There are many ways to celebrate the holiday season this year in Colorado Springs, including a variety of City-sponsored events on Saturday, Dec. 9.
From 2-6 p.m., visit the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum’s (CSPM) annual Festival of Lights Open House at the CSPM Annex located at 121 S. Tejon Street, Suite 100. This family-friendly event is free and includes musical performances, crafts, face-painting and more. Hot chocolate will be served from 4:30-6 p.m. Pre-registration is encouraged.
Lace up your ice skates at Skate in the Park in Acacia Park, the area’s largest outdoor ice rink. Ice skating, which includes skate rental, is $10. Saturday’s skating sessions are 10 a.m.-noon; 1-3 p.m.; 4-6 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. For more information, visit DowntownCS.com/Skate.
Colorado Springs is Olympic City USA! The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum will host a Winter Celebration 11 a.m.- 4p.m. Activities include athlete meet and greets, guided tours (available for regular admission purchase), artifact demonstrations, and the opportunity to get a photo with the torch from the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
The 40th annual Festival of Lights Parade in downtown Colorado Springs begins at 5:50 p.m. This year’s parade features nearly 100 lighted and decorated entries that will compete for top honors in their class, including an entry from the City of Colorado Springs that will feature Mayor Yemi and several City departments and enterprises, including Police, Fire, Public Works and Pikes Peak – America's Mountain.
Residents are encouraged to arrive early for a good seat and bundle up to enjoy band performances, floats, horses and more. The parade starts at the intersection of Tejon and St. Vrain streets and ends at the intersection of Tejon Street and Vermijo Avenue.
To mark the occasion, Downtown City garages are offering free parking all day Saturday. Garage locations are: 127 E. Kiowa Street, 130 S. Nevada Avenue, and 215 N. Cascade Avenue.
Additionally, Rock Ledge Ranch in Garden of the Gods Park is hosting a Holiday Evening from 4-8 p.m. The event features St. Nicolas in the Barn, wagon rides, old-time musical entertainment and storytelling in various historic buildings throughout the ranch. For more information, visit Holiday Evening - Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site.
For traffic impacts, visit ColoradoSprings.gov/SpecialEventClosures.