Lighting the Season – Front Range Colorado

There’s still a few days left to visit one of the holiday lighting displays along Colorado’s Front Range. Sunday, January 4, 2009 is the last day for most of the displays. Tonight and Friday should be relatively mild for a evening stroll before snow and cold moves in on Saturday.

Blossoms of Lights at the Denver Botanic Garden is on hiatus this year because of construction of a new parking garage. Instead, Denver Botanic Garden at Chatfield, southwest of the city,offers the Trail of Lights. Nestled against the foothills, the Chatfield location has a Colorado country ambiance. Visit the children’s play area with treehouse and a restored  1880s homestead along the trail. There’s lots of free parking and Holospex 3-D glasses are available for $1.00. For hours, fees and directions check the website.

Visit Zoo Lights at the Denver Zoo to see Colorado’s largest lighting show. Go on a holiday safari through the more than 38 acres of illumination featuring 150 animated animal sculptures. They swing through trees, jump across lawns and hide in bushes. Stay alert – you’ll find them in unexpected places. If fingers and toes get cold there are warming stations and indoor exhibits to enjoy while you thaw. The website includes online ticket sales.

Winter WildLand lights the night at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs. Expand the visit with a Mountaineer Sky Ride, a chairlift-style trip over the zoo. Join Santa’s elves in making enrichement gifts for your favorite animals. Since Santa’s taking a well-deserved vacation the Grinch delivers the edible treats to the animals. Follow along, at each stop the Grinch and a zookeeper will share a story about the animal receiving the gift. Delivery schedules are posted throughout the zoo and vary each evening. Before you leave stop in the Safari Cabin to write Santa a thank you letter – it’s never too early to start “being good” for next Christmas.

Denver’s longest running light show is the City and County Building. Lights there and all around downtown shine bright through the National Western Stock Show in January.

Photo from Denver Botanic Garden