Christmas Events for Kids in Loveland, CO (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

Updated 4 min read

Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Loveland, CO for 2026, and here is what he found: 7 family events. The magic runs from November 20 (A Celtic Christmas by A Taste of Ireland) through December 20, with Blue Violin's Retro Rock & Roll Christmas (November 28), Lighthouse Dance: Nativity (December 6) and Windsor Youth Ballet: Nutcracker Suite (December 20) along the way. We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Colorado Christmas events for kids guide.

What Rally found in Loveland

  • 7 Christmas events for kids in Loveland
  • Meet Santa: Santa's Home for the Holidays: A Visit From Santa's Reindeer (December 11)
  • Also on the list: 6 Christmas shows
  • Season: November 20 (A Celtic Christmas by A Taste of Ireland) to December 20 (Windsor Youth Ballet: Nutcracker Suite)
  • Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10

Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Loveland

Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.

Holiday show

A Celtic Christmas by A Taste of Ireland

Expand to see the parent tip

The touring company A Taste of Ireland brings its holiday production, A Celtic Christmas, to the Rialto Theater in downtown Loveland for a single night. The Rialto marks it as a rental, which means an outside producer is presenting the show in the city's theater, and the listing does not post a program or running time.

The performance is on Friday, November 20, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. Reserved seats are sold through the Rialto's ticketing site at $59 for the back of the balcony, $75 for the back of the main floor or the front of the balcony, and $89 for the front of the main floor. The box office opens 60 minutes before ticketed events.

Parent tip: An 8:00 p.m. curtain on a Friday is late for young children, so this one fits school-age kids who can stay up. No age guidance is posted, so call the box office at 970-962-2120 before buying seats for little ones.

Host
Rialto Theater (opens in a new tab)
Address
Rialto Theater, 228 E 4th St, Loveland, CO 80537 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Rialto Theater (opens in a new tab)

New Loveland events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Loveland daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Loveland.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 6 more Loveland events researched for you.

  • New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Loveland.
  • Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Loveland before they fill up.
  • Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
  • Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
  • One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.

Coming up on this page

  • 6 Shows
  • 1 Santa
  • 1 Zoos and museums

Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Loveland every week.

Free. One email a week with new events in Loveland. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy

Holiday show

Blue Violin's Retro Rock & Roll Christmas

  • When: Saturday, November 28, 2026, 7 to 8:30 pm (The tour page lists the Loveland date but no start time. 7:00 p.m. is the time on file for this listing, so confirm it with the Rialto Theater. The concert runs about 90 minutes with no intermission.)
  • Where: Rialto Theater, 228 E 4th St, Loveland, CO 80537 (opens in maps)
  • Cost: Tickets required, no price listed on the organizer's page
  • Ages: Ages 5 and up
Expand to see the parent tip

Violinist Blue Violin fronts a live rock band and a choir in a holiday concert staged like an 80s arena show, with cathedral imagery projection-mapped behind the players. Christmas classics are mixed with songs by Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, Van Halen and Bruce Springsteen, and the night builds to his version of The Devil Went Down to Georgia.

The fourth annual tour stops at the Rialto Theater in Loveland on Saturday, November 28, 2026. The concert lasts about 90 minutes with no intermission and is recommended for ages 5 and up. Tickets are required, and VIP tickets add front seating, a 20-minute private question and answer session and a merchandise packet.

Parent tip: There is no intermission in the 90 minutes, so take kids to the restroom before the lights go down. It is a full rock band, so think about ear protection for children at the younger end of the 5 and up range.

Host
Blue Violin (opens in a new tab)
Address
Rialto Theater, 228 E 4th St, Loveland, CO 80537 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Blue Violin (opens in a new tab)

New Loveland events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Loveland daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Loveland.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Holiday show

Kalani Pe'a's Hawaiian Christmas

Expand to see the parent tip

Hawaiian singer Kalani Pe'a brings his holiday concert to the Rialto Theater as part of the city's Rialto Presents season. The program pairs well-loved Christmas songs from the Western tradition with Hawaiian favorites, all delivered with what the theater calls the aloha holiday spirit.

The concert is on Thursday, December 3, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. The City of Loveland lists tickets at $55 for general seating and $65 for Premier seats, with the ticketing fee included. Seats are reserved and sold through the Rialto's ticketing site, by phone at 970-962-2120 or at the box office.

Parent tip: It is a school night with a 7:30 p.m. start, so this concert suits older children better than preschoolers. Seating is reserved, so book early if your family needs several seats in a row.

