Thanksgiving in Red River doesn't end with the turkey. On the evening of Thursday, November 26, the town officially flips the switch on the holiday season with its annual Switch on the Holidays celebration in Brandenburg Park — a free, family-friendly tradition that has become one of the marquee nights of the year.
The evening runs from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. It opens with community Christmas caroling at 6:30, filling the park with classic holiday songs, and builds to the countdown for the tree lighting at 7:00, when Brandenburg Park comes alive with thousands of twinkling lights. Santa Claus makes an appearance to hear holiday wishes, and complimentary festive treats — hot cocoa, cookies, and more — keep the crowd warm. Admission is free, and the event is a genuine come-one-come-all gathering of family, friends, and neighbors.
The date is no accident. November 26 doubles as opening day for the Red River Ski & Summer Area's 2026-27 season, which means Thanksgiving Day delivers a full mountain-town doubleheader: skis on the hill by day, caroling and tree lights by night. It's also the same day as the Chamber's CAPOS Friendsgiving gathering, so Thanksgiving visitors have no shortage of ways to spend the holiday. For families making the annual pilgrimage to the mountains, Switch on the Holidays is the night the season truly begins — Expedia's national fall-experiences roundup has even singled it out as a reason to spend Thanksgiving weekend in Red River.
Practical notes for visitors: the park is at 101 W. River Street, just off Main Street in the center of town. Evening temperatures at 8,750 feet in late November run cold, so bundle up — the cocoa helps, but layers help more. Parking downtown can fill quickly on event nights; arriving early gives you time to grab dinner on Main Street before the caroling starts.
Switch on the Holidays is also the gateway to Red River's Christmas season, which rolls on through Christmas in the Mountains, the Christmas Eve torchlight parade and fireworks, and New Year's Eve celebrations at the ski area. But every season starts with that first tree lighting — and on November 26, thousands of lights in Brandenburg Park will say winter has officially arrived in Red River.