Rally is researching the season
Christmas with kids in Grand Junction
In Grand Junction, a big inflatable pig rolls down Main Street at Christmas. The Downtown Parade of Lights is the town's signature tradition, with a candy cane hunt and a holiday 5K close behind.
2026 Christmas events are coming in late November
We are confirming this season's Christmas events in Grand Junction with every host. Subscribe and we'll email you the day they are released.
Free. One email a week with new events in Grand Junction. Unsubscribe anytime.
The story of Christmas in Grand Junction
How Grand Junction celebrates
The Downtown Parade of Lights on Main Street is Grand Junction's signature Christmas tradition. A 2017 local story put the parade at 5 pm on a Saturday in early December, and the parade draws families downtown. The city's parks department adds its own traditions, including a Candy Cane Hunt that reached its 24th year in 2025 and a holiday 5K and 1K called the Santa Cause Run. Local writers also remember homemade decorations from the 1940s through the 1970s and elaborate downtown window displays.
Christmas last year in Grand Junction
On Saturday, December 6, 2025, the Parade of Lights rolled down Main Street with the theme Rock the Holiday's. Bank of Colorado, title sponsor for the seventh year, held a free event at 200 Grand Avenue from 10 am to 1 pm with Santa photos, school choirs, cookies and hot chocolate. The same day, the 24th annual Candy Cane Hunt began at the Lincoln Park Barn. The Chocolate Walk sold out on December 12, and the 10th annual Santa Cause Run took place at Las Colinas Amphitheater on December 13.
Fun facts about Christmas in Grand Junction
The Bank of Colorado float is easy to spot because it carries a big inflatable pig that gets dressed up to match each year's parade theme. The Candy Cane Hunt is run by the city and needs no payment or registration. The Santa Cause Run offers both a 5K and a 1K, so even younger runners can join. A local retrospective noted that Grand Junction's downtown lights have changed very little over the decades, and old decorations had no robotic Santas.
Trains and Christmas near Grand Junction
We did not find a Grand Junction rail Christmas story, but Colorado has good options for train fans on a day trip. The Ridgway Railroad Museum is a free, volunteer-run rail yard in the town where the Rio Grande Southern was born, and it lets you look at the cars any day. Farther east, the Moffat Road Railroad Museum in Granby has Colorado's largest permanent Christmas model train display, plus historic equipment including a 1923 caboose.
- Ridgway Railroad Museum: A free, volunteer-run rail yard where kids can look at real railroad cars.
- Moffat Road Railroad Museum: Home to Colorado's largest permanent Christmas model train display and a 1923 caboose.
Traditions today
- Downtown Parade of Lights: A Saturday evening parade down Main Street with a new theme every year.
- Santa photos and school choirs: A free pre-parade event at 200 Grand Avenue with cookies and hot chocolate in 2025.
- Candy Cane Hunt: A family hunt at the Lincoln Park Barn, in its 24th year in 2025.
- Santa Cause Run: A holiday 5K and 1K at Las Colinas Amphitheater, in its 10th year in 2025.
- Chocolate Walk: A downtown Main Street treat stroll that sold out in 2025.
- Senior Holiday Light Tour: A bus tour of holiday lights for people 50 and older.
A fact for kids
Look for the float with a big inflatable pig. Every year a bank in Grand Junction dresses it up to match the Parade of Lights theme.
Questions about Christmas in Grand Junction
What is the biggest Christmas tradition in Grand Junction?
The Downtown Parade of Lights on Main Street is the best known holiday tradition in Grand Junction. It has been a Saturday evening event for years, with a 5 pm start reported as far back as 2017. In 2025 it took place on December 6 with the theme Rock the Holiday's.
When is the Grand Junction Parade of Lights held?
It is held downtown on Main Street on a Saturday in early December, and the 2025 parade was on December 6. Reports have put the start at 5 pm. Check our Grand Junction Christmas events guide on this page for this season's confirmed date, since we have not confirmed 2026 details yet.
What was the 2025 Parade of Lights theme?
The 2025 theme was Rock the Holiday's. Bank of Colorado was the title sponsor for the seventh year and entered a float topped with a big inflatable pig that it dresses up to match each year's theme. The float is a fun one to look for with kids, along with the other floats and the Main Street lights.
Can kids meet Santa before the Grand Junction parade?
In 2025, Bank of Colorado hosted a free event at 200 Grand Avenue from 10 am to 1 pm on parade day. Kids could have photos with Santa, hear local school choirs and enjoy cookies and hot chocolate handed out by 4-H kids. Our Grand Junction Christmas events guide on this page lists this season's plans.
What is the Candy Cane Hunt in Grand Junction?
It is a family event run by Grand Junction Parks and Recreation at the Lincoln Park Barn. The 2025 hunt was the 24th annual one, held on Saturday, December 6, with check-in at 10 am and the hunt at 11 am. No payment was required, and registration was not required either.
