Parker's holiday season: the Turkey Day 5K price rises tonight, the Town tree lights Nov. 27 and the Ice Trail opens the same day

Turkey Day 5K registration goes up after 11:59 p.m. tonight, and the Town tree lights at 6 p.m. Nov. 27. Here is Parker's 2026 holiday season in order, from Saturday's craft fairs to two Nutcrackers at PACE.

What's Open, What's Closed

Tonight: Veterans Day fireworks at 7 p.m.

Fireworks launch at 7 p.m. from just northeast of Salisbury Regional Park, weather permitting. Town facilities are closed today for Veterans Day.

The Salisbury North expansion and its new lots stay closed, so you get 300 paved spaces in the original park, first come, first served, and no parking along Parker Road, Hess Road or Mainstreet. NWS calls for a clear night falling to about 37 degrees, and sunset is 4:46 p.m., so it is full dark well before launch.

Worth it if you can walk or bike in; the 300 spaces go first.

Source: Town of Parker, Talk of the Town, Nov./Dec. 2026 and National Weather Service. Source date: Nov. 11, 2026.

Holiday closures, Thanksgiving through New Year's

Town facilities close Nov. 26 and 27, Dec. 24 and 25, and Jan. 1. The Recreation Center and Fieldhouse close Thanksgiving Day, close at noon Dec. 24, stay closed Dec. 25, close at 4 p.m. Dec. 31 and stay closed Jan. 1.

The Rec Center reopens Friday, Nov. 27, while Town Hall stays shut, so a Black Friday workout is on and permit questions wait until Monday, Nov. 30.

Source: Town of Parker, Talk of the Town, Nov./Dec. 2026. Source date: Nov. 11, 2026.

This Weekend

Legend Art & Craft Fair, Sat., Nov. 14

The Legend High School Band Boosters' 18th annual fair runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 22219 Hilltop Road with 150-plus vendors. Expect candles, jewelry, glass, wood carvings, specialty foods and clothing.

Take Parker Road to Hess Road, which becomes Hilltop; the school sits about a mile east of Parker Road. Questions go to the school at 303-387-4500.

Worth it if you want to knock out handmade gifts in one building before Thanksgiving.

Source: Legend High School Band Boosters. Source date: Nov. 11, 2026.

Yuletide Bazaar at the Fieldhouse, Sat., Nov. 14

The MPWC Annual Yuletide Bazaar runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Parker Fieldhouse, and admission is free. It overlaps Legend's fair by six hours.

The bazaar closes an hour after Legend's fair, so you can hit Hilltop Road first and still have time for the Fieldhouse.

Worth it if you are already out for Legend's fair; one Saturday covers both.

Source: Town of Parker, Talk of the Town, Nov./Dec. 2026. Source date: Nov. 11, 2026.

Thanksgiving Week

Nutcracker of Parker, Nov. 19-24

Colorado School of Dance stages its Nutcracker at the PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., at 7 p.m. nightly plus 2 p.m. matinees Nov. 21 and 22. Tickets are $44, $40 or $36.

The Monday and Tuesday shows land on the school nights right before the break, which makes the weekend matinees the easier pick for young kids.

Worth it if you have a dancer in your house or want the Nutcracker before December gets crowded.

Source: Parker Arts. Source date: Nov. 11, 2026.

A Christmas Story with Peter Billingsley, Nov. 25

PACE screens A Christmas Story at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, then Billingsley, who played Ralphie, leads a moderated conversation and audience Q&A. Tickets are $54, with a $100 VIP meet-and-greet add-on.

That puts a meet-and-greet seat at $154 the night before Thanksgiving, so plan the pie baking for earlier in the day.

Worth it if the movie is a tradition in your house and you want the stories behind it.

Source: Parker Arts. Source date: Nov. 11, 2026.

Turkey Day 5K, Thanksgiving morning

Parker Parks and Recreation's 5K fun run/walk starts and finishes at the Parker Recreation Center, 17301 E. Lincoln Ave., with waves leaving 8 to 8:15 a.m. on Nov. 26. Registration is $38 plus a $3.53 fee, and the registration page lists a price increase after 11:59 p.m. tonight.

You get a shirt, a souvenir bib and hot cocoa, cider or coffee, and the race is untimed and runs rain, snow or shine. Strollers are allowed; dogs, bikes and scooters are not, and groups of four or more save 10% in one transaction.

Worth it if you want your whole household moving before the oven goes on; the event window ends at 10 a.m.

Source: Parker Parks and Recreation Turkey Day 5K registration and Town of Parker, Talk of the Town, Nov./Dec. 2026. Source date: Nov. 11, 2026.

Thanksgiving Weekend

Mayor's Holiday Lighting, Fri., Nov. 27

O'Brien Park hosts the lighting from 5 to 7 p.m., with the Grand Lighting of the Town Tree at 6 p.m. Expect the Parker Express train, Santa and Mrs. Claus, ice sculptures, and a time capsule set to open at the Town's 50th anniversary.

