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By Michael Gonzales · Updated October 21, 2026
Christmas in Vail runs from late November to New Year's. For 2026, the Lionshead Tree Lighting is Friday, November 27, the Vail Village Tree Lighting is Sunday, December 6, and the Kris Kringle Market runs December 10 to 13. Add free rink shows, sleigh-ride dinners and skiing on a mountain that opens November 13.
Ready to book? Check Vail hotels for Christmas week, December 24 to 27 or New Year's, December 30 to January 2.
Christmas week is also one of the busiest weeks of the year in Vail. That's the honest trade-off. You get lit villages and good snow odds, and you pay holiday prices for lodging and lift tickets. Book early.
What are the Christmas events in Vail for 2026?
These are the dated events I could confirm on the official Discover Vail calendar as of October 19, 2026:
| Date (2026) | Event | Where | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Nov 13 | Vail Mountain opening day | Vail Mountain | Season opens, weather permitting (Vail Resorts) |
| Fri, Nov 27, 6 p.m. | Lionshead Tree Lighting | By the Lionshead welcome arch | Tree lighting, a free 15-minute champion figure skating show at the Arrabelle rink, live music and Santa |
| Nov 27 to Jan 2, 2027 | Vail Après rink shows | Outdoor village rinks | Free 15-minute elite skating exhibitions, two a night |
| Sun, Dec 6, 5 p.m. | Vail Village Tree Lighting | Children's Fountain on Gore Creek Drive, between Pepi's and Lancelot | Village tree lighting |
| Thu, Dec 10 to Sun, Dec 13 | Vail Kris Kringle Market | Vail Village | European-style holiday market with Colorado makers |
| Thu, Dec 31 | Torchlight parade and fireworks | Golden Peak | Ski school torchlight ski-down, then fireworks |
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Times can change, so check each event page the week you go. If you want to know when the lights and trees go up, we cover that in when Vail decorates for Christmas.
Is Vail good to visit in December?
Yes, if you're fine with crowds over the holidays. Early December is calmer: the mountain has usually been open a few weeks, the villages are decorated, and the market lands mid-month. Christmas week through New Year's is the peak.
Vail calls itself Colorado's largest ski resort, at 5,317 acres, but early-season terrain depends on snow, so check the Vail webcams and lift status before you commit to a day.
Our guide to what to do in Vail in December goes week by week.
Where can you go ice skating in Vail at Christmas?
Holiday lights in Vail Village. Photo: Larry Johnson, CC BY 2.0
| Rink | Where | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Solaris Plaza rink | Vail Village | Outdoor rink beside the Solaris building, with the mountain behind it |
| Arrabelle rink (also called the Alderhof Ice Rink) | Lionshead, at The Arrabelle at Vail Square | Skate rentals; where the Lionshead tree-lighting show happens |
| Dobson Ice Arena | Lionshead | Indoor arena, scheduled to reopen in November 2026 after renovation |
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The outdoor rinks have skating-assist devices for kids and first-timers. Each rink sets its own hours and rental prices. After skating, cross the International Bridge for hot chocolate at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.
What's the Kris Kringle Market?
It's Vail's European-style holiday market, and it's four days, not all month. For 2026 it runs December 10 to 13 in Vail Village. Expect Colorado artisans, baked goods, kids' activities, live music and glühwein. If you miss it, the Vail shopping hub lists the year-round stores.
Where should you eat and drink over the holidays?
Book holiday dinners well ahead, especially Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Start with our 40 best restaurants in Vail, and use the Vail nightlife hub for après and late drinks.
Three things I'd put on a holiday list:
- A sleigh ride dinner. 4 Eagle Ranch in Wolcott runs winter sleigh rides behind Percheron draft horses to the historic Nelson Cabin (built around 1890) for dinner by an open-hearth fire. Bearcat Stables in Edwards also runs sleigh rides. Book early in December.
- The Haute Chocolate at The Remedy. It's inside the Four Seasons, made with Valrhona chocolate, churned at the table and topped with a house-made marshmallow.
- A drink at Red Lion across the covered bridge, if you want a classic Vail Village bar.
Where should you stay in Vail for Christmas?
Pick the village first, then the hotel:
- Vail Village puts you on the lit streets, near the covered bridge, the Vail Village tree and the Kris Kringle Market. It's also the priciest.
- Lionshead is close to the Eagle Bahn Gondola, the Arrabelle rink and the Lionshead tree lighting, and it's a little quieter at night.
- West Vail and down-valley towns cost less. You can still see the New Year's fireworks from West Vail, but you'll need the bus or a car for the villages.
A few options that fit a holiday trip: The Arrabelle at Vail Square in Lionshead (check rates on Expedia), The Lodge at Vail at the base of Vail Village (Expedia rates), and the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail.
Both the Arrabelle and the Lodge have a RockResorts Spa, which is a good way to spend a storm afternoon. Our best hotels in Vail list compares more.
Why is Vail so expensive at Christmas?
Because demand peaks and supply doesn't move. Christmas to New Year's is one of the busiest weeks of the ski season, so lodging, lift tickets and dinner reservations all run at their highest rates.
Ways to soften it: come the first or second week of December, stay in Lionshead or West Vail, and buy lift access ahead. Our guide to how much lift tickets cost at Vail explains the options.
What is there for kids besides skiing?
Fresh snow on Vail Mountain. Photo: Zach Dischner, CC BY 2.0
The reliable ones are the rinks, the nightly skating shows, Santa at the Lionshead tree lighting, and the market. There's free sledding at Ellefson Park. Tubing on the mountain at Adventure Ridge hasn't run in recent winters, so look at Sage Outdoor Adventures in Wolcott instead.
For holiday concerts, the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek Village is a short drive. What to do in Vail with kids has more ideas, and you can browse bookable tours on Viator.
What happens in Vail on New Year's Eve?
Discover Vail lists the Vail Ski and Snowboard School's torchlight ski-down at Golden Peak at 6 p.m., followed by a short fireworks show. You can see the fireworks from Vail Village, Golden Peak, Lionshead and West Vail. For this year's times, dinners and where to stay, see our New Year's Eve in Vail guide.
Plan your trip
Frequently asked questions
Is Vail a Christmas town? It's a big one for the holidays. Both villages are decorated, there are two tree lightings (November 27 in Lionshead and December 6 in Vail Village for 2026), a four-day Kris Kringle Market, and nightly skating shows from November 27 to January 2.
When is the Vail Kris Kringle Market in 2026? Thursday, December 10 to Sunday, December 13, 2026, in Vail Village, per Discover Vail.
When is the Vail tree lighting in 2026? Lionshead lights its tree on Friday, November 27, at 6 p.m. Vail Village lights its tree on Sunday, December 6, at 5 p.m. at the Children's Fountain.
Is Vail Mountain open at Christmas? It's planned to be. Vail Mountain is scheduled to open for 2026-27 on November 13, 2026, weather permitting, so it should be several weeks into the season by Christmas. How much terrain is open depends on snow.
What time are the Vail New Year's Eve fireworks? Discover Vail lists the torchlight parade at Golden Peak at 6 p.m., with fireworks right after. Check the event page that week for the 2026 time.
Is Vail busy at Christmas? Yes. Christmas week to New Year's is one of the busiest stretches of the year, so book lodging, lift access and dinners early.
Sources
Discover Vail: Lionshead Tree Lighting · Discover Vail: Vail Village Tree Lighting · Discover Vail: Kris Kringle Market · Discover Vail: Torchlight Parade & Fireworks · Discover Vail: Vail Après · Vail Resorts: 2026/27 opening dates · Vilar Performing Arts Center. Event details checked October 19, 2026.