Enjoy Winter in Old Town Square
From the glow of holiday lights to an afternoon on the skate rink, Old Town Square becomes a winter gathering place for the whole community. Visit Santa, lace up your skates, stay for dinner, and shop nearby. Skate rink admission, skate rentals, and visits with Santa are all free.
Holiday Lighting
Each winter, trees throughout Old Town glow with thousands of LED lights, turning downtown into a bright evening destination from November through February. Take a walk through the square after dinner, meet friends for a night out, or come back to skate under the lights.
Holiday Lighting Ceremony Details
Location: Old Town Square
Date: Friday, Nov 6, 2026 5:30 pm – 7 pm
The annual lighting ceremony marks the official start of the season. Enjoy live music on the stage, then gather for a short ceremony and the moment the trees light up.
The Downtown Holiday Lights are a partnership between the City of Fort Collins, the Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority (DDA), and the Downtown General Improvement District.
Natalie Dyer Photography
DDA Photo
Valerie Mosley Photography
DDA Photo
DDA Photo
Natalie Dyer Photography
Valerie Mosley Photography
Photo DDA
Photo DDA
Photo DDA
Santa’s Coming to Old Town Square
Santa makes his grand entrance to Old Town Square by firetruck on November 27 at 11:30 am, along with Comet the reindeer. Come early for a good view, then stick around as Santa’s Workshop and the Skate Rink open for the season.
A big thank you to Jessen Reindeer Ranch for caring for Comet during Santa’s arrival.
Visit Santa’s Workshop
Kids of all ages are welcome to stop by and share their holiday wishes with Santa. Visits are always free. Families are welcome to take their own photos, and printed portraits are also available for purchase on site.
Santa takes time to listen to each child, and wait times can sometimes stretch into hours, depending on the day and time. Lines are typically shortest early in the season, so if you can, plan to visit for earlier in December rather than later. A helpful hint: check out the Old Town Square live webcam for a real-time look at the Square before you head our way.
For Workshop hours, click on the schedule or call 970-999-0475.
Old Town Square Skate Rink
The rink uses a synthetic skating surface, so you can glide through the season even when it’s warm and sunny. Traditional ice skates work fine, and hockey-style skates tend to perform especially well. Bring your own skates or borrow a pair from the skate rink staff at no cost. They have both child and adult sizes available.
For Skate Rink hours, click the schedule link or call 970-999-0475.
Free admission
Free skate rentals
Group reservations: email aruffer@fcgov.com
Find Events, Activities & More
For events, current schedules, and what’s happening right now, visit DowntownFortCollins.com
Events calendar → downtownfortcollins.com/play/calendar
Book an event at Old Town Square → downtownfortcollins.org/events-and-vendor-information