Lighting of Christmas Mountain Activities
The lighting of Christmas Mountain is a special event that takes place every year in Salida on the day after Thanksgiving. The annual Parade of Lights will take place at 6pm. This year's parade is sponsored by High Country Bank. Entry forms may be picked up at High Country Bank, The Mountain Mail, and the Salida Chamber of Commerce. There is no fee to enter in the parade, and deadline for entry forms is November 18. The Salida Fire Department will light off the fireworks display after the parade. Holiday Park, located in Riverside Park, will open around 6pm.
A few notes about the history of Christmas Mountain, taken from the Salida Chamber of Commerce's website, are included below:
"This holiday symbol made up of 4,500 brightly-colored LED bulbs strung from Tenderfoot Mountain’s summit to base shines over Salida throughout the whole holiday season, from late November into mid-January. The glowing effect is accomplished with green lights outlining the tree and its garland, while red, orange and white lights create ornaments to complete the picture. This giant Christmas tree is topped with a large sparkling star visible over the Arkansas River Valley for miles and miles. Holiday Park also hosts the special annual display of Christmas trees. Decorated by local sponsors to commemorate loved ones or just celebrate the season, the trees line the walkways making for a heart-warming winter’s walk.
Tenderfoot Mountain, a.k.a. ‘S’ Mountain, has a major year-round presence in the heart of Salida. Prominently located at the end of F Street — the town’s main drag – it is normally adorned with white lights in the shape of “S.” This alternates with a red heart symbolizing the “Heart of the Rockies.” The lighting is occasionally changed to commemorate other special occasions, too – including special tributes and causes.
Originally, the idea for Christmas Mountain came from a local contractor. First he tried using floodlights to create a ‘tree’ effect, but the results didn’t quite inspire the magical effect he envisioned. So in 1990, he asked a surveyor to draw up a design for the display. Using these blueprints, volunteers carefully strung extension cords and lights in a zig zag pattern down the gently sloping 500-foot mountain. If stretched out, this strand of lights would cover a mile. The enchanting effect forever transformed Salida’s Christmas celebrations, making the town a true Christmas-in-Colorado destination.
Every year since then, volunteers continue to take on this traditional task in early November."