Host
Rialto Theater (opens in a new tab)
Address
Rialto Theater, 228 E 4th St, Loveland, CO 80537 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Rialto Theater (opens in a new tab)

New Loveland events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Loveland daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Loveland.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Holiday show

Lighthouse Dance: Nativity

Expand to see the parent tip

Lighthouse Dance presents its 2026 Nativity production on the Rialto Theater stage, a dance performance named for the Christmas story. The Rialto lists it as a rental with Lighthouse Dance as the organizer, and the listing does not give cast or program details.

The performance is on Sunday, December 6, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. The ticketing data shows a single price level of $21, and seats are reserved through the Rialto's ticketing site. The box office opens 60 minutes before the show for sales to that performance only.

Parent tip: A 3:00 p.m. Sunday matinee is one of the easier Rialto holiday shows to manage with young children, since you are home before dinner. No running time is posted, so ask the box office if your child struggles to sit for long.

Host
Rialto Theater (opens in a new tab)
Address
Rialto Theater, 228 E 4th St, Loveland, CO 80537 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Rialto Theater (opens in a new tab)

New Loveland events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Loveland daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Loveland.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Holiday event

Santa's Home for the Holidays: A Visit From Santa's Reindeer

Expand to see the parent tip

Santa's reindeer make a stop at The Promenade Shops at Centerra, where families can meet them and take a holiday photo. They are stationed in front of Rock Bottom Brewery, and the visit is part of A Very Centerra Holiday, the district's run of lights and events from November 13 to January 1.

The visit is on Friday, December 11, 2026 at 6025 Sky Pond Drive in Loveland. The organizer's page gives the date and location but no hours, price or sign-up details, so check centerra.com/holiday for the time before you head out.

Parent tip: The reindeer are outside in front of the restaurant on a December day in Colorado, so dress kids warmly for waiting their turn. Confirm the hours first, because the page lists only the date.

Host
Centerra (opens in a new tab)
Address
The Promenade Shops at Centerra, in front of Rock Bottom Brewery, 6025 Sky Pond Dr, Loveland, CO 80538 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Centerra (opens in a new tab)

New Loveland events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Loveland daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Loveland.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Holiday show

Home Alone

Expand to see the parent tip

The Rialto Theater puts the 1990 comedy Home Alone on its screen a week before Christmas. The story follows Kevin, who is left behind by accident when his family flies to Paris for the holiday and has to defend the house from two bungling burglars on his own.

The film shows on Friday, December 18, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. at the Rialto Theater, 228 E 4th Street. Admission is listed at $5 through the Rialto's ticketing site. The box office opens 60 minutes before ticketed events for sales to that event.

Parent tip: At $5 this is the lowest price among the Rialto's holiday listings, which helps when you are buying for a big family. The 7:00 p.m. start means a late finish for younger kids, but December 18 is a Friday, so there is no school the next morning.

Host
Rialto Theater (opens in a new tab)
Address
Rialto Theater, 228 E 4th St, Loveland, CO 80537 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Rialto Theater (opens in a new tab)

New Loveland events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Loveland daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Loveland.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Holiday show

Windsor Youth Ballet: Nutcracker Suite

Expand to see the parent tip

Windsor Youth Ballet dances its Nutcracker Suite on the Rialto Theater stage five days before Christmas. The Rialto lists the evening as a rental, so the ballet company is the presenter, and children 12 and under have their own lower ticket price.

The performance is on Sunday, December 20, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. The ticketing data lists adult tickets at $20 and tickets for children 12 and under and for seniors at $16. Seats are reserved through the Rialto's ticketing site, and the box office opens 60 minutes before the show.

Parent tip: With a youth company on stage and a child ticket price, this is the Rialto holiday show aimed most squarely at families. It starts at 6:00 p.m. on a Sunday, so give the kids an early dinner first.

Host
Rialto Theater (opens in a new tab)
Address
Rialto Theater, 228 E 4th St, Loveland, CO 80537 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Rialto Theater (opens in a new tab)

New Loveland events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Loveland daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Loveland.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our Colorado Christmas train rides page.

See every event on a December calendar

Plan your December

When each Loveland Christmas event for kids happens

The first is A Celtic Christmas by A Taste of Ireland in Loveland on November 20; the last runs to December 20. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.

Looking further afield? Our Colorado Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Johnstown, CO, Windsor, CO, Fort Collins and Milliken. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.

A story for the drive home

A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

2026 Christmas events are coming in late November

More Christmas events arrive in late November. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.

The story of Christmas in Loveland

Loveland keeps a lighted 12 Days of Christmas display along the north edge of Dwayne Webster Veterans Park, facing Highway 34. Visit Loveland and the Winter Holiday Council bought it in 2023 so it would stay in town after the owner of the Outlets at Loveland, where it used to stand, offered it for sale.

