This Friday, November 1, Downtown Fort Collins is set to gleam with holiday cheer as the annual Downtown Holiday Lighting Ceremony takes place in Old Town Square. The community is invited to start celebrating early at 5:30 p.m. with live music, a prelude to the official lighting event expected to dazzle attendees at 6:30 p.m.
Providing a festive backdrop for the ceremony, the streets within the vicinity will be closed, newly this year, Walnut St. and a section of Linden St. are transforming into a stage for local businesses to strut their holiday wares and activities. As reported by the City of Fort Collins, Parks Director Mike Calhoon expressed his fondness for the event, stating, “The activation of the holiday lights is one of my favorite activities to be involved in every year.”
In addition to the shopping and dining possibilities presented by the street closures, event organizers are pushing for the use of public transportation to access Downtown Fort Collins. The MAX bus service, which runs until 10 p.m., presents a viable alternative to driving, in light of the expected traffic surges before and after the lighting ceremony. Attendees are also encouraged to consider walking or cycling as parking will likely be at a premium, despite availability in several downtown garages.
Engulfed in more than 65,000 twinkling lights that dress Fort Collins in seasonal wonder from November through February, the holiday display is a collaboration between the City’s Parks Department, the Downtown Development Authority, and SavATree, LLC. As shared by the City of Fort Collins, it takes a robust six weeks to install the lights, which will bathe more than 334 trees in the soft glow of the holiday spirit each night.
