Denver Skies to Dazzle with 40 Nights of Holiday Drone Shows Starting November 22

Sunday, October 20, 2024

VISIT DENVER is excited to unveil a captivating series of holiday- and Denver-themed drone performances. From November 22 through New Year’s Eve, the city’s skies will come alive each evening for 40 consecutive nights with a drone light show spectacle. These events are part of VISIT DENVER’s annual Mile High Holidays campaign, which aims to enrich the festive season with a variety of activities. For updates on holiday events and special hotel promotions during this season, guests are encouraged to check out the Mile High Holidays website.

Exciting New Addition: Mile High Holiday Drone Shows!

Dates: November 22 – December 31, 2024, Across Central Denver

Free to the public, this nightly display will feature 400 drones creating vibrant holiday and city-themed visuals above Denver. Each 15-minute presentation, ascending 400 feet and stretching 500 feet wide, will showcase around two dozen unique animations. These include holiday classics, local Denver landmarks, and favorite winter scenes, all designed by Denver’s own Brightflight Drone Shows. Thanks to a collaboration with MSU Denver, the show can be perfectly viewed from various downtown vantage points, including rooftop bars and public spaces. The drone shows start at 7 p.m. nightly, with special performances aligned with major Denver sports events.

Explore Denver During Mile High Holidays

For over two decades, VISIT DENVER’s Mile High Holidays has been the go-to initiative to experience Denver’s holiday spirit. Attendees can enjoy:

• Enchanting light installations at the Zoo Lights, Denver Botanic Garden’s Blossoms of Light, Luminova at Elitch Gardens, and Cherry Creek North’s Winter Wanderland.
• Holiday stage productions like “A Christmas Carol” at Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Colorado Ballet’s “The Nutcracker,” and the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance’s “Granny Dances to a Holiday Drum.”
• Unique shopping experiences at Denver Christkindlmarket, local boutiques in Cherry Creek, and various museum shops.
• Traditional festivities including the Mile High Tree, presented this year by Xcel Energy and Xfinity.

Highlights of Mile High Holidays

Denver transforms into a winter wonderland with its renowned light displays. The Blossom of Lights at Denver Botanic Gardens and the Zoo Lights at Denver Zoo are key highlights, alongside the Grand Illumination at Denver Union Station, featuring a 40-foot Christmas tree. Luminova Holidays adds to the magic at Elitch Gardens with its extensive light displays, including a giant candy cane tunnel and animated figures.

Denver’s theatres also offer a plethora of holiday shows. Wolf Theatre presents “A Christmas Carol,” Buell Theatre brings “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical,” and Ellie Caulkins Opera House hosts the Colorado Ballet’s “The Nutcracker.” Additionally, enjoy holiday film nostalgia with Chevy Chase at Bellco Theatre for the “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” 35th Anniversary event.

Denver Christkindl Market

November 22 to December 23, 2024, at Civic Center Park

Experience a slice of Bavarian festivity at Denver’s Christkindl Market, organized by the German American Chamber of Commerce – Colorado Chapter. This enchanting market transforms Civic Center Park into a festive European village where visitors can wander among beautifully decorated wooden stalls selling handcrafted gifts and holiday treats. Delight in traditional flavors like Glühwein (mulled wine), various German beers, hot chocolate, and culinary delights including Bavarian pretzels, smoked salmon, Knödel, Goulasch, Nürnberger Sausages, and a selection of pastries, caramels, and European chocolates. This holiday hotspot is conveniently situated right next to the iconic Mile High Tree.

Denver’s Holiday Market Scene

Denver boasts an array of festive markets this holiday season. The Cherry Creek Holiday Market in Fillmore Plaza at Cherry Creek North features over 50 local artisans, live music, and holiday-themed refreshments. Near Denver Union Station, the Urban Holiday Market showcases unique seasonal items and handcrafted goods perfect for gift-giving. The Dairy Block’s Mistletoe Market is a hub of holiday activity with a local makers market, Who-ligan entertainment, live music, and winter art displays. Larimer Square lights up with its Holiday BAZAAR, offering shopping, light displays, Santa and Mrs. Claus visits, caroling, and holiday-themed bars. RiNo’s It’s a RiNo-Ful Life Holiday Market adds to the cheer with more than 30 local art vendors, live music, and festive fun. Check out the Mile High Holidays site for more local shopping adventures.

Mile High Tree, Sponsored by Xcel Energy and Xfinity

November 22 to December 31, 2024, at Civic Center Park

Dominating the holiday skyline, the Mile High Tree, sponsored by Xcel Energy and Xfinity, stands as a monumental art installation at seven stories high and 110 feet tall—surpassing even the tallest Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. This dazzling structure, 39 feet in diameter, is adorned with 60,000 LED lights and offers nightly public light shows set to a multicultural holiday soundtrack. Up to 140 visitors can enter the tree at once for an up-close light show experience. The tree, crafted by ILMEX Illumination from Spain with lighting design by Madrid-based Brut Deluxe using advanced pixel-mapping technology, kicks off with a lighting ceremony at 5:15 p.m. on November 22, 2024, followed by a unique ball drop-style countdown to the New Year at 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.

Whether it’s catching a classic holiday show, exploring a lit-up market, securing the ideal gift, or enjoying the new drone light display, Denver invites everyone to partake in the holiday festivities this season.

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