How Loveland celebrates

The season opens downtown with the Festival of Lights, a Friday evening in mid to late November when Fourth Street is lit, Santa arrives and a tree is switched on in The Foundry Plaza. The Winter Holiday Council sets up its light display at Dwayne Webster Veterans Park, and Christmas Walk in the Woods opens a lighted trail at 1750 Savage Road in mid December. In 2018 Visit Loveland tied these together as the Loveland Light Trail, a free self-guided route with eight stops. From 2017 the city also staged Winter Wonderlights at Chapungu Sculpture Park in Centerra, a nightly music and light show that ended after eight seasons.

Christmas last year in Loveland

The 2025 Festival of Lights was held on Friday, November 21, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Fourth Street and in The Foundry Plaza. Santa arrived at 5 p.m., community groups performed on The Foundry stage, and the tree lighting followed at 7:30 p.m. with Scrooge and The Grinch. The night also marked the completion of the first two rebuilt blocks of Fourth Street, where Floats on Fourth returned for a second year. Winter Wonderlights did not come back, after Visit Loveland announced in August 2025 that it would promote existing holiday events instead. At Centerra, the All is Bright Tour brought new light displays, and The Great Gift Hunt sent families looking for seven lost presents.

Fun facts about Christmas in Loveland

Winter Wonderlights was billed at 175,000 lights in 2023, and in 2024 its music and light show played on a 23-foot-tall Christmas tree. Floats on Fourth, added to the Festival of Lights in 2024, is a parade that does not move: the floats stay parked and visitors walk down the middle of the street. Christmas Walk in the Woods has included Santa's House, an Elf Workshop and a 1968 Christmas truck among its photo spots. The Winter Holiday Council sells a collectible ornament each year, and the 2024 design was called Five Goldens Ringing.

Traditions today

  • Downtown Festival of Lights: Fourth Street in Downtown Loveland is lit on a Friday evening in November, with live music, a holiday market, reindeer, free horse-drawn carriage rides and a tree lighting in The Foundry Plaza.
  • Floats on Fourth: Since 2024 the Festival of Lights has included a stationary float parade, where families stroll past parked floats while bands and dancers move through the crowd.
  • 12 Days of Christmas display: A lighted display of the 12 Days of Christmas stands along Highway 34 at Dwayne Webster Veterans Park, where it has been free to view on winter evenings since 2023.
  • Christmas Walk in the Woods: A lighted winter walk at 1750 Savage Road on the west side of town opens in mid December with light displays, photo spots and Santa on select nights.
  • Winter Holiday Council ornament: Each year the Winter Holiday Council releases a collectible ornament, sold at the Loveland Visitors Center to fund the council's community holiday work.
  • A Very Centerra Holiday: The Centerra district on the east side of Loveland runs its own season of light displays and family activities, including the All is Bright Tour in 2025.

A fact for kids

At Loveland's Floats on Fourth, the parade stands still and the people do the moving. Families walk down the middle of Fourth Street past the parked floats while marching bands and dancers weave through the crowd.

Questions about Christmas in Loveland

How does Loveland, Colorado celebrate Christmas?

Loveland starts with the Downtown Festival of Lights on Fourth Street in November, then keeps lights on around town through New Year's Day. The 12 Days of Christmas display glows at Dwayne Webster Veterans Park, Christmas Walk in the Woods opens in mid December, and Centerra runs its own holiday season.

What is the Festival of Lights in Downtown Loveland?

It is the evening that opens the holiday season downtown. In 2025 it ran on Friday, November 21, from 5 to 8 p.m., with Santa's arrival, community performances, a holiday market of more than 30 booths, live reindeer, free horse-drawn carriage rides and a tree lighting at 7:30 p.m.

Who organizes the Festival of Lights?

NOCO Style Magazine's 2025 preview named the Loveland Downtown District, also called the Loveland DDA, as the organizer. An earlier North Forty News report from 2023 credited the Loveland Downtown Partnership with running the event on Fourth Street.

What is Floats on Fourth?

Floats on Fourth is a stationary parade added to the Festival of Lights in 2024. Floats are parked along Fourth Street, and visitors walk down the middle of the road to see them while marching bands, dancers and entertainers move through the crowd. It grew by two blocks in 2025.

Where is the 12 Days of Christmas display in Loveland?

It stands along the northern edge of Dwayne Webster Veterans Park, beside State Highway 34. In its first season at the park it was lit daily from 5 to 9 p.m. from November 17, 2023 through January 1, and it was free to visit.

Why did the 12 Days of Christmas display move to the park?

The display used to be at the Outlets at Loveland. According to North Forty News, the outlets' owner offered it to the city days before part of the property was sold. Visit Loveland worked with the Winter Holiday Council to buy it and keep it in the community.

