How Denver Became A Beacon of Christmas Joy
Christmas lights have been a tradition for so long, it’s hard to imagine December without them. We heard a rumor that Denver was the birthplace of these magical twinkling bulbs — so we called up Colorado history expert Dr. William Wei to find out more. Guest host Avery Lill chats with Dr. Wei about his latest book, Becoming Colorado, which traces the state’s history using the backstories of one hundred objects, including a box of Christmas lights. We also went on a mission to find the folks behind the brilliant light displays at Denver’s City and County Building and connected with Nate, Madeline, and Heidi Webb . The Webbs have run their event lighting company Blazen Illuminations in Colorado for more than two decades and they share the secrets to what makes those holiday light shows so fun to watch.
Find out about more fun holiday stuff going on in Denver by subscribing to our weekday newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Have a favorite local Christmas lights display you think we should know about? Tell us on Twitter: @citycastdenver

Want to know what's happening in Denver? Sign up for our free newsletter, Hey Denver. Packed with local news, curated event recs, local life hacks, and more, it's your daily toolkit for getting the most out of the city you love.
Latest Episodes
Denver’s Got Startup Fever, More Hotels Not Housing, and a Green Chile Debate
More than ten thousand people with big dreams arrived in the Mile High City for this year’s Denver Startup Week, and AI was the talk of the ...

High Plains Comedy Turns 10, ‘Vandal Futurism,’ and Music for Beer-Drinking
This weekend marks the tenth anniversary of what our guest calls “Comedy Christmas” — aka, the High Plains Comedy Festival. Returning fave J...

Should Denver Rename These 6 Parks?
At the height of the racial justice protests of 2020, Denverites — like the rest of the country — reckoned with our past. Statues depicting ...

Is the 'Homeless Bar' Real? Plus, Public Overdose Deaths Are on the Rise
It’s Tuesday, so host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are breaking down all the local stories that matter. First, a report of a so-cal...

Has Denver’s Dumpling Moment Finally Arrived?
With the opening of Yuan Wonton’s new shared brick-and-mortar restaurant in Park Hill, the food trend of the fall is officially the humble d...

Boebert’s Big Night Out, Paying Legislators, and a Trash-Eating Bear
U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert had a big night out at the theater in Denver this past weekend, complete with vaping, loud singing, and b...

What Did CO’s New Michelin Stars Really Cost? Plus, Mountaintop Arby’s
After months of anticipation and rumors, the Michelin Guide bestowed five local restaurants a Michelin star at an exclusive ceremony in RiNo...

Do These Denver Icons Deserve 1-Star Reviews?
The humble user review — taken alone, is just one person’s opinion. But put a bunch together, and that aggregated star rating can make or br...

What Do Denverites Really Think? A New Poll Shows All
It’s easy to walk down the streets of Denver and see the major issues facing our city — housing, homelessness, public safety, etc. It’s much...

Is There Such Thing as a ‘Denver Accent’?
It’s easy to forget, but Denver is still a young city, constantly searching for an identity. So it’s confounding why there’s so little resea...
