WinterFest 2022
December 9 – 11
Celebrate the holiday season at Chautauqua with this beloved annual tradition!
Bring your friends and family and kick off the holidays with a tree lighting ceremony, horse-drawn carriage ride, Santa’s Cottage, a historic cottage tour, festive market, guided hikes and more!
Events and Activities
WinterFest Pass
WinterFest Pass
Take advantage of Chautauqua’s WinterFest Pass! Bring your family and friends and enjoy an entire fun-filled day of WinterFest activities. The WinterFest day pass includes:
- A horse-drawn carriage ride around the Chautauqua Green
- A visit to Santa’s Cottage
- Cyber-Scavenger Hunt with prizes
- Festive crafts and cookies for children
- A keepsake polaroid with the WinterFest bear
Available Saturday and Sunday as individual passes or choose one of our family four packs and save more.
Free for kids 2 and under
WinterFest Pass Includes
Carriage Rides
Make WinterFest 2022 a lasting memory with a cozy carriage ride around the picturesque Chautauqua Green. Gather your friends and family and take in the crisp mountain air, festive lights and incomparable views of the Flatirons. This scenic journey will be a highlight of your WinterFest experience!
Santa’s Cottage
Bring your family to this one-of-a-kind meet and greet! Visit Santa in the historic Missions House Lodge, all spruced up for the holidays, and listen to a holiday tale from jolly ol’ Kris Kringle himself. Keep an eye out for Mrs. Claus, too!
Cookies & Crafts
Create a thoughtful holiday keepsake by the warmth of a cozy fire. The simple pleasure of making crafts with friends and family will make for a cherished, nostalgic memory of your WinterFest experience.
Scavenger Hunt
Explore the beautiful, historic Chautauqua campus while playing a digital scavenger hunt. This interactive experience will have you solving riddles and puzzles, answering trivia, taking creative photos with virtual images, and more!
Ticketed Activities
Historic Cottage Tour
Don’t miss this opportunity to peek behind the doors of five charming cottages especially selected for the WinterFest 2022 Historic Cottage Tour and all decked out for the holidays! This year, the tour includes the recently restored Mary H. Galey Cottage, long-time home of Mary Hindman Galey, who was instrumental in preserving the Colorado Chautauqua, as well as four other unique cottages constructed during the first half of the 20th Century. Refreshments included.
Free for kids 12 and under.
Jeff And Paige's Holiday Concert - SOLD OUT!
Jeff and Paige, who have six albums and have won several awards, have reached thousands of children with their playful spirit and passion for ecological awareness. Using songs, storytelling and interactive play, they engage children (ages 3 – 9) with nature, music and movement. This event blends their nature and science-themed kids’ music with fun/familiar holiday favorites! Expect educational skits, quick costume changes, loads of audience participation, and an interactive, family-friendly connection to the holiday season and winter wildlife adaptations. Kids are invited to wear PJs and bring a favorite stuffed animal. Let’s get cozy!
Community House
Friday, December 9
4:30 PM
Free Activities
Tree Lighting
Kick off WinterFest 2021 on Friday, December 9th at 5:30 PM as Chautauqua’s historic buildings and majestic evergreens are transformed into a glistening wonderland with the help of our friends from Colorado Christmas Lights! Musical guests too.
Outside the Community House
Friday, December 9
5:30 PM
WinterFest Market
Visit our WinterFest Market and shop specially curated treasures from local artists and vendors. Or find something special for the Chautauqua-lover on your list and choose from a wide variety of Chautauqua-branded merchandise.
Community House
Saturday, December 10
and Sunday, December 11
12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Art In The Park
The bears are back! This year’s Art in The Park bear installation starts December 9 and continues through April 16 when you can bid on your favorite bear. Proceeds from Art In The Park benefit participating artists, Chautauqua community events and non-profit partners.
Caroling Hike
Join musician, Jeff Kagan (of Jeff & Paige) and OSMP staff for a mellow holiday hike and caroling with your fellow hikers. Expect a moderate group stroll through the Chautauqua meadow with a handful of stops along the way to sing some holiday favorites. Suitable for all ages.
Meet at the Ranger Cottage
Saturday, December 10
12 – 1 PM
Wildlife in Winter Hike
Join naturalist, Kelly, on this family-friendly hike to explore how plants and animals survive the winter in different ecosystems. Make memories while playing kid-oriented nature games and learning about nature at Chautauqua. Bring warm drinks and snacks and be prepared for cold and snow.