What happened to Winter Wonderlights in Loveland?

Winter Wonderlights was a choreographed holiday light show at Chapungu Sculpture Park in Centerra. Denver7 reported in August 2025 that it would not return after eight years, because tourism officials decided to promote existing holiday events and year-round offerings instead of producing the large annual event.

What is the Loveland Light Trail?

Visit Loveland launched the Loveland Light Trail in 2018 as a free, self-guided route linking eight light displays across the city. Stops included Centerra, the Winter Holiday Council display at Dwayne Webster Veterans Park, Downtown Loveland, the Namaqua Hill Star and Christmas Walk in the Woods.

What is Christmas Walk in the Woods?

It is a lighted winter walk at 1750 Savage Road on the west side of Loveland. In 2024 it ran nightly from December 13 to 31, with light displays, Santa's House, an Elf Workshop and a 1968 Christmas truck, plus Santa and music on select nights.

What happens at Centerra during the holidays?

Centerra, the district around The Promenade Shops, hosts its own holiday program. In 2025 KUNC reported the All is Bright Tour of new light displays and The Great Gift Hunt, a scavenger-style search for seven lost presents. The 2026 season, A Very Centerra Holiday, runs November 13 to January 1.

Sources

  1. Loveland Winter Wonderlights won't return for the 2025 holiday season, Denver7
  2. New Loveland Light Trail connects holiday festivities across city, North Forty News
  3. 12 Days of Christmas display coming to Dwayne Webster Memorial Park this holiday season, North Forty News
  4. Holiday Magic Returns to Downtown Loveland With the 2025 Festival of Lights, NOCO Style Magazine
  5. Downtown Loveland Festival of Lights Returns, NOCO Style Magazine
  6. Festival of Lights marks milestone in Loveland's downtown transformation, North Forty News
  7. Loveland holiday lights events, 99.9 The Point
  8. Festive lighting events across Northern Colorado seek to set holiday mood, KUNC
  9. Loveland welcomes the holidays with Winter Wonderlights, Denver7 and Visit Loveland
  10. Rialto Presents season announcement, City of Loveland

Keep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every Colorado city.

Loveland Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

What are the best Christmas events for kids in Loveland to start with?

Start with the visit from Santa's reindeer at The Promenade Shops at Centerra on Friday, December 11, 2026, which is built around meeting the animals and taking a photo. For a first theater trip, Windsor Youth Ballet's Nutcracker Suite at the Rialto Theater on Sunday, December 20 at 6:00 p.m. has a child ticket price.

Are there free Christmas events for kids in Loveland?

None of the events listed here is described as free by its organizer. The reindeer visit at Centerra on December 11, 2026 shows no price on its page. The lowest stated price is $5 for the Home Alone screening at the Rialto Theater on Friday, December 18 at 7:00 p.m.

Where can kids meet Santa in Loveland?

These listings do not include a sit-down Santa visit, but Santa's reindeer will be in front of Rock Bottom Brewery at The Promenade Shops at Centerra on December 11, 2026. The reindeer stop belongs to A Very Centerra Holiday, which runs from November 13 to January 1, so check centerra.com/holiday for Santa dates.

What Christmas shows can families see in Loveland?

The Rialto Theater has six. A Celtic Christmas is on November 20, 2026, Blue Violin's Retro Rock & Roll Christmas on November 28, Kalani Pe'a's Hawaiian Christmas on December 3, Lighthouse Dance's Nativity on December 6, the film Home Alone on December 18, and Windsor Youth Ballet's Nutcracker Suite on December 20.

Which Loveland Christmas events need tickets?

Every holiday show at the Rialto Theater is ticketed with reserved seats, sold through the theater's ticketing site or the box office, which opens 60 minutes before each event. The reindeer visit at The Promenade Shops at Centerra on December 11, 2026 lists no tickets or sign-up on its page.

Which Rialto Theater holiday show is best for young children?

Look at the two Sunday performances. Lighthouse Dance's Nativity is a 3:00 p.m. matinee on December 6, 2026, and Windsor Youth Ballet's Nutcracker Suite starts at 6:00 p.m. on December 20. Blue Violin's concert on November 28 is recommended for ages 5 and up and runs 90 minutes without an intermission.

Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Loveland?

Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Colorado Christmas train rides guide. This Loveland guide covers Santa visits, story times, light shows and other events off the rails.

How do you confirm these events?

We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on November 10, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.

Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.

Kelsey Cecil
Previous

Christmas Events for Kids in Lyndhurst (2026)
Next

Christmas Events for Kids in Lone Tree (2026)