CAÑON CITY — A drive-through Christmas light show at the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park was converted this year to a walking event with more of a holiday village vibe, and so far it’s attracting more visitors.
“It’s been very successful,” said Denny Dore, marketing director for the park. “We had our busiest Bridge of Lights day ever on Friday.”
More than 350 people visited during the opening evening event, strolling the 1,260 feet across the bridge suspended 956 feet above the Arkansas River. The wind buffeted the bridge and walkers could feel the slightest sway as they walked across the 1,257 wooden planks.
The usual vistas of the canyon are devoured by darkness, replaced by lights adorning the bridge and other buildings and walkways.
The park started the drive-through light show in 2022 and typically 20 to 25 cars would drive through every weekend day, Dore said. Visitors would drive through and leave the park because nothing else was open.
This year, they decided to expand the event to include a small Christmas market with local vendors, visits with Santa (on Friday and Saturday) and some children’s activities. The café offers hot drinks and snacks, and many made the trek across the bridge and back with cocoa or coffee in hand.
“The ornament decorating has been very popular,” Dore said, noting that he thought he’d ordered enough supplies for all four weekends but they were mostly used up the first weekend. He’s ordered more.
The event will continue 5-8 p.m. Friday-Sunday until Dec. 21. Although the park is open 365 days a year, including on Christmas, Dore said they decided to end the evening event and village on the weekend before Christmas.
A handful of vendors were selling holiday gift items and the park’s gift shop was open for those wanting to do a little Christmas shopping while enjoying the lights.
There was light snow Sunday evening — “it was lovely” — but the event would be canceled if it’s too icy or there’s a severe winter storm, he said.
Tickets to Bridge of Lights are $14 per person online and $16 at the gate. Royal Gorge Bridge and Park season pass holders get in for $11.