Meet at the Ranger Cottage
Saturday, December 10
3 – 4 PM
Enchanting Ecology Hike
Join naturalist, Devyn, on this family-friendly hike to explore the superpowers of the ponderosa pine forest ecosystem in winter. Immerse yourself in a winter wonderland of snowy ponderosas while learning about forest ecology. Bring warm drinks and snacks and be prepared for cold and snow!
Meet at the Enchanted Mesa Trailhead
Sunday, December 11
12.30 – 1:30 PM
Chautauqua History Tour
Stroll through the extraordinary grounds of the Colorado Chautauqua National Historic Landmark and learn all about Boulder’s crown jewel. Our professional guide will walk you through our enchanting gardens and captivate you with fascinating stories about our iconic campus.
Meet at the north steps of Academic Hall
Saturday, December 10 and Sunday, December 11
2:00 PM
S’mores Station
Stay cozy by making s’mores over the campfire, with help from the Boulder Fire Department!
In Front of The General Store
Saturday, December 10 and Sunday, December 11
12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Food Trucks
Kingcomo’s Quesadilla
(Saturday)
Arepas Caribbean
(Sunday)
Scrooge Maki
(Saturday & Sunday)
Hot Chocolate – Provided by Abo’s
(Saturday & Sunday)
WinterFest Market Vendors
Tracy Travis Objects
Courageous Soap
I Love Me Gems
Plains & Prairie
Apron Wings
Big Bad Wolf Heirloom Jewelry
Noonday Collection
Sole By La
Beelieve Candles
Made for Lips
Map + Shuttle Info
Parking + Shuttle Info
Parking:
Parking will be EXTREMELY limited at Chautauqua, so we highly recommend that you take advantage of ride share, public transportation, or our free shuttle service, provided by Via.
Shuttle:
Parking and shuttle services will be available at New Vista High School (700 20th St, Boulder, CO 80302), and at the Broadway/27th way Park N Ride (601 27th Way, Boulder, CO 80305). The shuttle will stop at the Chautauqua Trolley Station on Baseline Rd. Shuttles run approximately every 15 – 20 minutes from 11:45 am to 5:30 pm on December 10th and 11th.
Schedule
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are the tickets time-restricted?
A: No, the day passes and cottage tour tickets are both open house style, feel free to arrive any time between 12 PM and 5 PM on your selected day!
Q: Can I buy tickets for just the carriage rides?
A: No, this year carriage rides are only available through the day pass.
Q: Can I purchase tickets in-person?
A: Yes! On Saturday and Sunday during WinterFest you can buy day passes, family four-packs and cottage tour tickets from 11 AM to 4 PM at the box office kiosk in front of the auditorium (see map).
Q: How long does the cottage tour take?
A: You can spend as much or as little time in each cottage as you want, approximate time for full tour is roughly an hour.
Q: Does the cottage tour cover other WinterFest Activites
A: No, the cottage tour is a separate ticket. A WinterFest Passes is needed for Carriage Rides, Santa’s Cottage, cookies and crafts, and the souvenir Polaroid. However, all other events, including the market and guided hikes, are free.
Stay and Save!
WinterFest Discount
OCTOBER 17 – JANUARY 31, 2023
Experience the magic of the holiday season at Chautauqua! Stay in one of our cottages as the weather cools and the flurries start to fall on the Flatirons. For an extra special visit, book a cottage December 9 – 11 and stay during WinterFest. Use code WFEST when booking for 10% off.
Subject to availability.
The Community Loves WinterFest!
“The event was simply wonderful. We thoroughly enjoyed all the activities – the carriage ride (our driver was delightful and told us all about the horses), the scavenger hunt was a great mix of silly (picture with a polar bear) and informational, my girls loved the crafts, the cookies from cookie decorating were delicious, all the decorated bears around the grounds were fantastic…I could go on and on.” – 2021 Guest
“Everything looks so beautiful. What a fun and special event!”
– 2021 Guest/Art In The Park Artist
“My husband turned to me during our afternoon and said that this would definitely be an annual tradition for us. Thank you for such a wonderful event. My family will be visiting the Chautauqua many times throughout the year!” – 2021 Guest
Gallery
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