Free s'mores go to the first 1,000 guests, and sunset is 4:36 p.m., so arriving at 5 gets you both s'mores and a dark sky for the lighting.

Worth it if you have kids who want Santa and a train in one stop.

Source: Town of Parker, Talk of the Town, Nov./Dec. 2026. Source date: Nov. 11, 2026.

Parker Ice Trail opens Nov. 27

The skating trail at Discovery Park opens Thanksgiving weekend, weather permitting: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. After that it runs 5 to 9 p.m. weekdays and keeps the same weekend hours.

If you live in Parker, admission is $8 for ages 3-9, $10 for ages 10-61 and $9 for 62 and up, plus $4 skate rental; everyone else pays $1 more. Two Parker adults and two young kids with rentals come to $52, and the $165 general season pass beats daily tickets on the 17th visit with your own skates.

Worth it if you plan to skate more than once; skip it if the forecast is warm, since opening depends on the weather.

Source: Town of Parker, Talk of the Town, Nov./Dec. 2026. Source date: Nov. 11, 2026.

Irving Berlin's White Christmas, Nov. 27-Dec. 20

Parker Arts stages the musical at The Schoolhouse, 19650 E. Mainstreet, with 7 p.m. Friday shows and 2 p.m. weekend matinees. Tickets are $39 or $34, and every child needs a ticket.

A weekend matinee lets out in time for Buddy the Elf downtown or the holiday decor that starts at Schoolhouse Plaza. Box office: 303-805-6800.

Worth it if you want a December show that also gets you downtown.

Source: Parker Arts. Source date: Nov. 11, 2026.

FROST, A Cirque Holiday Extravaganza, Nov. 28-29

Aerial stunts, acrobatics, dance and live music hit the PACE Center at 7 p.m. Nov. 28 and 2 p.m. Nov. 29. Tickets are $69 or $64, billed for all ages.

That makes it the priciest ticket in this guide, at $276 for four people at the top price.

Worth it if your kids would rather watch aerialists than ballet.

Source: Parker Arts. Source date: Nov. 11, 2026.

Hometown Holiday Weekends and Buddy the Elf, from Nov. 28

Every Saturday and Sunday from Nov. 28 to Jan. 2, downtown runs the Hometown Holiday Experience: a Walk Through Time decor display starting at Schoolhouse Plaza, Polar Bear Land at Discovery Park and Santa's Workshop at O'Brien Park. Buddy the Elf and friends pose for photos downtown from noon to 3 p.m. weekends through Dec. 20.

That gives you eight Buddy days across four weekends; the Dec. 5-6 weekend also brings Music on Mainstreet. Questions go to the Town's event coordinator at 303-805-3380.

Worth it if you want a free afternoon downtown with photo stops built in.

Source: Town of Parker, Hometown Holiday Experience and Talk of the Town, Nov./Dec. 2026. Source date: Nov. 11, 2026.

December

Downtown Parker Holiday Market, Sat., Dec. 5

The Parker Downtown Business Alliance's market runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at O'Brien Park, with carolers in the park that day. Music on Mainstreet fills downtown Dec. 5 and 6.

Buddy the Elf is downtown noon to 3 p.m. the same Saturday, so one midday trip covers the market, the music and the photo.

Worth it if you want one stop for gifts, music and Buddy.

Source: Town of Parker, Hometown Holiday Experience and Talk of the Town, Nov./Dec. 2026. Source date: Nov. 11, 2026.

The Nutcracker at PACE, Dec. 10-15

Parker Arts and Denver Ballet Theatre present The Nutcracker at the PACE Center, mostly at 7 p.m. with weekend 2 p.m. matinees. Tickets are $37 or $32.

That is $7 below the top Nutcracker of Parker seat three weeks earlier, so pick by date and company.

Worth it if November is booked and you still want a Nutcracker before Christmas.

Source: Parker Arts. Source date: Nov. 11, 2026.

Skate with Santa and Milk and Cookies, Dec. 12-13

Skate with Santa runs 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Parker Ice Trail, and registration is required. Milk and Cookies with Santa follows Sunday, Dec. 13, at 12:45 and 2:15 p.m.

Skate with Santa starts at 9 a.m. on an outdoor trail, so dress your kids for a cold December morning; Milk and Cookies offers two seatings if one fills.

Worth it if your kids want Santa time without a mall line.

Source: Town of Parker, Talk of the Town, Nov./Dec. 2026. Source date: Nov. 11, 2026.

Holiday Decoration Map opens Nov. 30

Starting Nov. 30, you can add your decorated home in 80134 or 80138 to the Town's Holiday Decoration Map. It replaces the old decorating contest, so there are no winners.

The map gives you a ready-made light-viewing route for evenings after the 4:34 p.m. sunsets of early December.

Source: Town of Parker, Talk of the Town, Nov./Dec. 2026. Source date: Nov. 11, 2026.

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