Downtown Fort Collins Holiday Lights to Illuminate November 7

Fort Collins will light its downtown holiday display for the first time this season on November 7, marking the continuation of a tradition that has anchored the city's winter celebration since 1987.

The annual Downtown Holiday Lighting Ceremony will take place in Old Town Square beginning at 5:30 p.m., with live music from Guerilla Fanfare Brass Band on the main stage. The ceremony will officially start at 6:30 p.m., when more than 65,000 LED lights across 334 trees throughout downtown will illuminate simultaneously.

Fort Collins Connexion is sponsoring this year's event.

"The annual tradition of turning on the lights downtown is the unofficial kick off to the holiday season in Fort Collins," said Dean Klingner, director of Community Services. "The holiday lighting program is a unique feature of the Fort Collins community. We're fortunate to live in a place that truly values creating spaces for people to gather and enjoy being together, while also supporting local businesses and restaurants."

The display represents the largest and longest-running downtown tree-lighting program in Northern Colorado. The lights will remain illuminated each evening through February 14, 2026.

Collaborative Funding Model

The lighting program operates through a partnership between the City of Fort Collins Parks Department, Downtown Development Authority and Downtown General Improvement District. The three entities collectively budget approximately $210,000 annually to fund installation, maintenance and electricity costs.

The Downtown Development Authority contributes the largest share at roughly $110,000, with the Parks Department providing $60,000 and the General Improvement District adding $40,000, according to city budget documents.

The DDA was established in 1981 using tax increment financing, where increases in property tax revenues from downtown properties fund revitalization projects. The General Improvement District, created in 1976, uses a dedicated property tax mill levied on properties within its boundaries for downtown improvements including lighting, sidewalks and street furniture.

Fort Collins Connexion, the city's municipal fiber optic internet provider, is serving as the 2025 event sponsor.

"Fort Collins Connexion is proud to serve as the event sponsor for the Downtown Holiday Lighting Ceremony this year," said Chad Crager, executive director of Connexion. "As Fort Collins' community-owned fiber optic internet provider, Connexion is dedicated to supporting local initiatives, strengthening Fort Collins' economy and fostering connection throughout the community."

Six-Week Installation Process

Contractor SavATree began installing the lights in early September, a process requiring approximately six weeks to complete. The company wraps 334 trees along College Avenue, Oak Street Plaza, Laporte Avenue, Walnut Street, Pine Street, Remington Street and Magnolia Street with commercial-grade LED mini-lights.

The city transitioned from incandescent to LED bulbs in 2001, reducing energy consumption by more than 85 percent. The current display uses less than 5,000 kilowatt-hours per season, down from approximately 30,000 kilowatt-hours when incandescent bulbs lit the same number of trees.

SavATree has held the installation contract since 2016, handling all physical installation, removal, troubleshooting and bulb replacement under Parks Department oversight. The company also provides tree health assessments to minimize impact on bark and canopy during the lighting season.

The lights will be removed beginning February 15, 2026, with work completed by mid-March.

Street Closures and Parking

Several streets near Old Town Square will close at 3:30 p.m. on November 7 to accommodate the ceremony and expected crowds.

Closures include Walnut Street between College Avenue and Mountain Avenue, the 200 block of Linden Street between Walnut and Jefferson streets, Mountain Avenue eastbound and westbound between College Avenue and Remington Street, and Remington Street between Mountain Avenue and Oak Street. The parking garage entrance on Remington will remain open.

Parking garages are located at 209 East Mountain Avenue, 120 North Mason Street and 165 Chestnut Street. The city encourages attendees to use MAX public transportation, walk or bike to the event.

More information about the lighting ceremony and downtown holiday activities is available at fcgov.com/downtown-holiday-lights.