Best Things to Do in Northern Colorado in November (2026 Guide)

What Are the Best Things to Do in Northern Colorado in November?

November’s headline events in Northern Colorado are the Festival of Trees at Greeley’s Union Colony Civic Center (Nov. 21–Dec. 5), Downtown Windsor’s Ugly Sweater Wine Walk (Sat., Nov. 21), the Christmas in Windsor Craft Show (Nov. 21–22), and the WinterFest kickoff in Downtown Greeley on Shop Small Saturday (Nov. 28). Add Fortune Feimster (Nov. 12), Mannheim Steamroller (Nov. 20), and Thanksgiving-morning turkey trots in Greeley and Windsor, and it’s the month the holiday season gets going.

By Brian & Sam Franzen | November 5, 2026

November in Northern Colorado starts with a run of concerts and comedy in Greeley and Windsor, then turns into the holidays fast. By Thanksgiving weekend, Greeley, Windsor, Fort Collins, Loveland, and the towns around them are lighting trees and opening holiday markets.

Every month we round up the events we’d actually go to ourselves, checked against the organizers’ own calendars. Missed last month’s Northern Colorado events roundup? Catch up on October before you dive into November.

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Can’t-Miss Things to Do in Northern Colorado This November

Fortune Feimster: Takin’ Care of Biscuits
Thu., Nov. 12, 7 PM | Union Colony Civic Center, Greeley
The Netflix comedian is on tour, and VIP tickets add a post-show meet and greet.

Festival of Trees
Sat., Nov. 21 – Sat., Dec. 5 | Union Colony Civic Center, Greeley
The Civic Center lobbies fill with themed trees, plus a gingerbread village, live music, kids’ activities, horse-and-wagon rides, and a live and online auction.

Ugly Sweater Wine Walk
Sat., Nov. 21, 5–8 PM | Downtown Windsor
Seventeen downtown businesses pour tastings. Check-in closes promptly at 5:45 PM, and tickets usually sell out.

Big Boy No. 4014 + Living Legend No. 844
Sat., Nov. 21 | Greeley to Denver
Union Pacific’s Big Boy picks up the Living Legend No. 844 in Greeley for a Make-A-Wish holiday run to Denver. It’s the 844’s first public trip since 2019. Ride tickets are adults-only, and viewing details are still to come at up.com/heritage/steam.

Christmas in Windsor Craft Show
Sat., Nov. 21, 9 AM–5 PM & Sun., Nov. 22, 10 AM–3 PM | Windsor Community Recreation Center
Handmade gifts fill the big gym, the auxiliary gym, and the Evergreen Room ($5 at the door), which takes care of a lot of your gift list in one morning.

WinterFest Kickoff on Shop Small Saturday
Sat., Nov. 28 | Lincoln Park & 9th St., Downtown Greeley
WinterFest opens with a holiday open house on Shop Small Saturday and runs every Saturday through Dec. 12.

Live Music, Comedy & Entertainment

The Union Colony Civic Center and Moxi Theater split the month between them:

• The Seven Wonders: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac: Fri., Nov. 6, 8 PM, Moxi Theater
• Salute to Service (Greeley Philharmonic Brass Ensemble): Fri., Nov. 6, 7 PM, First United Methodist Church, Windsor; Sat., Nov. 7, 7 PM, Generations Church, Greeley
• Fortune Feimster: Thu., Nov. 12, 7 PM, Union Colony Civic Center
• Josh Wolf: Touring Hard (comedy): Thu., Nov. 12, 6:30 and 9 PM, Moxi Theater
• Ninety Percent 90s: Sat., Nov. 14, 7:30 PM, Moxi Theater
• Mannheim Steamroller Christmas: Fri., Nov. 20, 7:30 PM, Union Colony Civic Center
• Waitress (Broadway musical): Tue., Nov. 24, 7:30 PM, Union Colony Civic Center
• Dueling Pianos Official Road Show: Fri., Nov. 27 & Sat., Nov. 28, 8 PM, Moxi Theater

