Fillmore Street closes to cars between 1st and 2nd avenues so a market can take over Fillmore Plaza until Christmas Eve. On Thursday, Nov. 19, Cherry Creek North switches on more than a million lights across its 16 blocks and unveils the Giving Machines. Together they kick off a season the district calls "A Holiday Less Ordinary." Five days earlier, on the other side of First Avenue, Cherry Creek Shopping Center scheduled its Annual Tree Lighting Celebration as a single afternoon and evening.
The two plans work differently. The mall's celebration fits into one six-hour block. The district's lasts five weeks, and nearly all of it is free, outdoors and open whenever you walk by. You'll get more out of it with several short visits than with one long night.
One Afternoon at 3000 E. 1st Ave.
The Cherry Creek Shopping Center tree lighting was set for Saturday, Nov. 14, from 2 to 8 p.m. The schedule built toward one moment. A Holiday Bazaar opened at 2 p.m., entertainment started at 5 p.m., and Santa lit the tree after that. Cookie decorating, hot chocolate and Santa visits ran indoors. The event page asked guests to RSVP.
The shopping center's store directory has also changed for the season. Its current page lists Crate & Barrel and Studs as now open, features Milk Jelli, and lists Rothy's as coming soon.
The mall's celebration lasted six hours on a single Saturday. Cherry Creek North's Nov. 19 kickoff starts programs that run through Christmas Eve, and the Giving Machines stay through Jan. 4.
Thirty-Six Days on Fillmore Plaza
The Cherry Creek Holiday Market runs from Thursday, Nov. 19, through Thursday, Dec. 24. Entry is free and all ages are welcome. This is its seventh year, and it has a new theme, Apres Ski. Expect alpine-style retailer booths, an upgraded Mistletoe Lounge, a live concert series, daily programming, themed nights, and more than 50 local makers, artisans and entrepreneurs.
The hours suit people who live close enough to walk over:
- Monday through Wednesday: noon to 7 p.m.
- Thursday through Saturday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Sunday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Thanksgiving, Nov. 26, and Christmas Eve, Dec. 24: noon to 3 p.m.
The market stays open until 9 p.m. three nights a week, which leaves time for a visit after dinner. The market's own site lists daily music, family days, tastings, movie nights, Sunday brunch and "Signature Days." The Mistletoe Lounge is now booking company outings and private events for the 2026 season. On Thanksgiving the market is open for three hours at midday.
The Parts That Run on Your Schedule
Cherry Creek North's season goes well beyond the market. Three programs start on Nov. 19 alongside it. None of them is tied to a set time, and the Giving Machines keep going after the others end on Dec. 24.
Windows Less Ordinary and the Holiday Cherry Hunt. Storefronts across the district put up holiday window displays. The Holiday Cherry Hunt asks you to find 10 hidden cherries, which unlocks treats or prizes and an entry into a drawing for a district experience. Ten cherries spread over 16 blocks is easier to finish across a few weeknight walks than in one afternoon.
Naughty + Nice Festive Sips. Restaurants, bars and cafés across the district serve seasonal cocktails, mocktails, hot cocoa, cider and other holiday drinks. Cherry Creek North publishes a map so you can plan your own sip-and-stroll, beginning at the Mistletoe Lounge. The Festive Sips page lists the dates as Nov. 19 through Dec. 24.
The Giving Machines. These vending machines sell charitable gifts. You choose a donation and pay by card. They run 24 hours a day at the market entrance at 2nd Avenue and Fillmore Street, from Nov. 19 through Monday, Jan. 4, 2027. They stay up 11 days after the market closes, so they're still there for a walk between Christmas and the first weekend of the new year. The Giving Machines Denver site lists the charities you can choose from.
All three work on your schedule, and that's the main way this season differs from the mall's.
The Big Night Has Moved
Cherry Creek North still has one evening built around crowds. Saturday Night Lights is on the 2026 calendar for Saturday, Dec. 12, from 5 to 8 p.m. It's free, open to all ages, and promises music, dancing and entertainment.
This year it's at Civica Plaza, 250 Fillmore St. In 2025 it ran on three Saturdays, Dec. 6, 13 and 20, at 105 Fillmore St. That version had a light-up dance floor with a live DJ, a tunnel of lights, free photo booth keepsakes, complimentary hot chocolate, Santa and Mrs. Claus, and horse-drawn carriage rides, which were new that year.
If you went last year, note the new address before Dec. 12. The market keeps Fillmore Plaza between 1st and 2nd, and the big evening event now has its own plaza at 250 Fillmore.
Thanksgiving Weekend and a New Table on Third
Small Business Weekend runs throughout the district from Friday, Nov. 27, through Monday, Nov. 30. Cherry Creek North describes itself as having Denver's highest concentration of locally owned stores. The district ties the weekend to the nationwide Shop Small movement.
The restaurant news this season is on Third Avenue. Sushi 37 is a sushi and izakaya concept at 2817 E. Third Ave., with SYC Omakase in an upstairs room. The Denver Post reported in September that both were slated to open by the end of 2026, and Westword later reported a Nov. 11 opening date for Sushi 37.
The Season, Week by Week
| Dates | What | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 14, 2 to 8 p.m. | Annual Tree Lighting Celebration | Cherry Creek Shopping Center, 3000 E. 1st Ave. | RSVP requested |
| Thu., Nov. 19 | A Holiday Less Ordinary Kickoff, Million Light Plug-in, Giving Machines unveiling | Cherry Creek North | Free |
| Nov. 19 to Dec. 24 | Cherry Creek Holiday Market, Apres Ski theme | Fillmore Plaza, 1st to 2nd avenues | Free entry |
| Nov. 19 to Dec. 24 | Windows Less Ordinary and Holiday Cherry Hunt | Throughout the district | Free |
| Nov. 19 to Dec. 24 | Naughty + Nice Festive Sips | Participating restaurants, bars and cafés | Varies by stop |
| Thu., Nov. 26, noon to 3 p.m. | Holiday Market Thanksgiving hours | Fillmore Plaza | Free entry |
| Nov. 27 to Nov. 30 | Small Business Weekend | Throughout the district | Free |
| Sat., Dec. 12, 5 to 8 p.m. | Saturday Night Lights | Civica Plaza, 250 Fillmore St. | Free |
| Thu., Dec. 24, noon to 3 p.m. | Holiday Market closes for the season | Fillmore Plaza | Free entry |
| Through Mon., Jan. 4, 2027 | Giving Machines, open 24/7 | 2nd Avenue and Fillmore Street | Donations by card |
If you're a Cherry Creek homeowner thinking about putting your home on the market around the new year, the weeks when a million lights line the district are a good time for listing photos and video. To plan a shoot around the season, Book an Appointment with Debbie Jacobs and we'll schedule your photos while the lights are still up.
