Winter is full of exciting Colorado carnivals and festivals to keep the spirits high. The winter season runs from Thursday, December 21st, 2023 through Monday, March 18th, 2024.
Festivities kick off during the holidays with a New Year’s Eve firework show in Downtown Denver. January and February bring a number of can’t-miss festivals, including the Winter X Games and Winter Park Winter Carnival. In March attend the one-of-a-kind Frozen Dead Guy Days in Estes Park.
2023-24 Annual Colorado Winter Festivals
Colorado is known worldwide for its epic winters. Combine first-class ski resorts and bubbling hot springs, with a heaping of fun festivals and you’re sure to have a winter vacation you’ll never forget. Here are some of the top annual winter festivals in Colorado:
Winter Events in December 2023
Denver Christkindlmarket
- Date: Fri-Sat, November 17-December 23, 2023
- Address: Civic Center Park, 101 14th Ave, Denver
- About: 23rd year for the month-long Christkindl Market in downtown Denver. Experience old German traditions with authentic cuisine, live music, holiday drinks, and an artisan marketplace.
Polar Express Train Ride
- Date: Fri-Sun, November 17 – December 31st, 2023
- Address: Durango
- About: Aboard the Polar Express Train Ride, you and your family will be swept away into an elaborate holiday fantasy complete with hot chocolate, a light show, holiday music, and, of course, Santa.
Denver Botanic Gardens Blossoms of Light
- Date: Fri-Sun, November 17, 2023 – January 7, 2024 (closed Nov. 23 and Dec. 25)
- Address: Denver
- About: A stroll through the Denver Botanic Gardens is a delightful way to celebrate the holiday season. The Blossoms of Light extravaganza is a twinkling and breathtaking way to spend a winter evening.
Mind Blown Telluride
- Date: Fri-Sat, late November 2023 through March 2024
- Address: Telluride
- About: Taking place at The Peaks Resort & Spa, Ty Gallenbeck puts on a 75-minute magic performance that makes guests question the known.
Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade
- Date: Sunday, December 24, 2023
- Address: Telluride
- About: The Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade in Telluride lights up the mountain in a red hue as resort employees come down the slopes carrying flares and ride into the village, bringing with them, the holiday spirit.
New Year’s Eve Fireworks
- Date: Sunday, December 31, 2023
- Address: 16th Street Mall, Downtown Denver
- About: Celebrate the new year with fireworks in downtown Denver. There are two spectacular shows at 9 pm and midnight. The 16th Street Mall offers optimal viewing.
12 Days of Aspen
- Date: TBD 2023
- Address: Aspen
- About: The 12 Days of Aspen festival is more than a set of events for the community and visitors to participate in. It’s a holiday mindset that brings everyone together to celebrate the season and new beginnings.
Christmas at Schmid Ranch
- Date: TBD 2023
- Address: Telluride
- About: Telluride kicks off the month of December with an old-fashioned tradition sure to put everyone in the holiday spirit.
Holidays at Outlets at Castle Rock
- Date: TBD 2023
- Address: Outlets at Castle Rock, Castle Rock
- About: Head to the Outlets at Castle Rock from the beginning of November to December for great shopping deals and holiday festivities.
Noel Night
- Date: TBD 2023
- Address: Durango
- About: The largest shopping night of the year in Durango full of music, treats, decorations, and holiday festivities.
Telluride Fire Festival
- Date: TBD 2023
- Address: Telluride
- About: A 3-day festival celebrating community, fire, and art in the mountains inspired by Burning Man.
Evergreen Winterfest
- Date: TBD 2023
- Address: Evergreen
- About: Community arts festival showcasing handmade gifts at the Center for the Arts Evergreen.
Parade of Lights
- Date: TBD 2023
- Address: Denver
- About: Denver comes alive each year for multiple nights during the first days of December with twinkling lights and pageantry at the city’s largest, longest, and most exciting parade of the year.
Winter Events in January 2024
Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival
- Date: Thurs-Sat, January 4-6, 2024
- Address: Breckenridge
- About: Unique beer festival featuring exotic and strong styles, going on for over 20 years. Dinners, seminars, and workshops are held throughout the three-day celebration.
MusicFest at Steamboat
- Date: Sat-Thurs, January 6-11, 2024
- Address: Steamboat Springs
- About:Â Â 38th annual Music Fest features fifty bands over six days. Featuring a variety of genres and shows that last from 12pm-10pm. Shows are held around town in every venue type from ballrooms to big tents.
National Western Stock Show
- Date: Sat-Sun, January 6-21, 2024
- Address: National Western Complex, Denver
- About: Since 1906, the stock shows include rodeos, horse shows, livestock, western art, and more special events spread out over more than 16 days.
