Greenwood Village Opened Holiday Lighting Tickets in October. Cherry Hills Village Sent Its Notice the Day Of.

Last year, Greenwood Village opened tickets for its December holiday lighting on October 6, two months before anyone flipped a switch at City Hall.

Next door, Cherry Hills Village handled the same season on a much shorter schedule. Its email about the 2025 Winter Celebration is stamped 1:29 p.m. on December 12, 2025. The event started at 6 p.m. that same evening.

Each city puts on a free, family-friendly tree lighting at its own city hall, with Santa, warm drinks and outdoor fun. What separates them is how far ahead you have to act. In Greenwood Village, December plans are made in the fall. In Cherry Hills Village, they come together in the final days before the event.

Greenwood Village Asks for a Ticket to a Free Event

The 2026 Mayor's Holiday Lighting is on Saturday, December 5, from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 6060 South Quebec Street. The city's event page invites residents to "Join Mayor George Lantz and City Council for the lighting of City Hall." It promises warm beverages, live music and entertainment, and a visit from Santa Claus.

That same page says "Resident tickets are available here" and links to the city's special events page, which opens Greenwood Village's Rec1 catalog. The city's 2026 Events: Mark Your Calendars list, posted in February and updated in May, labels the event "Greenwood Village Residents Only."

Last year the city stated the arrangement plainly. Its reminder email for the 2025 lighting read:

This event is free to attend, but tickets are required for entry.

So "free" doesn't mean you can just show up. The 2025 tickets went live October 6, roughly nine weeks before the December 6 event, according to the October 2025 city newsletter. The city hasn't published a 2026 release date, a per-household limit or a price. If this year runs on the same calendar, the ticket window is already open. Check Rec1 now rather than the week of the event.

What the Ticket Covered Last Year

The 2026 page is short, so the 2025 email gives the fullest picture of the afternoon. It listed family-friendly games and activities, live music and entertainment, warm beverages and seasonal treats, and holiday crafts to take home. It also teased "a special visitor from the North Pole" and hinted at "very special reindeer games."

Last year's schedule matches this year's, 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. at the same building. The 2025 calendar entry described the same core of warm drinks, live music and Santa. The format has held steady from one year to the next. The ticket timing is what changes.

The 2025 email also covered parking. City Hall has limited parking, so the city "once again partnered with Harlequin Plaza," with event parking reached from Orchard Road or Syracuse Way. "Once again" means that deal had run before 2025. Watch for the 2026 confirmation email to see whether Harlequin Plaza is listed again before you plan your route.

Five Days Later, the Same Building Lights a Menorah

City Hall at 6060 South Quebec hosts a second celebration that month. The city's December 2026 calendar lists the Festival of Lights on Thursday, December 10, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., organized by Chabad South Metro Denver. The listing describes a menorah lighting, Chanukah crafts, gifts, latkes and donuts.

The listing doesn't mention tickets, fees or registration. Chabad South Metro Denver organizes this one, not the Parks, Trails and Recreation department that runs the Mayor's Holiday Lighting, so contact the organizer with any entry questions. It also starts after dark on a weeknight, while the Mayor's Lighting runs on a Saturday afternoon.

Cherry Hills Village Works on a Shorter Schedule

Cherry Hills Village's version is the Winter Celebration at Village Center, 2450 E. Quincy Ave. The city's December 12, 2025 email announced it for that Friday, 6 to 8 p.m. The list was generous for an evening event: an outdoor tree lighting, Santa, hayrides, warm chili, hot cocoa, cider and cookies, outdoor games and prizes, and face painting. The email called it free and mentioned no tickets.

Here's how the two cities compare. Greenwood Village runs a 2.5-hour Saturday afternoon event, gated by tickets released about nine weeks ahead. Cherry Hills Village ran a two-hour Friday evening event with no ticket requirement, and its email went out the afternoon of the event.

That short notice still matters for 2026. As of late October, the Cherry Hills Village December 2026 calendar shows city meetings and holiday office closures but no Winter Celebration. The event wasn't listed in the contents of the March or September 2026 issues of the Village Crier either. The date, the time and even the venue for 2026 are unannounced. Everything above about the Winter Celebration describes 2025.

Last year, the city's email list was where the event details showed up. If the 2026 notice arrives on a similar schedule, the inbox will catch it before the calendar does.

December at Both City Halls

Greenwood Village has both of its December dates set and posted. Cherry Hills Village's only community lighting from last year is still missing from the 2026 calendar. If you live in one city and have friends in the other, those two calendars don't line up, and whichever event comes last is the one to watch for.

Two Sign-Ups for This Week

1. Greenwood Village residents: go to the special events page, open the Rec1 catalog and look for the Mayor's Holiday Lighting. Last year's tickets opened October 6, so the 2026 window may already be open.
2. Cherry Hills Village residents: subscribe to the city's notices through its email list page. That's where the 2025 Winter Celebration announcement appeared on the day of the event.

For the Festival of Lights on December 10, the city calendar listing is the place to start, and Chabad South Metro Denver can answer any entry questions.

I'm happy to send you an updated version of this December calendar once Cherry Hills Village posts its Winter Celebration date. If you want the reminder, or you're hosting friends who'd enjoy a hayride or the City Hall lights, reach out to Stephanie Watanabe. Let's Connect.