Friday, Nov. 20 is opening night for three holiday traditions on one patch of lawn. The Denver Christkindlmarket opens on the Tivoli Quad at the Auraria Campus, the Mile High Tree lights up beside it, and the Mile High Drone Shows begin their nightly run in the sky over downtown. All three are free to walk into.

The Christkindlmarket

The market is a German-style holiday market produced by the Colorado chapter of the German American Chamber of Commerce. It runs from Nov. 20 through Dec. 23 at 1000 Larimer St., with rows of wooden vendor huts selling handmade ornaments and European-style gifts, German food and gluehwein, the hot spiced wine that is the market's signature drink.

The market returns to the Auraria Campus this year and is bringing back the Western Carousel, a restored 42-foot Herschell carousel with hand-carved horses that joined the market last year. New activities this year include glass ornament making and glass blowing workshops. The organizers say every vendor spot for 2026 is filled; last year's layout listed more than 40 vendors.

Hours, per the market:

  • Friday through Sunday, and every day of the final week (Dec. 17 to 23): opens at 11 a.m., with vendors closing at 9 p.m.
  • Thanksgiving Day: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Weekday hours are posted on the market's site.

Groups can reserve tables inside the Bank of America Festival Hall through the market's website, which also carries a calendar of free live entertainment.

The Mile High Tree

Next to the market stands the Mile High Tree, presented by Xcel Energy and Xfinity. Visit Denver describes it as a seven-story, 110-foot structure, 39 feet across at the base, wrapped in 60,000 LED lights. It runs free light shows set to holiday music every night from 5 to 10 p.m., and up to 140 people at a time can step inside it.

The tree lighting ceremony is at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20, and the tree stays lit nightly through Dec. 31.

The drone shows

Visit Denver is also bringing back the Mile High Drone Shows for 42 nights, Nov. 20 through New Year's Eve, at 7 p.m. each night. Each show uses 600 drones flying up to 500 feet high and spreading 500 feet wide, with holiday animations, Denver landmarks and winter mountain scenes built by Denver-based Brightflight Drone Shows. Visit Denver points viewers to the Tivoli Quad, with rooftop bars across downtown and Sculpture Park at the Denver Performing Arts Complex also in view.

Planning a visit

A visit timed for about 6:30 p.m. puts the market, the tree's light show and the 7 p.m. drone show all within one evening.

The market's address is 1000 Larimer St. on the Auraria Campus, and its site has a getting-there page with parking, transit and rideshare options to check before heading downtown.

The same night, the City and County Building in Civic Center Park lights up for the season at Denver's Light the Lights ceremony, a short event that will also stream on Denver 8 TV. A week later, on Friday, Nov. 27, Denver Union Station lights its 40-foot outdoor tree at 4 p.m.

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