9Things to do in Colorado this weekend

DENVER — The holiday season begins across Colorado this weekend.

Lighting ceremonies are scheduled in Castle Rock and Colorado Springs. Christmas-rock legends Tran-Siberian Orchestra are in the Centennial State this weekend. Holiday fairs and festivals are in full swing, Santa is making his arrival at Colorado malls, and a Denver radio station is making the switch to 24/7 Christmas music.

From the mountains to the plains, here are some fun events you’ll only find in Colorado this festive November weekend. Don’t forget to share your weekend photos with the “Near Me” feature on the 9NEWS app.

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DENVER — Trans-Siberian Orchestra is back. The group’s annual holiday season and winter tour will visit Denver and Colorado Springs this weekend. The heavy metal, Christmas music, theater production, pyrotechnics and laser lightshow hybrid will have two concerts at Denver’s Ball Arena on Saturday and two at Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs on Sunday.

CASTLE ROCK — It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Castle Rock. The Outlets at Castle Rock will hold its annual tree lighting event and concert on Saturday at 4 p.m. with live music, an appearance by Santa Claus, and fireworks. Three musical performances are scheduled Saturday including The All American Boys Chorus, Nickelodeon star Nayah Damasen, and country singer Trevor Martin.

RELATED: Outlets at Castle Rock to hold tree lighting ceremony

COLORADO SPRINGS — The 40th annual Trees of Life community tree lighting ceremony takes place Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum. The event culminates with an outdoor ceremony where loved ones are remembered in each light that is illuminated. If you’d like to remember someone special during Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care’s Trees of Life ceremony, visit PikesPeakHospice.org.

COLORADO SPRINGS — The City of Colorado Springs’ annual Acacia Park Holiday Celebration returns Friday. The celebration offers ice skating and live music. The ceremony is free to attend, but there is a fee for ice skating.

DENVER —  A Denver radio station is preparing to switch to an all-Christmas music format for a 23rd year. KOSI 101.1 will flip the switch to nonstop Christmas holiday music at a live event on Thursday.

The public can attend the Christmas music launch at Cherry Creek North. KOSI will be broadcasting live from 4 to 6 p.m. at Moxy Denver Cherry Creek at 240 Josephine St. with a visit from the KOSI Bear and Santa’s helpers. The Christmas music switch will happen at 5 p.m. Thursday.

RELATED: KOSI 101.1 is ready for Christmas music switch

FEDERAL HEIGHTS — Denver’s biggest drive-through Christmas light displays are returning this holiday season. Christmas in Color announced its displays will be lit at Water World in Federal Heights and in Aurora at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds. There will also be a new location this year at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, replacing a display that had been at Bandimere Speedway.

The Water World and Arapahoe County Fairgrounds are scheduled to open for the holiday season on Friday, Nov. 15. The Red Rocks Ampitheatre location opens Friday, Nov. 29. The displays each feature more than one million LED lights arranged into tunnels, trees, giant candy canes, snowflakes and more, all synchronized to festive holiday music on the FM radio dial.

RELATED: Drive-through Christmas lights displays opening in Colorado

COLORADO SPRINGS — Colorado Springs opens its ice-skating rink for the season on Friday. A grand opening celebration will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday with a visit by Santa and performances by U.S. Figure Skating. Tickets are $13 and that includes skate rentals. The rink is located downtown along Tejon Street at Acacia Park.

AURORA — Santa makes his big arrival at Town Center at Aurora this weekend. Santa will parade into Town Center at Aurora at 4:30 p.m. Friday. The event will also feature a holiday market, Christmas carolers, Christmas cookies, sweet treats, elf workshop and photos with Santa.

DENVER —Santa’s Flight Academy has landed at Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Guests can join Santa’s flight crew and step inside Santa’s 22-foot tall sleigh and experience magical snowfall, all the way through Dec. 24. Cherry Creek Shopping Center will hold a tree lighting ceremony on Saturday starting at 5 p.m. with hot chocolate, sweet treats and entertainment.

DENVER — Get an early start on your holiday shopping at the 45th annual Mile High Holiday Mart from Friday through Sunday at Gates Field House on the University of Denver campus. Immerse yourself in the holiday spirit at the Junior League of Denver’s largest fundraising event featuring unique merchandise, a central location, and a festive environment.

CASTLE ROCK — Rue De Noel: A Paris Street Christmas Market is an indoor, two-day holiday market with vintage, antiques, artisans, apparel, holiday décor and more. The market opens at 10 a.m. Friday and Saturday at the Douglas County Events Center with free admission and free parking.

