The Polar Express™<\/h2>\n
Nov. 9-Dec. 23 If you\u2019re traveling with kids and have a soft spot for Christmas, you won\u2019t want to miss this special holiday event. Your evening begins on the train platform, where dancing chefs and waiters serve hot chocolate and cookies. Then a team of performers will reenact the story of The Polar Express<\/em>.<\/p>\n Once your family boards the train, you\u2019ll continue to meet characters and see scenes from the story until you arrive at the North Pole, where you can watch Santa give \u201cThe First Gift of Christmas\u201d to the child from the book. The best part? Santa will then board the train and give each child their own \u201cFirst Gift of Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n Nov. 21-Jan. 1 The Denver Botanic Gardens outdo themselves during the holiday season. At the York Street location, the celebration starts with the Winter Gift Market the weekend before Thanksgiving. Vendors set up booths to sell handcrafted holiday decorations, jewelry, bath products, pottery, clothing, antiques, and specialty foods. On Nov. 29, Blossoms of Light begins, with dazzling lights on display every night from 5-9 p.m.<\/p>\n The Gardens\u2019 Chatfield Farms location hosts Santa\u2019s Village, where kids can take photos with Santa and his reindeer, listen to Mrs. Claus read a story, look at beautiful light displays, and go for a hayride. There\u2019s even a life-size snow globe for children to play in. If you want to treat your child\u2019s entire youth group or baseball team to this special night, you can book a minibus to avoid having to drive from Denver to Littleton.<\/p>\n Nov. 22-Dec. 23 This German-themed Christmas market features authentic pan-European food and drinks like beer, gl\u00fchwein, and schnaps. Once you finish eating, you can shop for crafts like pewter mugs and cashmere scarfs or watch a live performance from the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra. You can even end the night by dancing to German polka and bluegrass music.<\/p>\n Dec. 6-7 If you happen to be in Denver during the weekend of the downtown Christmas parade, you\u2019ll get to witness beautifully decorated floats, enormous character balloons, and local performers like dancers, marching bands, and cheerleaders. Watch as the Denver County Courthouse lights up while the parade winds through the streets of downtown.<\/p>\n Dec. 12-15 You don\u2019t have to be a great skier to visit the famous Vail resort. Vail Snow Days is a four-day festival of parties and free concerts held every December. The lineup isn\u2019t usually announced until October, but last year it featured big-time alternative musicians Shakey Graves and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. The festival also includes a pub crawl and live music in local bars, making it a great choice for people looking for more adult-oriented fun.<\/p>\n Dec. 21 – Jan. 6 If you run a daycare or camp for kids who are out of school during winter, you may want to rent a minibus for this event. Kids and teens 18 and under receive free admission, and all exhibits are open. The Paint Studio and Create-n-Takes also remain open for the entire break so kids can make their own art. Top off your museum day with a performance of a family-friendly play called Art Emergency: Monet Edition<\/em>.<\/p>\n Dec. 31 Another great one for the kids: if you have little ones who can\u2019t manage to stay up until midnight on Dec. 31, the Children\u2019s Museum of Denver celebrates the New Year from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The museum attempts to recreate the feel of Times Square by gathering large numbers of families for music, confetti, cheering, and a countdown.<\/p>\n Dec. 31 The city of Denver\u2019s New Year\u2019s Eve fireworks show happens twice, once at 9 p.m. and once at midnight. Each show runs for about eight minutes and is synced to music from live DJs lined up along the Mall. The DJs play from 8 p.m. to midnight, so you can dance and celebrate before the fireworks even begin.<\/p>\n Jan. 20-29 The Breckenridge ski resort welcomes 16 international teams for this snow-carving competition. Each team receives a 20-ton block of snow and must create a sculpture using only hand tools (no power tools!) Teams have five days to complete their works, from Jan. 20-24, and the finished sculptures are on display Jan. 24-29. Last year, Team Mexico took the gold\u2013come see if they can repeat!<\/p>\n Jan. 25
\n<\/strong>Colorado Railroad Museum<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"a](\"https:\/\/gogocharters.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/winter-train.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHoliday Activities at the Denver Botanic Gardens<\/h2>\n
\n<\/strong>Denver Botanic Gardens – York Street and Chatfield Farms<\/strong><\/p>\nDenver Christkindl Market<\/h2>\n
\n<\/strong>16th St. Mall<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"christmas-themed](\"https:\/\/gogocharters.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/christkindl-denver.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n9NEWS Parade of Lights<\/h2>\n
\n<\/strong>Civic Center Park<\/strong><\/p>\nVail Snow Days<\/h2>\n
\n<\/strong>Ford Park<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"a](\"https:\/\/gogocharters.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/acoustic-guitar-denver.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWinter Break at the Denver Art Museum<\/h2>\n
\n<\/strong>Denver Art Museum<\/strong><\/p>\nNoon Year\u2019s Eve<\/h2>\n
\n<\/strong>Children\u2019s Museum of Denver<\/strong><\/p>\nNew Year\u2019s Eve Fireworks<\/h2>\n
\n<\/strong>16th St. Mall<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"fireworks](\"https:\/\/gogocharters.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/fireworks-denver.jpg\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nInternational Snow Sculpture Championships<\/h2>\n
\n<\/strong>Breckenridge<\/strong><\/p>\nWinter Brew Fest<\/h2>\n
\n<\/strong>Mile High Station<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"glasses](\"https:\/\/gogocharters.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/craft-beer-denver.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n