SATURDAY
Welcome winter's longest, darkest Saturday night outdoors during the Solstice Night Hike at Fountain Valley Nature Center. Learn the history of the celebration, hike the park through a luminaria- and starry-lighted trail (no flashlights), and make yule logs. For ages 6+, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Prepaid registrations $10, elpasocountynaturecenters.com
FRIDAY-SUNDAY
A holiday-bright tradition at dusk in the hills around Cripple Creek, the Headframe Lights Guided Tour goes past the original headframes from historic times on mines now decorated with lights for the holidays. Your maps: visitcripplecreek.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2024lightingmapBebee.pdf
FRIDAY-SATURDAY
Final weekend, through Saturday, for the sparkling Christmas Light Festival at St. Michael's Episcopal Church, 7400 Tudor Road. Stroll through the display of 100,000 lights covering three acres and including a lights maze. Keep warm at the fire pits. Admission $5 per family and a new toy or canned goods. Friday and Saturday, 6 to 8 p.m. stmikeschurch.com/lights
SATURDAY
Little London Winds visits Temple Shalom for a Festival of Lights concert of Hanukkah and klezmer music welcoming all faiths, 7 p.m. Saturday, 1523 E. Monument St. Yarmulkes not required, but available. Refreshments by Temple Shalom hosts follow the music and a short service. Free but preregistration requested: templeshalom.com/event/little-london-winds-hanukkah-concert1.html.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY
A 22-year holiday tradition, Tri-Lakes Music Association Annual Christmas Cantata fills the weekend with sounds of the season. 7-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2-4 p.m. Sunday. Palmer Ridge High School Auditorium, 19255 Frontage Road, Monument. Freewill offering for Tri-Lakes Cares and scholarships for high school seniors. trilakesmusic.org.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY
Central City Opera stars perform the one-act Gian Carlo Menotti opera "Amahl and the Night Visitors 2024" this weekend at Denver's Central Presbyterian Church, 1660 Sherman St., Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets $42, $12 for ages 17 and younger. centralcityopera.org/tickets-amahl-and-the-night-visitors.
THURSDAY-SUNDAY
The final performances of this unique production of Sense & Sensibility, playwright Kate Hamill's adaptation by Theatreworks, directed by Caitlin Lowans. Ent Center for the Arts, Dusty Loo Bon Vivant Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 4 p.m. Sunday. Tickets $20.75-$49; 719-255-3232, email [email protected]
SUNDAY
A special Sunday brunch: Have breakfast burritos with the wolves during a Winter Wonderland Holiday Celebration, 9-11 a.m., at Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center, 4729 Twin Rocks Road, Divide. $40, $20 for ages 6-11. Reservations: 719-687-9742, wolfeducation.org.
CHRISTMAS EVE
An awe-inspiring and beautifully photogenic Colorado tradition is part of the Telluride holiday celebration as the ski and snowboard school instructors come down the mountain in the Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade at 6:30 p.m. From the top of the Gondola to the town. telluride.com/festivals-events/events