DENVER — This is the final weekend to visit the Urban Holiday Market at the Wynkoop Plaza at Union Station. There will be a variety of one of-a-kind seasonal items, unique holiday gifts, and handmade treasures crafted by local artisans from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 

LONGMONT — The 44th annual Mollie McGee’s Holiday Market takes place at the Boulder County Fairgrounds Exhibit Building on Saturday and Sunday. The market offers 150 booths with vendors selling crafts, jewelry, clothing, pottery, photography, glass, metal, fiber, art, hand-turned wood and foods.

DENVER — The interest of jewelry aficionados will be piqued this weekend when the International Gem & Jewelry Show arrives the Stockyards Event Center. Held Friday to Sunday, the show is open to the public. Guests can shop directly from designers, wholesalers and manufacturers for diamonds, engagement rings, pearls, gemstones, fine jewelry, home décor, hair accessories, men’s jewelry, watches and gifts. Tickets are $6 at Intergem.com.

DENVER — After back-to-back losses to the Ravens and Chiefs, the Denver Broncos look to “move on” this weekend. The Broncos face the Atlanta Falcons at Empower Field at Mile High for the first time in eight years. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. Sunday. The 2015 Broncos’ “No Fly Zone” of Aqib Talib, Chris Harris Jr., T.J. Ward, Darian Stewart, Bradley Roby and David Bruton Jr. will return to Empower Field at Mile High for the game.

DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche are back at Ball Arena this Friday night. The Avs and Washington Capitols game will air on Altitude Sports on KTVD Channel 20, with coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday.

RELATED: What is KTVD?

BOULDER — Ranked 18th in the newest Associated Press college football poll, Colorado is preparing to host the Utah Utes in Boulder on Saturday. The “Big Noon Saturday” game will be broadcast nationally at 10 a.m. Mountain time.

CU will be in the national spotlight this weekend, hosting one of the biggest pregame shows in college football. FOX will bring its nationally televised “Big Noon Kickoff” pregame show to Colorado Saturday morning before the Buffaloes host Utah at Folsom Field. The broadcast runs from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., but the party will begin a lot earlier at CU’s Farrand Field. Buffalo and Ute fans are invited to attend the show.

RELATED: College football pregame show to broadcast from CU campus

DENVER — The race that ends with a huge slice of pie is back this weekend. The Pumpkin Pie 5K and 10K kicks off the holiday season with a family-friendly run/walk at Denver’s City Park. All finishers get a slice of pumpkin pie, as well as a race shirt, finisher’s medal and finish line expo access with vendors and food. The runs take place Saturday morning. Registration can be completedonline.

> Have an event tip? Send it here.

DENVER — The Denver Museum of Nature & Science has opened its newest exhibition, “Animals of the Rainforest.” An immersive, live-animal experience aims to transport visitors into the world’s most diverse ecosystem. Guests will come face-to-face with rainforest animals, explore displays of recreated natural habitats and learn about conservation efforts. “Animals of the Rainforest” is included with museum admission.

DENVER — There is no better venue for live music in the country than Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre. This is the final weekend left to enjoy a concert at the iconic venue before the winter break. Tiësto has a four-hour DJ set planned Friday. Of the Trees performs Saturday and Sunday after the shows were postponed last weekend.

DENVER — After sold-out runs in Denver in 2018 and 2022, “Hamilton” is back in the Mile High City. The national tour of the hit musical will perform at the Buell Theatre through Sunday, Nov. 24. “Hamilton” features book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The musical features a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B and Broadway. Tickets are on sale at DenverCenter.org.

DENVER — The one-person show “Avaaz” is playing the Singleton Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Complex through Sunday, Nov. 17. A celebration of resilience, rebirth, and joy, “Avaaz” follows Roya, a hostess as she welcomes you into her home to celebrate Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. Roya shares her American journey from Tehran to “Tehran-geles,” California. Traditions, humor and passionate storytelling transform this tale of family bonds into an unforgettable theatre event.

After three slow weeks led by “Venom: The Last Dance,” there is good news for theaters: The next few weeks are lined up for several big new releases, including the Christmas comedy “Red One,” Paramount Pictures’ “Gladiator II,” Universal’s “Wicked” and Walt Disney’s “Moana 2.”

“Red One,” starring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans, arrives this weekend. The film carries a hefty price tag of about $250 million, but it should play through the end of the year in cinemas.

• Red One
• Bird
• All We Imagine as Light

1. “Venom: The Last Dance,” $16.2 million.
2. “Heretic,” $11 million.
3. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” $8.9 million.
4. “The Wild Robot,” $6.7 million.
5. “Smile 2,” $5 million.
6. “Conclave,” $4.1 million.
7. “Anora,” $2.5 million.
8. “Here,” $2.4 million.
9. “We Live in Time,” $2.2 million.
10. “Terrifier 3,” $1.4 million.

> Would you like to see your favorite Colorado festival, fair, expo, concert, drama, musical, ballet, run or event listed in 9Things? Send it to alexander.kirk@9news.com.

Have a terrific weekend! 

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