What winter festivals happen in Colorado?
The main Colorado winter festivals are Ullr Fest in Breckenridge in December, the International Snow Sculpture Championships in Breckenridge in late January, the Steamboat Winter Carnival in early February, Leadville Ski Joring in early March and Frozen Dead Guy Days in Estes Park in late March. On the Front Range, holiday light shows at Denver Botanic Gardens and the Denver Zoo and the 9NEWS Parade of Lights fill late November and December.
Colorado's winter festivals were invented by people who had a lot of snow and not much else to do with it. The result is a calendar that is a little stranger, and a lot more fun, than the summer one.
Most of these events are in ski towns and are timed around the busiest stretches of the ski season, so they share the same planning rules: book lodging early, check the I-70 forecast before you drive, and make sure your car meets Colorado's traction law. Our traction law guide explains what that means.
Late November to early January
Holiday Lights And Parades In Denver
Late Nov – early Jan
Blossoms of Light
Denver Botanic Gardens, York Street
The gardens' winter light show uses timed tickets that sell out on popular nights. Last season ran from late November to mid-January, closing on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Check botanicgardens.org for current dates.
Late Nov – early Jan
Zoo Lights
Denver Zoo, City Park
An evening walk through the zoo lit up for the holidays, typically running from late November into the first days of January. Dates and ticketing at denverzoo.org.
Dec 5, 2026
9NEWS Parade of Lights
Downtown Denver
The 52nd annual parade of illuminated floats and marching bands through downtown. It is free to watch and has also been broadcast live on 9NEWS. Route at the Downtown Denver Partnership.
Dec 17–19, 2026
Ullr Fest
Breckenridge
A three-day salute to Ullr, the Norse god of snow, with the Ullr parade down Main Street. Free to watch. 2026 is the festival's 62nd year.
Smaller towns run their own versions. Georgetown, Estes Park and many mountain towns hold holiday markets and lighting ceremonies in late November and December, and several heritage railroads run holiday trains. Dates change annually; check each town's visitor center.
January and February
Snow Sculpture, Stock Shows And A Very Old Carnival
International Snow Sculpture Championships, Breckenridge
Each January, invited teams carve enormous blocks of packed snow in a temporary sculpture park beside the Riverwalk Center. The 2027 championships are scheduled for January 23 to February 2: sculpting from January 23 to 27, then a viewing week through February 2. Viewing is free, and the sculptures are at their best in the first days after judging, before sun and wind soften them. The event is weather-dependent and dates can shift.
National Western Stock Show, Denver
Not a snow festival, but the biggest event of the Colorado January. The 2027 stock show runs January 9 to 24 at the National Western Complex. See our rodeos and fairs guide for what to expect.
Steamboat Winter Carnival
Steamboat's carnival dates to 1914 and is built around the town's ski-jumping and skiing history at Howelsen Hill, one of the oldest continuously operating ski areas in the West. Events have included street skijoring on Lincoln Avenue, a night show on Howelsen Hill and the Lighted Man, a skier in an illuminated suit. The 2026 carnival ran February 3 to 8, and the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club lists February 2 to 7, 2027.
March
Skijoring, Cranes And A Frozen Dead Guy
Leadville Ski Joring and Crystal Carnival
At 10,152 feet, Leadville is the highest incorporated city in the United States, and every March it trucks snow onto Harrison Avenue so that horses can tow skiers through a course of jumps and gates at full gallop. The event has been held annually since 1949 and is free to watch. It is traditionally the first weekend of March; in 2026 it was March 7 and 8.
Frozen Dead Guy Days, Estes Park
The festival began in Nederland in 2002 around a local curiosity: a Norwegian man whose body is kept frozen in a shed in the hope of future revival. Since 2023 the festival has run in Estes Park, with events at the Estes Park Events Complex and The Stanley Hotel. Expect costume contests, coffin races, a polar plunge and live music. The 2026 festival ran March 27 to 29.
Monte Vista Crane Festival
In early March, tens of thousands of sandhill cranes stop in the San Luis Valley on their way north, and Monte Vista hosts a festival with guided tours and workshops. Organizers list March 5 to 7, 2027. Watching the cranes in the fields is free. Our wildlife watching calendar has the details.
The ski season itself
Opening Days And Closing Parties
The ski season frames all of this. Arapahoe Basin and Keystone usually compete to open first in October or early November, when temperatures allow snowmaking. For 2026–27, Vail Resorts announced November 6 openings for Breckenridge and Copper Mountain and November 13 for Vail Mountain, with Keystone targeting October. Aspen Snowmass announced late-November openings for Aspen Mountain and Snowmass. All of these depend on snow.
At the other end, spring brings closing-day parties, pond-skimming contests and costumed skiing at many resorts in March and April, and Arapahoe Basin is known for one of the longest seasons in the state. Each resort publishes its own closing date; they change with snowpack.
Practical advice
Winter Event Survival
- Drive I-70 early or late. Weekend traffic between Denver and Summit County is heaviest Saturday morning westbound and Sunday afternoon eastbound. Check COtrip.org before you leave.
- Dress for standing still. Watching a parade or ski joring means hours outdoors without moving. Insulated boots, a warm hat and hand warmers matter more than a ski jacket.
- Watch for altitude and sun together. Winter sun at 10,000 feet burns quickly, especially off snow.
- Respect closures. Wildlife winter-range closures and avalanche closures apply even on festival weekends. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center publishes daily backcountry forecasts.
Common questions
Winter Festival Questions
Where is Frozen Dead Guy Days held now?
Frozen Dead Guy Days moved from Nederland to Estes Park in 2023. Events are held at the Estes Park Events Complex and The Stanley Hotel, with satellite events around town. The 2026 festival ran March 27 to 29.
When is the Breckenridge snow sculpture competition?
The International Snow Sculpture Championships are held in Breckenridge in late January. The 2027 event is scheduled for January 23 to February 2, with sculpting first and a public viewing week after. Viewing is free.
Is Leadville Ski Joring free?
Yes. Leadville Ski Joring is free to watch along Harrison Avenue. It is traditionally held on the first weekend of March and has run annually since 1949.
Sources
- Downtown Denver Partnership: 9NEWS Parade of Lights2026 date
- Breckenridge Tourism Office: Ullr Fest2026 dates
- Breckenridge Tourism Office: International Snow Sculpture Championships2027 schedule
- Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club: Winter Carnival2026 and 2027 dates
- Steamboat Springs Chamber: Steamboat Winter Carnivalevent history
- Leadville Twin Lakes: Ski Joringevent details
- KKCO 11 News: Leadville prepares for 78th annual Ski Joring2026 event
- Frozen Dead Guy Daysofficial festival site
- Visit Estes Park: Frozen Dead Guy Days2026 dates
- Monte Vista Crane Festival2027 dates
- Denver7: when Colorado ski resorts could open for 2026-27opening targets
- Denver Botanic GardensBlossoms of Light
- Denver ZooZoo Lights
- Colorado Avalanche Information Centerbackcountry forecasts