Rally is researching the season
Christmas with kids in Pueblo
In Pueblo, the holiday season starts by the water. Every year around Thanksgiving, families gather along the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk to watch the lights come on, ride a holiday boat and see fireworks over Lake Elizabeth.
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The story of Christmas in Pueblo
How Pueblo celebrates
Pueblo's season kicks off with two big nights. The Riverwalk Holiday Lighting Extravaganza was the 24th annual in 2025, and the site now promotes 25 Years of Holiday Cheer for its 25th edition on Friday, Nov 27, 2026. The Pueblo Downtown Association's Parade of Lights runs on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and is described as one of the largest Christmas parades in Colorado. Sources disagree on how many years the parade has run, so we leave the count out. Floats, school bands, saddle club horses and decorated cars all take part.
Christmas last year in Pueblo
On Friday, Nov 28, 2025, the Riverwalk hosted its 24th Holiday Lighting Extravaganza from 5 to 7 pm. It was free and needed no tickets. Families found performances, local vendors, holiday boat rides and photos with Santa, with fireworks over Lake Elizabeth starting at 7 pm. In 2024 the 23rd edition featured the Canon City Madrigals, East High School Les Jongleurs and Dream Dancers Academy, and the lights stayed on until mid-January. At the Pueblo West library on Dec 18, 2025, a Holiday Cheer preschool storytime offered stories, songs and a take-home craft.
Fun facts about Christmas in Pueblo
The Parade of Lights has a different theme each year, and in 2023 it was Winter Holidays Around the World. Judges give awards for Best Theme, Best Use of Lights and even Best Decorated Entry Featuring Animals. A Christmas Extravaganza at the state fairgrounds has long welcomed kids from the Bessemer neighborhood with photos with Santa, gifts and food. The county's Fulton Heights Community Center hosts a Cookies with Santa party with cocoa, crafts and free photos. And in 2023 the Pueblo West library let kids make their own gingerbread house after a story time with Mrs. Claus.
Trains and Christmas near Pueblo
Pueblo is a railroad town, and the Pueblo Railway Museum is a volunteer-run rail yard behind Pueblo Union Depot with steam engine ATSF 2912, diesels, a snow blower and cabooses. You can walk through in daylight for free, which makes it an easy add-on to a holiday outing. For a bigger trip, the Royal Gorge Route Railroad in Canon City offers a two-hour ride into the gorge beside the Arkansas River, and the Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad runs a seasonal steam train from an 1894 station.
- Pueblo Railway Museum: A free walk-through rail yard right behind Pueblo Union Depot, with a steam engine and cabooses kids can see up close.
- Royal Gorge Route Railroad: A two-hour ride from Canon City into the Royal Gorge with the Arkansas River beside the tracks.
- Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad: A seasonal steam train on narrow gauge track that leaves from an 1894 station and passes old mine shafts.
Traditions today
- Riverwalk Holiday Lighting Extravaganza: A free night of performances, vendors, Santa photos, boat rides and fireworks over Lake Elizabeth, held the Friday after Thanksgiving.
- Holiday boat rides: Families can ride a boat along the lit Riverwalk, with tickets sold on the day at the Riverwalk Welcome Center.
- Parade of Lights: The Pueblo Downtown Association's evening parade of lit floats, bands, horses and decorated cars on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
- Cookies with Santa: Fulton Heights Community Center hosts a family party with cookies, hot cocoa, crafts and free photos with Santa.
- Library holiday storytimes: Pueblo West library has offered holiday storytimes with songs and crafts, and a past Santa and Mrs. Claus story time with gingerbread houses.
- Christmas Extravaganza: A community party at the state fairgrounds for Bessemer neighborhood kids, with Santa photos, gifts and food.
A fact for kids
In Pueblo, you can ride a boat through the Christmas lights. On the night the Riverwalk lights come on, fireworks even go off over Lake Elizabeth.
Questions about Christmas in Pueblo
When did Pueblo start the Riverwalk holiday lighting?
The Riverwalk lighting was the 24th annual in 2025, and the Riverwalk now calls 2026 its 25th year, billed as 25 Years of Holiday Cheer. That puts the first lighting about a quarter century ago. The site lists the 25th edition for Friday, Nov 27, 2026, at the Riverwalk on East Riverwalk Place.
What happens at the Pueblo Riverwalk Holiday Lighting Extravaganza?
Families find performances, local vendors, holiday boat rides, photos with Santa and fireworks over Lake Elizabeth. In 2025 it ran from 5 to 7 pm on the Friday after Thanksgiving, and it was free with no tickets needed. Boat ride tickets were sold in person that day at the Riverwalk Welcome Center.
How long do the Riverwalk lights stay up in Pueblo?
In 2024, the Riverwalk lights were reported as visible until mid-January. That gives families the whole holiday season, and well past it, to stroll the Riverwalk after dark. The big lighting night is the Friday after Thanksgiving, but you do not have to go on that night to see the lights.
Who performs at the Pueblo Riverwalk lighting?
Local school and community groups perform. In 2024 the lineup included the Canon City Madrigals, East High School Les Jongleurs and Dream Dancers Academy. In 2025 the event again listed performances along with vendors, boat rides and Santa photos, so expect music and dance from local young performers.
What is the Pueblo Parade of Lights?
It is the Pueblo Downtown Association's Christmas parade, held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. A news story called it one of the largest Christmas parades in Colorado. Floats, school marching bands, decorated saddle club horses and car club vehicles covered in lights roll through downtown in the evening.
