an annual decorating contest sponsored by the LoDo District. Not only did we find an impressive official expression of holiday cheer (you can find a map of the contestants on www.lodo.org), but many, many more businesses have decorated for the season, and there are lights along the mall and on many of the streets, too.

Among our nonofficial favorites: The Barth Hotel on 17th Street, for its restrained show of lights; BD's Mongolian Barbeque, for its raucous strings of lights outside, and the Wazee Supper Club, whose interior decorations are so warm, they bring the party to anyone who looks in those big windows.

And then, of course, there's Elitch Gardens. The amusement park's official holiday display wraps up the buildings in big red ribbons, like presents. But the real gift to light lovers is the light show on the Ferris Wheel, a gift that keeps on giving all year-round.

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.

Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

Contact: Patricia Calhoun

Follow:

Facebook: patricia.calhoun.927