Date Night Ideas This Month

A few ideas for a night out this month:

• Fortune Feimster or Josh Wolf: Thu., Nov. 12. You get two comedy shows on the same night, a few blocks apart.
• Whiskey Wonderland: Sat., Nov. 21, 6 PM, Union Colony Civic Center. Small-batch whiskey tastings on the Monfort stage during Festival of Trees opening weekend (21+). VIP adds a whiskey specialist, chef-curated pairings, and rare pours.
• Ugly Sweater Wine Walk: Sat., Nov. 21, 5–8 PM, Downtown Windsor. Finish with a nightcap at Twin Staves Cocktail Lounge.
• Waitress: Tue., Nov. 24, 7:30 PM. A night out before the Thanksgiving cooking starts.
• Dueling Pianos at Moxi: Fri., Nov. 27. A night out after Thanksgiving, while family is still in town.
• The Lodge Windsor’s Orin Swift Wine Dinner: Sun., Nov. 29, 6–9 PM. The Lodge hosts a themed wine dinner the last Sunday of every month. Book at tbrooks@twvchospitality.com or (970) 674-1100.

Holiday Markets, Farmers Markets & Weekly Favorites

The Greeley Winter Farmers’ Market has moved indoors to Zoë’s Café & Events (715 10th St.) for the season. It runs the 1st and 3rd Saturdays, 9 AM–noon, which means Nov. 7 and Nov. 21 this month, then Dec. 5 and 19.

Windsor homeowners: the town’s Leaf & Branch Drop runs Fridays–Sundays through Nov. 15, 8 AM–3 PM, at the Public Services Campus. It’s residents only, $10 a carload, credit card only, and no bags. Festival of Trees public hours at the Union Colony Civic Center change by day: Sat., Nov. 21 (1–6 PM), Sun., Nov. 22 (1–5), Fri., Nov. 27 (4–8), Sat., Nov. 28 (5–8), Sun., Nov. 29 (1–5), Fri., Dec. 4 (4–8), and Sat., Dec. 5 (1–5). The Christmas in Windsor Craft Show (Nov. 21–22) is the month’s big handmade market, and Downtown Greeley’s WinterFest fills Lincoln Park and 9th Street every Saturday from Nov. 28 through Dec. 12 with carriage rides, live music, makers’ workshops, and the North Pole Mailbox.

Thanksgiving Week in Northern Colorado

Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26, and there’s plenty to do on the days around it:

• NCMC Turkey Trot: Thu., Nov. 26. The USATF-certified 5K starts at 9 AM and the 2K Gobbler Trek at 9:15, on the east side of North Colorado Medical Center (1801 16th St., Greeley). Proceeds support cardiac and pulmonary rehab patients. Registration prices go up Nov. 21.
• Pelican Lakes Turkey Trot: Thu., Nov. 26. The 5K run starts at 9 AM and the walk at 9:05, from the Pelican Lakes golf course lot in Windsor. Strollers and dogs are welcome. It benefits Athletes in Tandem and collects food for the Weld Food Bank.
• Ellie’s Corner Shop pies: preorder Thanksgiving pies online at elliesbakeshop.com and pick up Nov. 24 or 25 at 920 9th Ave. in Greeley. Orders are filling up.
• Dueling Pianos (Moxi, Nov. 27–28) gives a houseful of family something to do.
• Shop Small Saturday, Nov. 28, is also WinterFest’s opening day in Downtown Greeley.