What time and route does the Pueblo Parade of Lights follow?
In 2023 the parade started at 5:30 pm from staging near Colorado Avenue and Abriendo Avenue. It traveled Union Avenue, turned onto City Center Drive, then Main Street, and went north to 6th Street. Routes can change from year to year, so check the current year's map before you go.
Does the Pueblo parade have a theme?
Yes, each year has a theme. The 2023 Parade of Lights theme was Winter Holidays Around the World. Entries compete for awards such as Best Theme, Best Spirit and Best Use of Lights, so kids can watch for floats that follow the theme and light up the night in creative ways.
Are there awards in the Pueblo Parade of Lights?
Yes. The 2023 parade gave awards for Best Theme, Judge's Choice, Best Spirit and Best Band or Marching Unit, plus float categories like Best Original Design and Best Use of Lights. There was even a prize for Best Decorated Entry Featuring Animals, which is fun for kids who love the horses.
Where can kids visit Santa in Pueblo?
Santa shows up in several places. The Riverwalk lighting night has photos with Santa, and the county's Fulton Heights Community Center has hosted Cookies with Santa with cocoa, crafts and free photos. The Pueblo West library has also held a Santa and Mrs. Claus story time. See our Pueblo Christmas events guide on this page for this year.
Is there a holiday storytime in Pueblo?
Yes, the Pueblo City-County Library District has offered holiday storytimes. At the Pueblo West branch on Dec 18, 2025, a Holiday Cheer preschool storytime shared stories about giving and togetherness, songs and a craft. Dates change each year, so see our Pueblo Christmas events guide on this page for the current list.
What is the Christmas Extravaganza at the Pueblo fairgrounds?
It is an annual party held at the state fairgrounds in Pueblo for kids from the Bessemer neighborhood. A news story described photos with Santa, gifts and food, and said kids also received bikes and could get flu shots and health screenings. It is a community event aimed at neighborhood families.
What did kids do at the Pueblo West library Santa event?
At a Santa and Mrs. Claus Christmas Event on Dec 9, 2023, families heard a story time with Mrs. Claus, visited with Santa and took phone photos of the visit. Afterward kids made their own gingerbread house to take home. The library has run holiday programs like this for children before.
What is Cookies with Santa at Fulton Heights?
It is a family holiday party at Fulton Heights Community Center on Santa Rosa Street. The county page lists a visit with Santa, free photos with Santa, cookies and hot cocoa, and crafts and activities for kids. The page does not give a current date, so check our Pueblo Christmas events guide on this page.
How do I explain the Riverwalk lights to a young child?
Tell them the Riverwalk is a long walkway beside the water, and once a year the whole town gathers to switch on the lights together. Then there are boat rides, music and fireworks over the lake. Kids often like counting the lights from the boat, which gives them a job during the ride.
Is the Riverwalk lighting free?
Yes. The 2025 Holiday Lighting Extravaganza was free, with no tickets required. Boat rides are the exception, since tickets for the holiday boat rides were sold in person on the day at the Riverwalk Welcome Center at 101 S. Union Avenue. Bring a little extra if your kids want to ride.
What time do the fireworks start at the Riverwalk lighting?
In 2025 the fireworks over Lake Elizabeth started at 7 pm, right when the evening program ended at 7. In 2024 they were listed for 8 pm. Start times shift from year to year, so check the current schedule, and bring ear protection for little ones who dislike loud noises.
Is there a railroad museum in Pueblo?
Yes. The Pueblo Railway Museum is an all-volunteer rail yard behind Pueblo Union Depot. It has steam engine ATSF 2912, diesels, a snow blower and cabooses, and you can walk through any day in daylight for free. It is a good stop for kids who love trains, especially around the holidays.
Where can Pueblo kids ride a train near Christmas?
The Royal Gorge Route Railroad in Canon City runs a two-hour ride into the Royal Gorge with the Arkansas River beside the tracks. The Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad runs a seasonal steam train from an 1894 station. Check each railroad for its holiday schedule, since seasons and special trains vary.
Can we do the Riverwalk lighting and the Parade of Lights in one weekend?
Yes. Pueblo's season kicks off with two big nights: the Riverwalk lighting on the Friday after Thanksgiving and the Parade of Lights on the Saturday after. In 2025 the Riverwalk program ran from 5 to 7 pm, and the 2023 parade started at 5:30 pm. Check current times, since schedules change.
Where can we find Pueblo Christmas events this year?
The best place is our Pueblo Christmas events guide on this page, which lists confirmed family events with dates and prices. Big annual traditions to watch for are the Riverwalk lighting, listed for Friday, Nov 27, 2026, and the Parade of Lights on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, though that parade's 2026 details were not confirmed.
Sources
- Pueblo Riverwalk hosts 24th Annual Holiday Lighting Extravaganza on Friday, KKTV
- The annual Riverwalk holiday lighting is a beloved tradition in Pueblo, KOAA News5
- The Pueblo Parade of Lights marks the start of another Christmas season, KOAA News5
- Annual Holiday Lighting Extravaganza, Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo
- Christmas Extravaganza: holiday fun in Pueblo, KOAA News5
- Preschool Storytime: Holiday Cheer!, Pueblo City-County Library District
- Santa & Mrs Claus Christmas Event, Pueblo City-County Library District
- Cookies with Santa at Fulton Heights Community Center, Pueblo County
- Pueblo Railway Museum, Rally Takes the Train
- Royal Gorge Route Railroad, Rally Takes the Train
- Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad, Rally Takes the Train