New for 2026National Western Center • Denver

Western Wonderland

Nov 28 - Dec 27, 2026

The holidays, done Western. Christmas lights over the plaza, fire pits with a campfire glow, carriage rides, and a whole village of Colorado makers to shop. Flannel encouraged. Bring a gift list.

Start your free application Event details

Help build the first Winter Village.

Free to apply. Shops from $100 a weekday, tents from $90, food and drink $50 a day + 10% of sales. Weekends run higher. Apply by Oct 31 for 10% off 3 or more days in one week. See spaces and rates

Western Wonderland poster for Nov 28 to Dec 27 in Denver, with the National Western Center water tower, market tents under string lights and a fire pit

WhenOpening weekend Nov 28-29Water tower lighting on Small Business Saturday. Then Thursdays to Sundays through Dec 20, the Last-Minute Market Dec 21-23, closing with a Santa send-off Dec 26-27. Closed Dec 24 and 25.Add to calendar

HoursThu-Fri 4-9pmSat 11am-9pm • Sun 11am-6pmDec 21-23 (Mon-Wed) 2-9pmDec 21-23 is our Last-Minute Market. Finish your shopping list under the lights. We are closed Dec 24 and 25. Hours for the Dec 26-27 send-off will be announced. Subject to change.

WhereMain Campus PlazaNational Western Center, 4850 National Western Dr, Denver. North end of the plaza by the water tower.Get directions

What to expect

Western Wonderland is the start of a new holiday tradition at the National Western Center. Cactus wrapped in lights, a crackling fire pit, a carriage ride across the plaza.

At the heart of it is the Winter Village, a market of Colorado makers and small businesses set up in a row of holiday shops, with food and drink vendors serving from trucks, trailers and tents. Shop for gifts, grab something warm and stay a while.

Santa holds court in his workshop on select dates, and the season opens with a water tower lighting on Small Business Saturday, November 28.

Water tower lightingOpening night, Nov 28Save the date

Winter VillageLocal makers, gifts and foodSell here

Santa's Workshop + performancesSanta and holiday performances on select dates

Fire pits + carriagesOn the plaza. Availability varies by date.

For vendors

Come sell in the first Winter Village

It's year one, so the businesses we bring in now set the tone for everything after. We're looking for Colorado makers, artists, independent shops and food and drink vendors with a good reason for people to stop, browse and stay a while. Applying is free and takes about five minutes, and nothing is due until you're accepted. Applying doesn't reserve a space. We review applications in the order they come in, and we have a limited number of shops. Curious about the shops? Meet the Village Shops.

A real destination. The Main Campus Plaza at the National Western Center.
Your space, your way. Apply for a walk-in Village Shop with a locking door, or bring your own tent, food truck or trailer.
Flexible days. Single days, weekends, weeks or the full season.
Small-business rates. Shops from $100 a weekday, tents from $90. Book more days to save with weekend, weekly and full-season packages, and take 10% off 3 or more days in a week if you apply by Oct 31.

Early bookingApply by October 31 and shops and tents get 10% off 3 or more days in one week, including the full season. Space rental only.Apply before Oct 31

Large shop

10' x 10'An event-provided shop with room for a full display. Bring your merchandise and fixtures. Retail and packaged goods only, no cooking inside.From $125 a daySeason to Dec 20 $1,800Apply for a large shop

Small shop

8' x 8'The same setup in a smaller footprint, at a lower rate. Retail and packaged goods only, no cooking inside.From $100 a daySeason to Dec 20 $1,530Apply for a small shop

Your own tent

10' x 10'Bring your tent, weights and display. Set up and pack out each selling day.From $90 a dayThursday to Sunday $375Apply with your tent

Food + drink

Tent or truckTent, food truck or trailer. Food and drink vendors also join us for the Santa send-off, Dec 26-27.$50 a dayplus 10% of salesApply to serve

Weekend days? Saturday or Sunday is $200 for a large shop, $150 for a small shop and $125 for a tent. Weekday rates cover Thursday and Friday.

Want the full season? For shops, that is the opening weekend plus all three Thursday-to-Sunday weeks, November 28 to December 20. It is 10% less than booking the weeks one at a time, and applying by October 31 takes another 10% off. A large shop comes to $1,620, and a full-season shop includes a 20A circuit.

Last-Minute Market, December 21 to 23? Monday to Wednesday, 2 to 9pm. It is priced by the day at $125 for a large shop, $100 for a small shop and $90 for a tent, and applying by October 31 takes 10% off all three days. It is not part of the full season.

Want a closer look at the shops? The Village Shops page has more on each space, plus every rate by day, weekend and week.

How it works

1Pick your space. A large shop, a small shop, your own tent, or a food and drink spot.
2Pick your dates. The full season, by the week, or single days. Your estimate updates as you go.
3We confirm. We review your application and confirm dates, rate, power and placement before anything is due.

Start your application Prices are per space, and your estimate updates as you pick dates.

Good to know

Does it cost anything to apply?

No. You only pay once you're accepted and agree to the vendor terms.

Is there power and wifi?

Not everyone needs them, so both are optional add-ons priced by the length of your stay. Power starts at $25 a day for a 20A circuit, and NWC wifi is $8 a day, or $48 for all 14 days, November 28 to December 20, for basic use like card readers, not streaming. A full-season shop includes one 20A circuit. The Last-Minute Market, December 21 to 23, uses the per-day prices. The full schedule is in the application, and we confirm availability before anything is due.

Do I need insurance?

Yes, before you sell. If you're not sure what's required, say so in the application and we'll help you sort it out.

Can two businesses share a space?

Yes, in a large shop or a tent, as long as you sell together on the same days. Both businesses apply and name each other in the application. Sharing adds $40 a day, and we split the total between you when we invoice.

Can I run a demo or workshop?

We'd like that. There's a spot in the application to pitch your idea.

In partnership with National Western Center

Start your application →