Family & Kid-Friendly Things to Do in Northern Colorado

• Be Like Blippi!: Thu., Nov. 5, 6 PM, Union Colony Civic Center. Add the Photo Experience ticket to meet Blippi onstage after the show.
• High School Musical Jr. (NoCo Theatrix): Fri., Nov. 6 – Sun., Nov. 8, Hensel Phelps Theatre at the Union Colony Civic Center. Six performances.
• UNC Bears Men’s Basketball at Bank of Colorado Arena: the home opener is Mon., Nov. 2 (7:30 PM vs. Colorado College), then Tue., Nov. 10 (6 PM vs. Northern New Mexico College) and Sat., Nov. 21 (2 PM vs. Justice University). The Oct. 11 game against Wyoming in Gillette was an exhibition, so Nov. 2 is the real season opener.
• Lil Monsters Playground Greeley: the indoor playground’s new Greeley location officially opens Mon., Nov. 30. Limited-capacity pre-opening play sessions run Nov. 16, 17, 19 and 20, so reserve ahead through @lilmonstersplayground.
• Big Boy + No. 844: Sat., Nov. 21. Watch up.com for viewing details in Greeley and Denver.
• Festival of Trees: Nov. 21 – Dec. 5. Kids’ activities, the gingerbread village, and horse-and-wagon rides.
• Turkey trots in Greeley and Windsor: Thanksgiving morning. Both have kid pricing.
• Whoville Holiday at Festival of Trees: Sat., Nov. 28, 9 AM, Union Colony Civic Center. A morning straight out of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
• A Dance Place Presents Chicago: Teen Edition: Sat., Nov. 28, 6 PM; Sun., Nov. 29, 1 and 6 PM, Union Colony Civic Center.

Looking Ahead to December

• UNC Men’s Basketball at home: Thu., Dec. 3 (6 PM vs. Idaho), Sat., Dec. 5 (2 PM vs. Eastern Washington), and Sun., Dec. 20 (2 PM vs. Regis), all at Bank of Colorado Arena
• Nutcracker Afternoon Tea at Windsor Lake Cafe & Marketplace: Fridays and Saturdays in December, starting Fri., Dec. 4, with seatings at 1–2:45 and 3–4:45 PM. $50 per person, two-person minimum. Reserve at wlcmarketplace.square.site.
• WinterFest Saturdays: Dec. 5 and Dec. 12, Lincoln Park & 9th St., Downtown Greeley
• Festival of Trees final weekend: Fri., Dec. 4 (4–8 PM) and Sat., Dec. 5 (1–5 PM), Union Colony Civic Center
• ParHopper Open: Christmas Mini Golf Bar Crawl: Sat., Dec. 5, 1–7 PM, Downtown Greeley. Mini golf from bar to bar, $50 per two-person team at parhopper.com

Our Favorite Picks

If we had one November weekend to plan, it would be the 21st and 22nd. Saturday morning starts at the Winter Farmers’ Market at Zoë’s, then we’d walk over to the Civic Center when Festival of Trees opens at 1. Saturday night is the Ugly Sweater Wine Walk in Windsor, with a nightcap at Twin Staves. On Sunday we’d hit the Christmas in Windsor Craft Show early and knock out half the gift list. Then on Thanksgiving week, we’d pick up our Ellie’s Corner Shop pie on the 25th and run a turkey trot Thursday morning so the pie doesn’t count.

Frequently Asked Questions

If any of these need tickets (the Wine Walk, Whiskey Wonderland, the Civic Center shows), book those first. And if you’re weighing a move to Greeley or Windsor, or just planning your weekends, we’re always happy to talk through what’s next. If you’re thinking about buying in Northern Colorado, schedule a free buyer consultation and let’s talk timing, strategy, and what’s actually possible in today’s market.

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About Brian & Sam Franzen

Brian Franzen is a Greeley and Northern Colorado Realtor with more than a decade of experience and hundreds of closed transactions across residential, investment, commercial, land, and water properties. He’s a native of Northern Colorado, an eXp ICON Agent, and a City of Greeley Planning Commissioner. Sam Franzen leads The Franzen Group’s digital marketing, brand voice, and content, including this monthly roundup. Connect with Brian and Sam at thefranzengroup.com.