Lafayette Oatmeal Breakfast & 5K
- Date: TBD 2024
- Address: Lafayette
- About: Annual warm oatmeal breakfast followed by a 5K walk/run.
Cowboy Downhill
- Date: Monday, January 15, 2024
- Address: Steamboat Ski Resort, Steamboat Springs
- About: Professional cowboys from across the U.S., as well as Australia, Canada, Europe, and Mexico, compete in a race down Headwall near the base of Steamboat Resort.
Ouray Ice Festival
- Date: Thur-Sun, January 18-21, 2024
- Address: Ouray
- About: Biggest ice climbing festival in North America, featuring the world’s best climbers and 100 educational climbing clinics.
CSCCI Chinese New Year Festival
- Date: TBD 2024
- Address: Colorado Springs
- About: Annual celebration of the Chinese New Year, complete with demonstrations, authentic fare, and music.
Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championships
- Date: Mon-Wed, January 22 – January 31, 2024
- Address: Riverwalk Center, Downtown Breckenridge
- About: Witness 20-ton blocks of ice get hand-carved by experts from all over the world. Teams from around the world sculpt around the clock for five days to build the spectacles of art, followed by five days of viewing the masterpieces.
Winter X Games
- Date: Fri-Sun, January 26-28, 2024
- Address: Aspen
- About:Â World’s best athletes in skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling compete another year at Buttermilk.
Rio Frio Ice Fest
- Date: Fri-Sun, January 26-28, 2024
- Address: Alamosa
- About: Three days of winter activities in the San Luis Valley. The signature event is the Rio Frio 5K, a race on the frozen-over Rio Grande River. Other highlights include ice sculptures, an ice carousel, and a polar plunge.
Snowdown
- Date: Fri-Sun, January 26 – February 4, 2024
- Address: Durango
- About: Now in its 45th year, this winter celebration features a costume party, follies, parade, and an annually changing theme.
Colorado Motorcycle Expo
- Date: Sat-Sun, January 27-28, 2024
- Address: National Western Complex, Denver
- About: The largest swap meet in America, the 45th annual Colorado Motorcycle Expo is great for those looking to buy new bike components, check out numerous competitions, and be surrounded by other motorcycle enthusiasts.
Winter Brew Fest
- Date: Saturday, January 27, 2024
- Address: Denver
- About: Live music and unlimited samples of 100+ craft brews at Mile High Station.
Denver Winter Whiskey Tasting Festival
- Date: Saturday, January 27, 2024
- Address: Denver
- About: Sample whiskey from over a dozen distillers while meeting the brands at this one-day event.
Winter Events in February 2024
Snowdown
- Date: Fri-Sun, January 26 – February 4, 2024
- Address: Durango
- About: Now in its 45th year, this winter celebration features a costume party, follies, parade, and an annually changing theme.
High Plains Snow Goose Festival
- Date: Fri-Sun, February 2-4, 2024
- Address: Lamar
- About: Held in February during the annual migration, this festival is the perfect place to brush up on your birding knowledge with fellow enthusiasts.
Lake City Ice Climbing Festival
- Date: Saturday, February 3, 2024
- Address: Lake City Ice Park
- About: Men’s and women’s top-roped and lead speed competitions in secluded Lake City. Enjoy an escape to a secluded winter wonderland, with a few other activities lined up for the weekend.
Steamboat Winter Carnival
- Date: Wed-Sun, February 7-11, 2024
- Address: Downtown Steamboat Springs
- About: In its 111th year, Steamboat’s Winter Carnival is a widely popular event complete with ski races, ski jumping, ice sculptures, fireworks, a shovel race, and street events.
Audi Power of Four Ski Mountaineering Race
- Date: Saturday, February 10, 2024
- Address: Aspen
- About: Winter edition of the Power of Four series, featuring a team of two mountaineers conquering more than 25 miles and 11,000 feet of vertical climb to traverse Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands, Highland Bowl, and Aspen Mountain.
Loveland Sweetheart Festival
- Date: Saturday, February 10, 2024
- Address: New Foundry Plaza, Downtown Loveland
- Website: Two-day event held around Valentine’s Day, featuring the Loveland Sweetheart Classic 4-mile race. Other highlights include a beer tent, tunnel of love, laser show, kids’ activities, and other romantic festivities.
Carnivale & Mumbo Jumbo Gumbo Cook-Off
- Date: Saturday, February 10, 2024
- Address: Manitou Springs
- About: Carnivà le kicks off with the Cajun Gumbo Cook-Off followed by a parade downtown.
