Where to find free holiday light displays around Denver, Front Range

DENVER (KDVR) — Walking through holiday lights is a great way to feel the festive spirit, and around Denver, you don’t always have to spend money to do so.

But there are also several areas in Denver and the metro area where people can walk through lit-up streets lined with plenty of shopping and dining options as well.

It’s no surprise that Coloradans love their holiday light displays, as legend has it, the worldwide holiday tradition got its start in Denver. Denver has been embracing the holiday decorations and lights for nearly a century.

For those looking to save some cash but also be part of the festivities, here are some walkable areas that are decked out for the holiday season.

Denver:

• Cherry Creek North Winter Wanderland
  • Lights strung throughout the neighborhood near the Cherry Creek Mall
• Larimer Square
  • Block lit up with festive decor, Santa appearances, carolers
• Union Station
  • Building illuminated with holiday colors and surrounded by light displays and photo opportunities
• Denver City and County Building
  • Illuminated in dancing holiday colors
• Mile High Tree, Christkindlmarket – Auraria Campus
  • 7-story-tall conical illuminated tree people can walk through
  • Holiday market village, carousel
• Mile High Drone Show
  • Nightly drone shows at 7 p.m. just west of downtown
• South Broadway – Denver
  • Lights strung on trees along South Broadway
• 16th Street – Denver
  • Lights strung along trees
  • Interactive light installations at Wynkoop Plaza and 16th and Tremont
  • Projection on Daniels & Fisher Tower

Front Range/metro area:

• Downtown Englewood
  • Lights and shops along South Broadway
  • Belleview Park
• Downtown Littleton
  • Main Street lined with local shops and sparkling lights
• A Very Centerra Holiday – Loveland
  • Tour through Centerra streets and neighborhoods with lights, scavenger hunt
• Olde Golden
  • Lights along Clear Creek, History Park, Parfet Park, downtown, Golden Welcome Center
• Olde Town Arvada
  • Large, lit up holiday tree and decor
• Westminster City Hall
  • Lit up trees, photo opportunities
• Berthoud
  • Largest lit-up tree in the state at 80 feet tall
• Lights at the Southglenn Mall
  • Trees around shopping center lit up
• Downtown Boulder
  • Lights along Pearl Street Mall, courthouse
  • Central Park and Civic Area lights
• Christmas light show at Grace Presbyterian Church – Littleton
  • Driveable holiday light display with radio sync
• Loveland Stranger Things house
  • Holiday lights, recreation of Stranger Things scenes

The love for holiday lights extends past the holiday season with the local tradition of leaving up colorful light displays through January until the end of the National Western Stock Show. Many of the light displays listed will be up into January, and some will be taken down after Christmas.

Notably, many neighborhoods across the state are adorned with festive holiday lights and may be worth just taking a drive and finding displays in your area. Some, like Englewood, even have neighborhood competitions.

Know of more festive places where people can enjoy holiday lights for free? Let us know using the form below.

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