Colorado Karting Circuit, on the east side of Centennial Airport, rents karts on a racing circuit every day until sunset through the winter. On Friday, November 20, the circuit stays busy after dark. Its own site says the "holiday light show begins 5pm 11/20," and from then on cars will move slowly past millions of lights timed to music playing on their FM radios.
The show is Christmas in Color, and its November 1 announcement calls Colorado Karting Circuit the newest location, "adding another option for the south metro area." For Piney Creek, that option is the real news. Over the last two seasons, the nearest version of this show was a trip across the metro. This year it's close enough for a school night, and the ticket structure rewards families who treat it that way.
Where the Nearest Show Used to Be
9News reported three Denver-area displays in 2024: Water World, the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds and Red Rocks. In 2025 the fairgrounds dropped off the list. KYGO covered that season's shows at Red Rocks and Water World and referred to the fairgrounds as a past location. So last year the choice was Morrison or Federal Heights.
Both are coming back. The 2026 lineup brings back Red Rocks with "double the lights," and Water World returns to Federal Heights for its ninth year. The difference for this neighborhood is the third site. According to the Piney Creek HOA, Piney Creek runs from E. Orchard Road on the south to the Aurora line on the north, with Buckley Road as its eastern edge, next to Cherry Creek Reservoir. From there, E. Arapahoe Road is the main east-west road toward the airport side of Centennial. Neither of the other two shows is anywhere near that road. The new one sits at 13600 Eagle Rock Road, Englewood, CO 80112.
A Racetrack That Keeps Its Day Job
Colorado Karting Circuit is a working track first. It offers rental karts, group and corporate events, and junior karting. Rental bookings require what the circuit calls a Bronze Rental License. It also holds dedicated owner kart track days for drivers who bring their own karts. Centennial Airport also lists it as one of the attractions around the airfield.
The circuit says it is open daily until sunset through the winter, and the light show takes over once it gets dark. Visit Denver's event listing has the Centennial show running November 20 through December 30, 2026, every night. Because the track still runs its day business, families can also try the karts before dark and stay for the lights.
Why Being Close Changes the Ticket Math
Every ticket covers one vehicle. The homepage describes about 30 minutes of driving through animated displays and light tunnels, with Christmas glasses included for each car. The Centennial ticketing page offers three options:
| Pass | Price per vehicle | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Pass | Starting at $34.99 | One visit |
| Family Pass | Starting at $49.99 | One visit plus an LED Party Pack |
| Season Pass | $89.00 | Unlimited visits this season |
The page says Classic and Family prices "may vary by date" and that taxes and fees may apply. The checkout adds a $5.00 line for taxes and the venue fee. It also says every sale is final and tickets can't be refunded. Purchase Protection, which refunds the ticket if a covered event keeps you from going, costs an extra $1.99 and has to be added at checkout because it can't be added afterward. Add-ons are sold separately: a Party Pack for $19.99 and a Light Pack with two LED light sticks and 3D glasses for $8.00.
The Season Pass is where distance matters. At the $34.99 Classic starting price, two visits cost $69.98 and three cost $104.97. The $89 pass costs more than two visits and less than three, so it starts saving money on the third trip. From Morrison or Federal Heights, a third trip is a big ask. From the east side of Centennial, a third trip can be the Thanksgiving weekend drive with visiting relatives, a weeknight in mid-December, and one more after the kids are out of school.
The show's FAQ also says when to go. Crowds "spike on weekends and holidays," and the show suggests visiting Monday through Thursday to "save time and money." On the calendar Visit Denver lists, 23 of the 41 nights from November 20 to December 30 fall on a Monday through Thursday. Some of those, like Thanksgiving on November 26 and Christmas Eve on December 24, are holidays and will probably draw weekend-sized crowds. The rest are ordinary weeknights. A show with a short drive and a cheaper, quieter Tuesday is the kind of outing a family can decide on after dinner.
The homepage also promotes code MAGIC5 for $5 off and warns that "popular nights sell out first." It also offers a "Buy Now, Book Later" option, new this season, for anyone who wants to buy now and pick a night later.
Before You Pull Out of the Driveway
These rules come from the show's FAQ, and a few of them can't be fixed once you're at the gate.
- Bring a working FM radio. You get the station number at the entrance, and the music only plays through the car's radio.
- Check the vehicle. Regular passenger cars, trucks and vans are allowed. Vehicles taller than 10 feet, buses, limos and trailers are not.
- Ride together from the start. Once you're inside, groups can't move into fewer cars. If two households want to share one ticket, they should meet up before they leave.
- Have the email ready. Online purchases come with a confirmation email that has a barcode and a QR code, and staff scan either one at the entrance.
- Buy ahead on busy nights. The FAQ says gate sales are available, but it recommends buying in advance to make sure you get in.
- Plan for a wait on weekends. The FAQ suggests bringing something to keep kids busy in line during busier periods.
The Stretch of Arapahoe Road With Orange Barrels
Heading west on Arapahoe Road toward the airport side of the city, you'll pass an active City of Centennial project. Crews are building the Lone Tree Creek Trail underpass, a concrete box culvert under E. Arapahoe Road between S. Revere Parkway and S. Potomac Street. It will let trail users cross under the road instead of using the crosswalk at Revere. Construction started in spring 2026 and is set to finish in spring 2027.
The city has scheduled Phase II for fall 2026. Traffic shifts to the outside lanes in both directions while crews work in the median. Some restrictions stay in place around the clock for the whole project. At Arapahoe and Revere, drivers can only turn right, and north-south traffic can't go straight through. Lanes are narrowed to 10 feet, and the speed limit in the work zone is 45 mph. The city suggests S. Peoria Street or S. Potomac Street for north-south trips and E. Peakview Avenue or E. Briarwood Avenue for east-west trips and getting to businesses. The weekday single-lane closures on the city's project page are scheduled for daytime and end by 3 p.m., before the lights come on. The city notes that every schedule depends on the weather and can change, and it points drivers to COTrip.org for current lane closures.
Further east, the turn-lane and median work on Arapahoe Road between S. Lewiston Way and S. Buckley Road, close to Piney Creek, was finished in spring 2026.
A Free Santa Stop With a Familiar Name
One more December event to add to the calendar. The Trails Park and Recreation District is holding Snapshots with Santa in the Park at Piney Creek Hollow Park. The park shares the name but is a district park at 6140 South Tower Road, not part of the Piney Creek HOA. The event runs December 13, 19 and 20, from 3 to 6 p.m., and it's free. Families can see Santa's sleigh, take their own photos, and have cookies and hot chocolate. Visitors are invited to bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots. Registration isn't required. December 13 is a Sunday, and December 19 and 20 are a Saturday and Sunday. Since the event ends at 6 p.m., it's easy to visit Santa in the late afternoon and then drive to the lights, as long as you expect the longer weekend wait.
If a weeknight drive to the lights has you thinking about the Piney Creek area, or about plans for the new year, Leah Klepetka would be glad to help. Let's Connect.
