Celebrate Your Holiday Weekends In Denver

Hotel Rooms at the "Mile High" Starting Price of $52.80

DENVER, Nov. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Denver comes alive each holiday season with millions of twinkling lights, dazzling parades, outdoor ice skating, horse-drawn carriages, lively concerts and huge holiday theatrical productions, all beginning with the Grand Illumination on Nov. 23, 2012 and continuing through January 2013.  From the amazing 9News Parade of Lights with huge floats and balloons to the spectacle of the Denver Zoo Lights, visitors will be swept up in the Mile High Holiday spirit.

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There are special happenings in Denver every weekend of the holiday season through the end of January. More than 50 different events are listed on the Mile High Holidays website, including:

• The Downtown Denver Grand Illumination on Nov. 23, which lights up downtown with nearly 600,000 lights, from Denver Union Station to the City and County Building. The festivities, including carolers, food and drink, begin at 6 p.m. at Union Station.  More than 550,000 energy efficient LED lights will adorn the 16th Street Mall (Denver's mile-long pedestrian promenade).  Hop on a horse drawn carriage or a pedi-cab for a memorable ride up the Mall under a canopy of outdoor lights.  
• Free ice skating at the Southwest Rink at Skyline Park.  Located on the Mall under the D&F Tower, Denver's historic landmark, the rink is FREE and open to the public with the option to bring your own skates or rent a pair at a minimal cost, from Nov. 23 to Feb. 14.
• Becoming Van Gogh at the Denver Art Museum.  Becoming Van Gogh is an in-depth exploration of Vincent van Gogh's unconventional path to becoming one of the world's most recognizable artists through more than 70 paintings and drawings by Van Gogh, along with works that inspired him. See it in style – VIP packages and hotel deals with "skip the line" tickets are available at www.vangoghdenver.com through Jan. 20.
• The 9News Parade of Lights, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, features countless sparkling lights, marching bands, giant balloons, majestic floats and delightful characters traveling through downtown Denver. The event will dazzle hundreds of thousands on Nov. 30 (8 p.m.) and Dec. 1 (6 p.m.). Viewing along the parade route is free, and grandstand tickets are sold for seating in front of the beautifully illuminated City & County building.
• The Denver Christkindl Market. Relive a centuries old German tradition at the annual Denver Christkindl Market offering the sights, sounds and flavors of the holiday season with a German flair, across from the D&F Tower, Nov. 23 to Dec. 22.
• Irving Berlin's White Christmas at the Denver Center for Performing Arts.  Two WWII vets are determined to rescue their beloved commanding officer's country inn imperiled by a lack of snow. This stage adaptation of the Bing Crosby/Danny Kaye movie musical delivers gorgeous songs, nostalgia – and a plan to save Christmas, Nov. 23 to Dec. 24.
• Denver Zoo Lights.  More than 38 acres of lights and 150 animated animal sculptures highlight this holiday extravaganza.  Don't miss the month-long Zoo Lights Lantern Festival taking place in the newly opened Toyota Elephant Passage, Nov. 30-Jan. 2.
• The Colorado Ballet's Nutcracker.  Whether it's your first time or 20th time, captivating costumes and scenery, unforgettable characters, and Tchaikovsky's treasured music make Colorado Ballet's rendition of The Nutcracker the ultimate holiday event, Nov. 24 to Dec. 24.
• Denver Botanic Gardens' Blossoms of Light.  Embrace the holidays with more than one million colorful lights draped in elegant designs. Romantic and popular kissing spots will return, as well as the always anticipated HoloSpex glasses, which add a whole new layer of wonderment to the experience. Warm drinks and tasty treats and seasonal entertainment will be available, and thousands of lights in the Gardens' amphitheater are synchronized to your favorite holiday tunes, Nov. 30-Jan. 1.
• Colorado Christmas with the Colorado Symphony at Boettcher Concert Hall. Colorado Christmas rings in the holiday spirit in grand orchestral style. Join the Colorado Symphony Chorus, Colorado Children's Chorale, vocalists and dancers in a program of your favorite traditional Christmas carols and songs. Special mood lighting and a few magical guests from the North Pole make this Holiday classic the perfect way to celebrate the season, Dec. 7-9.
• A Hudson Christmas at Hudson Gardens.  From November 23 – January 1, hundreds of thousands of lights create a magical display in Hudson Gardens' thirty-acre winter wonderland, highlighting the grandeur of this hidden gem attraction in winter.
• Toast the New Year with TWO Spectacular Fireworks Displays. Ring in the New Year with Denver's annual New Year's Eve Fireworks with viewpoints along the 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver. The two spectacular fireworks shows will occur at 9 p.m. and Midnight.

The Mile High City also offers a wide array of holiday shopping options, from bargains at outlet stores to upscale offerings at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center and Larimer Square. Denver's hidden gem neighborhoods are home to dozens of unique boutiques, as well.

And in the grand tradition of the holidays, 50 Denver hotels are offering special holiday packages with more than 30 of the hotels offering rates that start at the "mile high" price of $52.80 (Denver is exactly 5,280 feet above sea level – one mile high).  Go to: www.milehighholidays.com for more information.

About VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau
Celebrating more than 100 years of promoting The Mile High City, VISIT DENVER is a nonprofit trade association that contracts with the City of Denver to market Denver as a convention and leisure destination, increasing economic development in the city, creating jobs and generating taxes. Tourism is the second largest industry in Denver, generating $3.3 billion in annual spending in 2011, while supporting nearly 50,000 jobs. Learn more about Denver on the VISITDENVER website and at TOURISMPAYSDENVER, on Twitter @iknowdenver and the VISIT DENVER Facebook page, or by phone at 800 2 DENVER.

With press or photo inquiries, please contact:

VISIT DENVER contacts:
Rich Grant - (303) 571-9450 or [email protected]
Debbie Park - (303) 571-9451 or [email protected] or @debdbie
Katie Converse - (303) 571-9418 or [email protected] or @colorado_kate

SOURCE VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau