PRESS CONTACT
Luke Perkins, Manager of Communications and Public Relations
303-866-3670 | luke.perkins@state.co.us

History Colorado’s Holiday Offerings:
Holiday Teas at the Center for Colorado Women’s History | Denver, CO
Center for Colorado Women’s History | December 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, and 21 at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Tickets ($17-40) are limited, so purchase yours now!
Celebrate the holiday season with your loved ones and a cozy cup of tea at the Center for Colorado Women's History during its beloved Holiday Teas. Featuring a docent-led tour, the signature Lady Evans black tea, and a variety of savory and sweet snacks provided by local and woman-led business Miss Peabody’s Southern Tea Cakes, these Holiday Teas are the perfect opportunity to see the Center for Colorado Women's History adorned in all of its holiday splendor. 

Holiday Teas at the Center for Colorado Women’s History are available on select Thursdays and Saturdays throughout December. Guests can choose either the 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. seating or the 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. seating when purchasing tickets. Some dietary restrictions can be accommodated at Holiday Teas with advanced notice. Please email CCWH@state.co.us at least seven days in advance of your seating to request dietary alternatives.

Georgetown Loop Holiday Trains | Georgetown, CO
Georgetown Loop Railroad | Multiple dates and times throughout December and early January
The Georgetown Loop Railroad is happy to announce its Winter Holiday Trains are running until January 5, 2025. Located forty-five miles west of Denver, the Georgetown Loop Railroad is one of Colorado’s most authentic living history experiences. The railroad offers daily train rides through scenic and snowy vistas on Santa’s Rocky Mountain Adventure, as well as evening journeys in Santa’s Lighted Forest featuring more than 300,000 holiday lights. Tickets sell out quickly so be sure to reserve yours now!

Holiday Arts and Crafts Festival | Montrose, CO
Ute Indian Museum | December 7, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Enjoy the work of Colorado artisans and be merry at the Ute Indian Museum’s Holiday Arts and Crafts Festival! This seasonal event is the perfect opportunity to explore various arts and crafts vendors while warming up with fresh fry bread, bidding at the silent auction, and supporting Native American artists! No tickets or reservations are needed for this holiday event. So come on down to the Ute Indian Museum and join us in celebrating the holiday season at this free event.

History Colorado 2025 Tours & Treks Summit | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | December 12, 6 - 8 p.m.
Give the gift of adventure this holiday season! During History Colorado’s 2025 Tours & Treks Summit, our team will unveil new thrilling overnight escapades, informative walking tours, and one-of-a-kind events enriching our understanding of the history of the Centennial State. These experiences are perfect presents for friends and loved ones or as an opportunity to indulge in an excursion of your own – because you’re just as important! Regardless of your intentions for travel and exploration, History Colorado has you covered. For more information and to reserve your free ticket for the Summit, please visit the event listing available here. 

Artisan's Winter Market at Fort Garland | Fort Garland, CO
Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center | December 14, 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Join the Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center staff for the Artisan's Winter Market on Saturday, December 14. Shop for unique holiday gifts created by local artisans and crafters, and enjoy a day filled with musical entertainment, prizes, and delicious food. Doors open at 11 a.m., with parking and entrance at the front of the museum.

Interested Vendors may pick up an application at the Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center or register online. Cost is $20. Spaces are limited and will be filled on a first come, first serve basis. The deadline to register as a vendor is December 6, 2024. Contact the museum for more information at (719) 379-3512.

The Museum will also be holding its 3rd Annual Biscochito Bake-off Contest during this event. Rules to Enter: $10 Entry Fee. Submissions of 2 dozen biscochito cookies will be accepted between 10:30-11:30 a.m. on the day of the event. Judging will begin at 12 p.m. and winners will be announced at 2 p.m. 

Kids Holiday Activity | Montrose, CO
Ute Indian Museum | December 14, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., and December 21, 12 - 2 p.m.
Tickets ($15) and additional information available at the Museum.

This December the Ute Indian Museum will be hosting a pair of Kids Holiday Activity days designed to educate and entertain children ages 6 - 13 years old. With seasonal crafts, scavenger hunts, Indigenous-produced movies, and holiday snacks, there is something for everyone at these family friendly events! Reservation is required and tickets are limited so call the Ute Indian Museum at (970) 249-3098 or email HC_ute_indian_museum@state.co.us to secure your spot today! 

New Attractions:
New Exhibition – The 90s: Last Decade Before the Future | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | Now on View!
We live in the future. A future created in the 1990s. The History Colorado Center welcomes guests on an exploration of the technological revolutions, landmark moments, and rapid social, cultural, economic, and political changes that planted the seeds for the 21st century and created our modern world in: The 90s: Last Decade Before the Future.

Using a remarkable collection of objects pulled from History Colorado’s archives, and loaned from museums and libraries across the nation, The 90s: Last Decade Before the Future shows visitors something which they intuitively knew but perhaps couldn’t quantify: the 90s changed everything.

New Exhibition – Cheyenne Dog Soldiers | Montrose, CO
Ute Indian Museum | Now on View!
The Ute Indian Museum’s newest exhibition takes a look at the history of the Cheyenne Dog Soldiers as seen through the nearly forgotten ledgerbook illustration created by these renowned Cheyenne warriors. This exhibition is included with admission to the Ute Indian Museum and will be on display through May 2025.

December Events at History Colorado Sites Around the State:
House Museum Book Club | Denver, CO
Center for Colorado Women's History | December 1, 12:30 – 2 p.m.
Join the Center for Colorado Women's History and Molly Brown House Museum to read and discuss books related to women’s history, Colorado history, and books by women authors from Colorado! The free book club takes place on a Sunday of each even-numbered month of 2024 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. and can be attended either in-person at the host museum or online via a Zoom link that will be sent to you after you RSVP. A complete list of books and club meeting dates can be found here.

Coffee & Conversation | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | December 6, 8 a.m.
Start the first Friday of December with free coffee and tea! Held at the Trinidad History Museum, Coffee & Conversation provides space for community gatherings. Join us, mingle with neighbors, and meet your museum team! We look forward to seeing you!

Paint Night @ the Bloom | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | December 6, 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Tickets ($30) and additional information available here.
Join the Trinidad History Museum staff during Trinidad’s First Friday Art Walk for a guided paint class taught by local artist Risa Phelps. Tickets for this event are $30/person, which includes all supplies needed! Light refreshments will be provided, but outside beverages and food are welcome. Reservations are required. To reserve your space, purchase a ticket online or contact Millie Duren at emily.duren@state.co.us or 719-846-7217.

Low Sensory Mornings | | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | December 14, 8 – 10 a.m.
The History Colorado Center is excited to announce the return of Low Sensory Mornings! Designed for visitors that prefer a soothing, accessible environment, Low Sensory Mornings feature limited attendance and reduced sounds throughout all five floors of the History Colorado Center from 8 - 10 a.m. With the museum closed to the general public, Low Sensory Mornings are the perfect opportunity to explore the more than fifteen exhibitions that capture the spirit of the Centennial State at the History Colorado Center.

Tamales and Champurrado: Workshop and Dinner | Denver, CO
Kitchen Network | December 14, 3 – 5:30 p.m.
Tickets ($40-45) and additional information available here.
Join Julian Salas, of Don Zorros Molino, for a workshop and dinner featuring tamales and champurrado: a delicious and culturally rich match made in culinary heaven. This event is the perfect opportunity to participate in the traditional Mexican holiday practice of coming together to create tamales—sweet banana tamales in this case. Guests will also partake in champurrado—a warmly spiced chocolate drink made with milk, cacao nibs, and masa—while discussing the importance of this food practice in Mexican culture and pre-Columbian history.

Book Club | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | December 21, 10 – 11 a.m.
Join the Trinidad History Museum’s Book Club for a discussion about December’s book-of-the-month: This Fierce Blood by Malia Marquez. Hosted every other month, the Trinidad Book Club comes together to talk about a book set in or related to Colorado (but varied in genre and theme). To sign up for December’s conversation, or to learn more about Book Club, please contact Millie Duren at emily.duren@state.co.us or at (719) 846-7217. 

About History Colorado
History Colorado is a division of the Colorado Department of Higher Education and a 501(c)3 non-profit that has served more than 75,000 students and 500,000 people in Colorado each year. It is a 145-year-old institution that operates eleven museums and historic sites, a free public research center, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation which provides technical assistance, educational opportunities, and other access to archaeology and historic preservation, and the History Colorado State Historical Fund (SHF), which is one of the nation’s largest state funded preservation programs of its kind. More than 70% of SHF grants are allocated in rural areas of the state. Additionally, the offices of the State Archaeologist and the State Historic Preservation Officer are part of History Colorado. 

History Colorado’s mission is to create a better future for Colorado by inspiring wonder in our past. We serve as the state’s memory, preserving and sharing the places, stories, and material culture of Colorado through educational programs, historic preservation grants, collecting, outreach to Colorado communities, the History Colorado Center and Stephen H. Hart Research Center in Denver, and 10 other museums and historic attractions statewide. History Colorado is one of only six Smithsonian Affiliates in Colorado. Visit HistoryColorado.org, or call 303-HISTORY, for more information. #HistoryColorado