What’s NEW at This Year’s Cherry Creek Holiday Market? 🎄

We've been going to this market for a few years now, and it keeps getting better. The Cherry Creek Holiday Market runs along Fillmore Plaza at Cherry Creek North, and this year they expanded to over 40 local vendors — more than past years — plus they redid the indoor lounge and bar area, which honestly changes the experience a lot when it's cold out.

My wife and I brought our two kids, which is part of why we keep coming back to this one over some of the bigger holiday markets around Denver. It's not overwhelming. The layout is manageable, the crowds are real but not suffocating on a weekday evening, and there's enough space that you're not constantly navigating a stroller through a wall of people. If you've ever tried to take small kids to some of the busier markets in the metro area, you know exactly what I mean.

What's Actually There

The vendor mix skews heavily local, which I appreciate. Past years had a rotating cast that changed week to week, and that's still the case — so what you see one weekend won't be exactly what's there the next. I've seen Colorado-based spirits, hand-crafted textiles, artwork, bottled cocktails, puzzles, and a lot of stuff that actually works as a gift for someone who doesn't need another candle from a big box store. The stocking-stuffer potential here is real. This is a good spot if you're trying to buy for someone specific and need something a little more interesting than what the Cherry Creek Shopping Center a few blocks away is going to offer you.

The food situation has improved. There are enough warm options to actually make this feel like a destination rather than just a shopping stop. On a cold Denver night, being able to grab something hot to eat while the kids walk around makes the whole thing more relaxed.

The Revamped Indoor Space

The new indoor lounge and bar area is the biggest change from previous years. In past visits, if it got cold, you were basically choosing between bundling up outside or calling it early. Now there's a real indoor option where adults can sit, grab a drink, and take a break while the rest of your group keeps browsing. It doesn't feel like an afterthought. We spent probably 20 minutes in there just warming up, and the layout worked well for a group.

The parking situation in Cherry Creek North is always a minor headache — that's just the neighborhood. There are garages nearby, and street parking exists if you're patient, but plan an extra 10 minutes and you'll be fine. Going on a weeknight is noticeably easier than a weekend.

What Doesn't Work as Well

The market runs through late December, but not every day — there are select Mondays when it's closed, so check before you drive over. And because the vendor lineup rotates, if you go hoping to find something specific you saw in a photo online, it might not be there. That's part of the format, but worth knowing going in. On the busier weekends, the lines at some of the food vendors can get long enough to feel like a commitment.

The market is centered at Fillmore Plaza, which is right in the heart of Cherry Creek North. If you've never been to that area, it's walkable and well-lit at night — the setting actually does a lot of the work in terms of atmosphere.

We go every year and plan to keep going. It's a low-stress, genuinely fun way to spend two hours in December, especially if you're shopping for people who like local Colorado stuff. Worth getting there before mid-December if you want the best vendor selection.