Trinidad’s downtown will usher in the holiday season as the Annual Parade of Lights, combined with local Colorfest elements, returns to Main Street on Saturday, Nov. 29. The community kickoff begins the night before with the city tree lighting, creating back-to-back events that organizers and the tourism office say are intended to keep visitors in town over the holiday weekend.

The parade is promoted on the city’s tourism page as part of a broader holiday itinerary (visittrinidadcolorado.com), which encourages families to come downtown to watch the procession. By positioning the parade immediately after a Friday evening tree lighting, the schedule aims to extend visitor presence from late-day festivities into the prime shopping hours of Saturday, the weekend following Thanksgiving.

For Las Animas County, the timing matters. The late-November weekend is a key period for small businesses seeking to capture holiday spending. Local merchants along Main Street can expect increased foot traffic as residents and visitors gather to view decorated floats, light displays and Colorfest-style attractions. While exact attendance figures for this year are not yet available, the combined sequence of events—tree lighting followed by a Saturday parade—creates a two-day draw that typically amplifies customer flow for cafes, restaurants and specialty shops clustered downtown.

Beyond the immediate economic effect, the Parade of Lights plays a role in community cohesion. Annual civic traditions serve as focal points for social life, offering an opportunity for neighbors to gather and for civic organizations to raise visibility and funds. The addition of Colorfest elements, which have been locally associated with seasonal arts and community participation, reinforces the parade’s role as both a commercial and cultural occasion.

Organizational and logistical considerations will shape the experience for attendees and businesses. Main Street will be the procession’s thoroughfare, and visitors are encouraged to plan for limited parking and potential delays in adjacent blocks. The tourism page’s itinerary suggests families line the route downtown, implying organizers expect significant pedestrian presence and are coordinating timing to maximize safety and convenience.

Looking ahead, anchoring holiday activities to a compact downtown itinerary is consistent with strategies used by smaller communities to sustain year-round tourism and support local retail. If the two-night format successfully encourages visitors to stay longer, it may strengthen downtown’s position as a regional holiday destination and provide a modest but meaningful boost to Las Animas County’s winter economy. Residents can find event details and the full holiday itinerary at the city’s tourism website.