Colorado Pond Hockey Tournament
- Date: Fri-Sun, February 16-18, 2024
- Address: Lake Dillon, Silverthorne
- About: All are welcome to enter this ice hockey tournament sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon, with over $10,000 in cash prizes. It’s followed by the Apres Ice Party.
Silverton Ski Joring
- Date: Sat-Sun, February 17-18, 2024
- Address: Silverton
- About: The annual Silverton Skijoring event touts itself as the city’s biggest winter party. A lesser-known Nordic sport that combines water skiing, horse racing, and snow skiing, Skijoring is when a horse (or motorcycle) tows a person on skis through a set of obstacles while the clock ticks down.
Cripple Creek Ice Fest
- Date: Sat-Sun, February 17-25, 2024
- Address: Downtown Cripple Creek
- About: Annual ice sculpture carving challenge in casino-friendly Wild West Cripple Creek.
Mile High Beer Festival
- Date: Saturday, February 24, 2024
- Address: Denver
- About: Annual beer festival highlighting both well-known and up-and-coming breweries in addition to a few distilleries and cideries. Visitors have 2.5 hours to taste unlimited samples while enjoying live music and food vendors.
- Website: milehighbeerfestival.com
Denver Mardi Gras
- Date: Saturday, February 10, 2024
- Address: Greenwood Village
- About: Annual festival with live music, DJs, games, and free beads on Bourbon Street in the Mile High City.
Boulder International Film Festival
- Date: Thurs-Sun, February 29-March 4, 2024
- Address: Boulder
- About: Film fanatics won’t want to miss the 20th annual Boulder International Film Festival. Quickly becoming an internationally acknowledged talent hub for theater, this soiree features film screenings, panels, workshops, and theme afterparties.
Winter Events in March 2024
Mind Blown Telluride
- Date: Fri-Sat, late November 2023 through March 2024
- Address: Telluride
- About: Taking place at The Peaks Resort & Spa, Ty Gallenbeck puts on a 75-minute magic performance that makes guests question the known.
Boulder International Film Festival
- Date: Thurs-Sun, February 29-March 4, 2024
- Address: Boulder
- About: Film fanatics won’t want to miss the 20th annual Boulder International Film Festival. Quickly becoming an internationally acknowledged talent hub for theater, this soiree features film screenings, panels, workshops, and theme afterparties.
WinterWonderGrass
- Date: Fri-Sun, March 1-3, 2024
- Address: Steamboat Springs
- About: Festival showcasing national, regional, and local bluegrass and acoustic roots music.
303 Day
- Date: Sunday, March 3, 2024
- Address: Denver
- About: Every March, Denverites celebrate the town’s original area code, known as 303 Day. Celebrate with a live music performance by 3OH!3 along with various vendors around the city hosting events to observe the day.
Leadville Ski Joring
- Date: TBD 2024
- Address: Leadville
- About: Annual winter sports event on Harrison Ave that involves a cowboy and horse pulling a skier through obstacles.
Denver Restaurant Week
- Date: TBD 2024
- Address: Denver
- About: Hundreds of Denver restaurants come together for a ten-day culinary celebration boasting delicious multi-course menus for a fixed price.
Monte Vista Crane Festival
- Date: Fri-Sun, March 8-10, 2024
- Address: Monte Vista
- About: The annual Crane Fest, celebrates the annual migration of cranes that has been going on for years.
Bud Light Rocks the Boat
- Date: Saturdays, March 9 – April 14, 2024
- Address: Gondola Square, Steamboat Springs
- About: Free concert series now in its 25th season that is held at the base of the mountain. Enjoy several concerts throughout the ski season. The series features a mix of music genres with many big-name acts having performed in previous years.
Frozen Dead Guy Days
- Date: Friday-Sunday, March 15-17, 2024
- Address: Estes Park
- About: After 20 years of FDGD in Nederland, the event has relocated its crazy contests, competitions, live music, great food, parades, and parties to Estes Park.
Denver’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade
- Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024
- Address: Denver
- About: Denver’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the largest in the country. Running for over 60 years, you can expect to see floats, dancing, live bands, charities, and local celebrities.
Colorado Springs St. Patrick’s Day Parade
- Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024
- Address: Colorado Springs
- About: Grab your kilts and get ready for a day full of fun at the Colorado Springs’ St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Starting at noon, you can watch the floats, bands, dancers, and performers drive by in celebration of St. Paddy along Tejon Street.
Thanks for checking out some of Colorado’s best annual winter festivals. Have a terrific time experiencing these fun events from December to March.