Hudson Gardens
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Humans mastered creating fire hundreds of thousands of years ago. They mastered creating Christmas light displays over 100 years ago — right here in Denver, actually, when David Dwight “D.D.” Sturgeon, a pioneering Denver electrician, wanted to cheer up his son who was too ill to join his family around the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve of 1914. So Sturgeon dipped lightbulbs in red and green paint, connected them to electrical wire, and hung them in a pine tree outside his son’s window — much to the delight of his son as well as people who traveled from near and far to admire the illuminated tree.
More than a century later, Denver still loves holiday lights, and there’s no shortage of opportunities to see them around the city this year, whether through residential projects with blow-up characters and lights set to music, public displays or professional light shows.
And in Denver, the lights aren’t unplugged the day after Christmas. It’s a tradition to keep the holiday lights on at the City and County Building (and on many houses) all the way through the National Western Stock Show, which is January 10-25.
These local exhibits will light you up — just check the linked Facebook and Instagram pages for the residential light shows to ensure the lights will be on before you go. Happy holidays!
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Evan Semón
Residential Light Displays in and Around Denver
In Denver, neighborhoods like the City Park West, Platt Park and Country Club go all out when it comes to holiday decorating. People deck their houses out not just with strings of lights, but with homemade decorations and inflatable snowmen, Santas, gingerbread men and more.
Out in the ‘burbs, houses are shining, too. Here are a few of note:
Courtesy Corey Christiansen
It’s a Wonderful Light
4822 South Picadilly Court, Aurora
Through January 2, 5-10 p.m.
Corey Christiansen (also known as Corey Claus) is an Aurora resident who decorates his home with thousands of LED lights each year. (He used 200,000 this year, nearly double last year’s count.) He’s also a dad who hopes to shine a light on the autism community. People can donate any time, but each year, Christiansen hosts a “Spreadlight Night” event to raise money for the Autism Society of Colorado. Since 2018, Christiansen has raised $41,785 for the organization.
The Hazard’s Gingerbread House
10221 Fairgate Way, Highlands Ranch
Through January 1
The Hazard family is known for its gingerbread-themed house and light display in Highlands Ranch and even competed on ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight in 2023. The family didn’t win, but did have a great time filming and still love lighting up their street every year.
Cottoncreek Manor
9971 Cottoncreek Drive, Highlands Ranch
During spooky season, this Highlands Ranch home is a haunted house. During Christmas season, many of the Halloween decorations stay up…with the addition of festive lights. Show your appreciation by leaving a donation here — proceeds to go Spirit of the Seasons, a nonprofit that looks to integrate the community through providing volunteer activities for kids and teens to give back through holiday activities.
Star Wars: The Battle for the North Pole
9973 Blackbird Place, Highlands Ranch
Star Wars lovers (or fans of the little-known Star Wars Holiday Special, perhaps) will enjoy this Highlands Ranch house, where a life-sized Chewbacca in a Santa hat, R2-D2 wearing a necklace of lights, and plenty of other blowup characters are settled in a maze of colorful string lights. Look out for a cocoa stand on Friday and Saturday nights; money raised will be donated to local cancer charities.
Westlake Holiday Glow
3510 West 130th Place, Broomfield
Experience 20,000 Christmas lights dancing to festive music at this Broomfield house. The lights are synchronized to holiday classics, creating a mesmerizing holiday spectacle for all ages.
Lights of Prospect Village
16573 Prospect Lane, Broomfield
Here’s another Broomfield home that is syncing holiday lights to music. Check the light show’s Facebook page to keep up with upcoming shows.
Loveland Stranger Things House
484 Deer Creek Court, Loveland
A gate has opened in Loveland. Fans of Stranger Things will want to see this Upside Down-themed house, decorated with scenes from the show, demogorgons and plenty of flickering, colorful lights.
Public Light Displays in Denver
Christmas in Color
Through Sunday, December 28
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 West Alameda Parkway, Morrison
Get in the car and ride through tunnels of vibrant light and color at Christmas in Color at Red Rocks. Select a date and get tickets here. (P.S. You can also ride through Christmas in Color at Water World, 8801 Pecos Street, Federal Heights.)
Visit Denver
Mile High Holiday Drone Shows
Through Wednesday, December 31, 7 p.m.
Downtown Denver
Visit Denver has partnered with local drone company Brightflight to bring free, fifteen-minute holiday drone shows to the city every night through the end of the year. Tivoli Quad on the Auraria Campus is the closest spot to the action, but you can also watch from Sculpture Park at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, the terrace at the Denver Art Museum’s Lanny & Sharon Martin Building and more.
Denver Zoo
Zoo Lights
Through Sunday, January 4
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, 2300 Steele Street
Every year, the Denver Zoo puts on a spectacular light show, inspiring people of all ages. The seasonal event consists of eighty acres of over three million lights around the zoo. See dates and get tickets here.
Hudson Holidays
Select evenings through Sunday, January 4
6115 South Santa Fe Drive, Littleton
Take a stroll through Hudson Gardens and explore a light-up maze and immersive displays. Santa will be around for selfies, and there will be warm beverages and cocktails available to purchase. Get tickets here.
Blossoms of Light
Through Sunday, January 11
Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York Street
This year, the Denver Botanic Gardens is celebrating forty years of its iconic Blossoms of Light showcase, a holiday event that transforms DBG’s winter gardens into an illuminated wonderland filled with vibrant displays and immersive installations. Get tickets here.
Kristen Fiore
Union Station
1701 Wynkoop Street
Whether you go there to see the lights or to pick up a friend from the airport train, you’ll be met by an amazing holiday display at Union Station. The historical building is already lit up year-round, but a huge glowing Christmas tree and additional lights pop up around the holidays.
Downtown Denver Partnership
Denver City and County Building
1437 Bannock Street
Although Civic Center Park is closed for renovations, the City and County Building will stay lit through the National Western Stock Show, with an over-the-top display of colors lighting up the exterior of the building.
What did we miss? Email us about your favorite holiday light displays in Denver at editorial@westword.com.
