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Holiday season in Denver is the gift that keeps on giving. This week, Christmas in Color opens at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Water World, and Zoo Lights at the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance and Magical Winter Nights at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science are now in session. Celebrate the release of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things by immersing yourself in Laser Stranger Things at DMNS and enjoy a festive holiday tea at the Center for Colorado Women’s History after Thanksgiving.
On a budget? Check out our list of free things to do. But for now, stick around for events worth the price of admission in and around Denver:
Things to Do in Denver This Weekend
Laser Stranger Things
Wednesday, November 26, 4 p.m.; Friday, November 28, 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Saturday, November 29, 4 p.m.; and Sunday, November 30, 4 p.m.
Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Boulevard
Real ones know that part one of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things drops on Netflix at 6 p.m. MST Wednesday, November 26. Break up your binge watching by experiencing Stranger Things in a new way at the Gates Planetarium, where you can see and hear the iconic ’80s tunes and eerie soundscapes reimagined in vibrant laser light. General admission to the museum is required to get into the show.
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Christmas in Color
Friday, November 28, through Sunday, December 28
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 West Alameda Parkway, Morrison
Pack your crew into a car and ride through tunnels of 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 North Pecos Street, Federal Heights).
Rainforest Yoga
Saturdays and Sundays, 7:45-8:45 a.m.
Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 West 104th Avenue, Westminster
Get your yoga mat and a towel and head to the Butterfly Pavilion for rejuvenating yoga surrounded by butterflies and exotic plants. Registration, which is $18, is required before the class. Register here.
Holiday Tea
Saturday, November 29, 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Center for Colorado Women’s History, 1310 Bannock Street
Celebrate the holidays with a cozy cup of tea and an hour-long guided Women’s History Tour followed by an hour-long tea seating. Enjoy the museum’s historic house, adorned for the season in holiday charm, and take time to celebrate this holiday season. Tickets are $40.
Not Your Average Ornament
Saturday, November 29, 1 p.m.
Denver Ceramic Studio, 369 South Pearl Street
Sculpt two clay ornaments from a smorgasbord of designs and channel your inner Picasso with some glazing at this Denver Ceramic Studio workshop. Tickets start at $35.
STEMprov
Saturday, November 29, 8 p.m.
RISE Comedy, 1260 22nd Street
Experience a blend of science, technology, engineering and math with comedy at this RISE Comedy show that takes real stories shared by actual experts or ripped from the headlines, and transforms them into spontaneous, humorous scenes. Tickets are $17 online and $20 at the door.
Plan Ahead Things to Do in Denver
Civic Center STARGAZE
Wednesday, December 3, 5-7 p.m.
Civic Center Park, 1410 Grant Street
Learn about folklore, constellations and observe the moon and other celestial bodies through high-powered telescopes at this popular event. There will also be food and beverages available for purchase from a local food truck. Admission is $5 and it’s recommended to purchase tickets in advance, as they often sell out.
Ongoing Things to Do in Denver
China and silverware from the Titanic’s sister ship, the Olympic. “The Olympic went on until it was decommissioned after World War II, so lots more exists of it because it’s not at the bottom of the ocean,” Malcomb says.
Kristen Fiore
See Justice Done: The Legacy of the Titanic Survivors’ Committee
Through Sunday, December 28
Molly Brown House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania Street
The Molly Brown House’s new Titanic exhibit offers an intimate look at the aftermath of the Titanic for Margaret Brown and how she became known as the “Heroine of the Titanic.” The exhibit includes several newly acquired artifacts that tell the story of Brown’s role in forming and leading the Titanic Survivors’ Committee and helping those pulled to safety on the Carpathia – particularly the immigrants and Titanic crew members who lost everything with the sinking of the “Unsinkable Ship.” The exhibit is included with general museum admission and there are related event slated for those who want to dive deeper; learn more at mollybrown.org.
Zoo Lights
Through Sunday, January 4
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, 2300 Steele Street
The Denver Zoo flipped the switch for Zoo Lights, its annual light show, on Monday, November 24. The seasonal event consists of eighty acres of over three million lights around the zoo. See dates and get tickets here.
Magical Winter Nights
Through Sunday, January 4
Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Boulevard
The DMNS has created an immersive journey of light, sound and surprise in this new holiday tradition, which includes cocoa and cocktails, indoor ice-less skating, indoor northern lights, holiday shopping and more. See dates (including 21+ nights) and buy tickets here.
Linnea Covington
Blossoms of Light DMNS
Through Sunday, January 11
Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York Street
The Denver Botanic Gardens’ iconic Blossoms of Light showcase is back for its fortieth year and opens this Friday. The event transforms DBG’s winter gardens into an illuminated wonderland filled with vibrant displays and immersive installations. Get tickets here.
The Secret World of Elephants
Through Sunday, January 25, 2026
Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Boulevard
The latest temporary exhibition at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, The Secret World of Elephants, opens this week, giving visitors the science behind the loveable giants. Through hands-on interactions, feel the low-frequency rumbles elephants use to communicate, explore how they reshape their environments and come face-to-face with some of their ancestors, including dwarf elephants. Get tickets and see pricing information here.
Courtesy of Exhibition Hub/Fever
Dinos Alive Immersive Experience Courtesy of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Through Sunday, January 25
Exhibition Hub, 3900 Elati Street
Taking up the space previously occupied by Titanic: An Immersive Voyage is Dinos Alive, a prehistoric playground with 35 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs and a VR experience. “With Dinos Alive, from the time you first enter all the way to the time you leave, the space is completely consumed by this feeling of being in a sort of Mesozoic-era Jungle,” says executive producer John Zaller. “We’ve got theatrical lighting throughout that’s creating this scene that’s transitioning from day to night, as though you’re going through the whole day with the dinosaurs.” Tickets are $18.90 to $34.90.
Brick Planet
Through Sunday, May 3
Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Boulevard
Brick Planet: A Magical Journey Made with LEGO Bricks is a massive display of LEGO artistry at the DMNS. The new traveling exhibition by acclaimed LEGO artist Sean Kenney transforms ecosystems from around the globe into vivid, playful environments made from more than 1.5 million colorful bricks. The exhibit is included with general admission to the museum.
Upcoming Things to Do in Denver
Make Your Own Glass Ornaments
Saturday, December 20, 9 a.m. to noon
D&L Art Glass, 1440 West 52nd Avenue
Learn to make your own glaskolben ornament, a mouth-blown sphere. This class is perfect for beginner glass artists or people looking to make their own ornaments. Each student will have a chance to make ten ornaments during the session and a large assortment of colored frit will be available for use. All materials are included in the class fee, which is $149.
Do you know of a great event in Denver? We’ll update this list throughout the week; send information to editorial@westword.com.