Fort Collins' holiday lights start Friday. These roads will be closed.

Oct 30, 2024

The holiday lights in Old Town Fort Collins will come on Friday night, just in time to brighten up the early night that comes with the end of daylight saving time early Sunday morning.

The event will bring festivities and road closures downtown.

The annual holiday lighting ceremony is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, in Old Town Square.

The lights are expected to come on about a half hour after sunset, after a countdown around 6:30 p.m., with live music on the Old Town Square stage before and after.

Every year, the city and the Downtown Development Authority partner on the holiday lights, which are illuminated across 22 blocks from early November to Valentine's Day.

The city says thousands of LED light strands will be hung along College Avenue from Laporte Avenue on the north to Magnolia Street on the south, and along Walnut Street, Linden Street, Pine Street, Mountain Avenue, and in the square and Oak Street Plaza.

Here's what the event looked like last year:

The following areas will be closed to vehicles and bicycles at different times before, during and after the lighting:

Walnut and Linden streets: From 3 to 8:30 p.m., all of Walnut and the portion of Linden from Old Town Square to Jefferson Street will transform into a pedestrian-only zone. Businesses have been invited to set up activities and retail sales outside.

Mountain Avenue: Starting at 4:30 p.m., there will be closures east of College Avenue to the Old Town Parking Garage near Remington Street. Access to the garage will remain open.

You can avoid traffic and parking headaches by using the MAX bus line. It will run along its Mason Street route every 10 minutes until 6 p.m. and every 20 minutes after that until service ends at 10 p.m. It's free.

For bicyclists, extra bike racks will be available on the north side of Walnut Street.

Parking options include free on-street parking or paying a fee to park in one of three downtown garages.

Parking garages are located at the following locations: