Last Weekend Before Christmas: Things To Do In Arvada

ARVADA, CO – There's one more weekend before Christmas to enjoy the holiday excitement. How will you spend it? You can fight the crowds for last-minute shopping or take part in one of these Denver events – some of them off the beaten path – for your last pre-Christmas weekend.

• Friday Dec. 21 1 p.m. matinee: See ELF: The Musical at Arvada Center This wildly popular holiday favorite is almost sold out, but there are still tickets for one show this weekend. Buy Tickets here.
• Ice Skate At Apex Center Public skating is available Friday 11 am-1 pm, 7:15-8:45 pm and Saturday 3-4:30 pm, 7:15-8:45 pm. Admission and skate rental info on the Apex website. Other places to skate in metro Denver: 10 Denver-Area Ice Rinks Open For The Holidays.
• Saturday Dec. 23: Olde Town Arvada Holiday Market (Olde Town Square at the northeast corner of 57th and Old Wadsworth.) From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., you can visit with Santa and also pick up your favorite delicacies from real Colorado farmers and producers. Look for cider, juices, mead and wine for sale as well as cheese, eggs, honey, pickles, popcorn, baked goods and jams and jellies. You can also find one-of-a-kind handcrafted items that make great gifts. Other Santa appearances are mapped out here, thanks to our friends at MileHighonthecheap.com.
• Saturday Dec. 22 Parents Day Out at Apex Center 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Parents: need some time? Drop off your children and we will entertain them! They’ll play in the Apex Center Clubhouse, enjoy a pizza lunch, complete an arts and crafts project, and enjoy some gym games. Pre registration is a must.
• See Holiday Lights! Both Denver Zoo Lights and the Botanic Gardens Blossoms of Lights are SOLD OUT for this weekend, but check out the Water World Drive-Thru Holiday Light Show in Federal Heights.
• Ice Skate At Apex Center Public skating is available Friday 11 am-1 pm, 7:15-8:45 pm and Saturday 3-4:30 pm, 7:15-8:45 pm. Admission and skate rental info on the Apex website. Other places to skate in metro Denver: 10 Denver-Area Ice Rinks Open For The Holidays.

• Go swimming. Did you know "Public pools" is the phrase most commonly Googled by visitors to Colorado over Thanksgiving? You can burn off a little holiday hysteria in a public swimming pool. Check out the times and fees here: Public Swimming Pools In Denver Holiday Schedules

Other activities nearby

• Denver's Christkindl Market - in Skyline park (on the 16th Street Mall at Arapahoe Street) features free German and Austrian-related entertainment nightly in a "old world" style European setting with lights, musical performances and vendor huts made of wood. Drink German bier in steins and sip mulled wines while gazing at hand-crafted glass-blown ornaments or munching on fruit sticks. Hours this weekend: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
• Take in a wild Winter Solstice gathering Friday, Dec. 21 such as the Shamanic Dolls & Denver Circus Collective Solstice Ball which includes aerial circus stunts and an interactive fairyland gathering. Or something. Wild Things To do In Denver For The Winter Solstice

Here are some other non-traditional things you can do this weekend to celebrate the holidays:

• Fri. Dec. 21 Denver Philharmonic "I'm Dreaming of A White Sand Christmas" with Steel drum band Pan Nation, along with the Colorado Chorale.
• Sat. Dec. 22 Run in a 1M, 5K, 10K or Tiny Tim Fun Run at the Christmas Carol Holiday Classic
• Sun. Dec. 23 Participate in Christmas Rocky Mountain Goat Yoga

Image via Jenna Fisher/Patch

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