The annual Downtown Holiday Lighting Ceremony is scheduled to kick off the holidays in Old Town Square on Friday, November 1, when the light display will be illuminated for the first time this season.

Live music will be played on the stage at Old Town Square from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A short ceremony will take place at 6:30 p.m. before the lights are turned on.

“Activating the Christmas lights is one of my favorite activities every year,” said Park Director Mike Calhoon. “The event is always filled with joy and anticipation and showcases not only the beautiful downtown we can all enjoy, but also the investment and hard work of our employees and community partners.”

Road 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 vehicle and bicycle traffic prior to the event.

From 3:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Walnut St. and Linden St. will transform into a pedestrian-only mall with businesses invited to offer activities and retail sales along their streetfront. Community members are encouraged to arrive early to shop and dine before the lighting ceremony.

Mountain Ave closures will also take effect from 4:30 p.m. in force. The closures include Mountain Ave. eastbound from College Ave. to Remington St and west from the crosswalk near the parking garage to College Ave. Access to the Old Town Parking Garage on Mountain Ave. remains open.

Venue and parking lot

The festive lighting ceremony will take place on the Old Town Square stage, with lights turned on throughout downtown Fort Collins. Event participants must expect a high volume of both vehicle and pedestrian traffic before and after the event.

Parking garages are available at the following locations:

• 209 E. Mountain Ave. (Old Town Garage)
• 120 N. Mason St. (Civic Center)
• 165 Chestnut St. (Firehouse Alley)

In addition, participants are recommended to use public transport (MAX), which runs until 10:00 p.m., or to walk or bike to the event. Additional bike racks will be available on the north side of Walnut St.

More information

The downtown Christmas lights are installed each year through a collaboration between the city’s Parks Department, the Downtown Development Authority and contractor SavATree, LLC, who help install and remove the lights from more than 334 trees in the downtown core.

Installation of Christmas lights begins in September and takes approximately six weeks. There are more than 65,000 individual lights in trees throughout Old Town, which will be illuminated every evening from November 1st to February 14th, 2025.

For more information on road closures, business involvement and lighting ceremony details, visit fcgov.com/downtown-holiday-lights.