How old is the Candy Cane Hunt?
The 2025 Candy Cane Hunt was the 24th annual, according to the city's release. That means families have been searching for candy canes in Grand Junction for roughly a quarter century. We could not confirm the exact first year, so we count it by edition number rather than guess.
What is the Santa Cause Run?
The Santa Cause Run is a 5K and 1K holiday run at Las Colinas Amphitheater. The 2025 race was the 10th annual and started at 10 am on Saturday, December 13. Entry cost $20 to $40, and registration was required by the Wednesday before. The 1K gives younger runners a shorter option.
What is the Chocolate Walk in downtown Grand Junction?
It is a Grand Junction Parks and Recreation event along Main Street in downtown, held on Friday, December 12 in 2025. Tickets sold out and a waitlist was offered. It is more of a treat-tasting stroll than a kids' activity, but older children may enjoy it with a parent.
Is there a Christmas light tour for families in Grand Junction?
The city's Senior Holiday Light Tour is a bus tour for people 50 and older, so it is not aimed at families with kids. For children, the best-confirmed lights are the Downtown Parade of Lights on Main Street. Our Grand Junction Christmas events guide on this page lists other current light displays we could confirm.
Can younger kids join the Santa Cause Run?
Yes, the Santa Cause Run offers a 1K as well as a 5K, so younger runners have a shorter option. The 2025 run was the 10th annual, at Las Colinas Amphitheater on December 13. Registration was required, so check the city's page for age rules and this year's details.
What did old Grand Junction Christmas decorations look like?
They were homemade and creative, a little cruder than modern displays but just as effective, according to a local retrospective on the 1940s through the 1970s. There were no robotic Santa figures. Some downtown merchants went all out with window displays that drew families to Main Street.
Is there a Christmas tree lighting in Grand Junction?
We did not confirm a Grand Junction tree lighting or its 2026 details, so we will not guess. The best-confirmed downtown tradition is the Parade of Lights on Main Street. See our Grand Junction Christmas events guide on this page for this season's plans, and check the City of Grand Junction for updates.
Where is Main Street in Grand Junction?
Main Street is the heart of downtown Grand Junction, and it is where the Parade of Lights rolls each December. In 2025 the sponsor's pre-parade event was at 200 Grand Avenue nearby. Check the city's page for parking and street closures before parade day.
How can I explain the Parade of Lights to a young child?
Tell them it is a night parade where decorated floats and trucks glow down Main Street to say that Christmas is coming. Add that the town picks a theme each year, and that you will look for a float with a big inflatable pig. It makes the wait feel like a game.
What should we bring to a December parade in Grand Junction?
Bring warm layers, hats and blankets, because December evenings on Colorado's Western Slope are cold. Hot chocolate and cookies were handed out by 4-H kids at a pre-parade event in 2025. Arrive early to claim a curb spot on Main Street with little ones.
Who organizes Grand Junction's holiday events for families?
Grand Junction Parks and Recreation runs the Candy Cane Hunt, Chocolate Walk, Santa Cause Run and the Senior Holiday Light Tour, based on the city's 2025 release. Local businesses like Bank of Colorado also host downtown events around the parade. Our Grand Junction Christmas events guide on this page collects current dates.
Is there a Christmas model train display near Grand Junction?
The Moffat Road Railroad Museum in Granby, a long drive east, has Colorado's largest permanent Christmas model train display, according to our museum page. It is not close to Grand Junction, so plan a day trip. Check the museum's hours before going.
Is there a railroad museum near Grand Junction?
The Ridgway Railroad Museum is a free, volunteer-run rail yard in the town where the Rio Grande Southern was born. You can look at the cars any day and on Fridays and Saturdays in warm months. Check hours before a winter visit.
Do trains and Christmas go together in Colorado?
Colorado has train options for holiday day trips. The Moffat Road Railroad Museum in Granby shows a large permanent Christmas model train display, and Ridgway keeps a rail yard open to visitors. In Grand Junction itself, the parade and Main Street lights are the main seasonal draws for kids.
What is the Senior Holiday Light Tour?
It is a bus tour for people 50 and older run by Grand Junction Parks and Recreation. In 2025 it ran on Wednesday evenings, December 10 and 17, leaving the Lincoln Park Barn at 5:15 pm and returning about 8:15 pm. Early registration was recommended. Families can find kid-friendly light options in our Christmas events guide.
Sources
- Grand Junction Parks and Recreation to Host Several Holiday Events, City of Grand Junction
- Bank of Colorado helps bring holiday cheer to Grand Junction's Main Street, KJCT8
- Grand Junction Christmas Lights From the Good Ol' Days, ESPN Western Colorado
- Moffat Road Railroad Museum, Rally Takes the Train
- Ridgway Railroad Museum, Rally Takes the Train