The annual Downtown Holiday Lighting Ceremony will kick off the holidays on Friday, November 1 in Old Town Square, when the light display will light up for the first time this season.
Live music will be performed on the Old Town Square stage from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM, with a short ceremony at 6:30 PM before the lights come on.
“Activating the holiday lights is one of my favorite activities that I participate in every year,” said park director Mike Calhoon. “The event is always full of joy and anticipation, showcasing not only the beautiful downtown area for us all to enjoy, but also the investment and hard work of our employees and community partners.”
Street closures and business access
New this year, Walnut St. and the 200 block of Linden St. (between Walnut St. and Jefferson St.) will be closed to all vehicular and bicycle traffic prior to the event.
From 3:00 PM to 8:30 PM, Walnut St. and Linden St. will transform into a pedestrian zone where businesses are invited to set up activities and retail sales along their street side. Community members are encouraged to arrive early to shop and dine before the lighting ceremony.
Mountain Ave will also be closed from 4:30 p.m. in force. The closures include Mountain Ave. eastbound from College Ave. to Remington St, and west from the parking garage crosswalk to College Ave. The entrance to the Old Town parking garage on Mountain Ave. remains open.
Event location and parking
The Christmas Lighting Ceremony takes place on the Old Town Square stage, with the lights coming on throughout downtown Fort Collins. Event attendees should expect a high amount of vehicular and pedestrian traffic before and after the event.
Parking garages are located at the following locations:
- 209 E. Mountain Ave. (garage in the old town)
- 120 N. Mason St. (Civic Center)
- 165 Chestnut St. (Firehouse Alley)
In addition, visitors are encouraged to use public transport (MAX), which runs until 10 p.m., or to walk or cycle to the event. Additional bike racks will be available on the north side of Walnut St.
Additional information
The downtown holiday lights are installed each year as part of a partnership between the City’s Parks Department, the Downtown Development Authority and contract partner SavATree, LLC, who help install and remove lights from more than 334 downtown trees.
Installation of the holiday lights will begin in September and will take approximately six weeks. More than 65,000 individual lights have been placed in the trees in the Old Town, which will be illuminated every evening from November 1 to February 14, 2025.
For more information about street closures, business participation and details of the lighting ceremony, visit fcgov.com/downtown-holiday-lights.
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