Move over Thanksgiving. Even if you’re not done with leftovers, now is the time to shift gears to the next holiday season. Keystone, Frisco and Copper Mountain are preparing with a weekend, or more, of celebrations.

River Run revelry

Keystone’s annual Winter Carnival returns to River Run Village on Saturday, Nov. 27. Beginning at 3 p.m., the event will have holiday carolers from the Summit Choral Society, cookies from Mountain Top Cookie Shop and hot chocolate from Steep Brewing & Coffee Co.

People can watch the Salida Circus perform as they enjoy the sweets and music. The winter snow queen and her elves will wander the village while juggling, and acrobats-to-be can visit the circus tent to try their hand at tossing and balancing.

Meanwhile, families can use the free holiday photo booth to get their Christmas card photo finished over at Warren Station Center for the Arts. Kids can also participate in a scavenger hunt or write letters to Santa and place them in a special mailbox with daily, express pickup.

Good little boys and girls can tell Santa their Christmas wishes in person for another photo opportunity, as well. Afterward, enjoy a complimentary bag of kettle corn and wash it down with Warren Station’s hot chocolate, mocktails, cocktails, warm mixers and beer specials.

The festivities come to a close at 5:15 p.m. with the lighting of the holiday tree. Watch the illumination while wearing special antler headgear handed out by the Keystone Neighbourhood Co.

Yet the party technically doesn’t have to stop then. Choose from seven, three-pack ornament kits at Warren Station to take home for some DIY fun. Each kit includes all of the necessary customization tools to throw an ornament-painting party.

Can’t make it to the carnival? Kits can also be picked up from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 10-11 during the performance of “The Nutcracker.”

Here We Come a-Wassailing

The town of Frisco doesn’t constrain its seasonal merriment to just one weekend. Rather, the annual Wassail Days event runs from Saturday, Nov. 27, through Sunday, Dec. 5, giving people plenty of time to envelope themselves in all things wassail — a hot, spiced cider common during the holidays.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to sample 12 types of wassail at 12 businesses throughout town to complete a punch card. The card can be turned in at the Frisco Information Center in exchange for a commemorative mug while supplies last. According to the town, 63 businesses served over 21,000 sips of wassail in 2019.

This year’s mug features an original design from the Frisco Art Collective, and people are encouraged to take their time completing the card since lots of mugs have been made. A few of the more than 50 participating businesses include Rocky Mountain Coffee Roasters, Frisco Lodge, Tocko, Summit Eye Center and iFurnish.

Wassail isn’t the only Frisco event on the docket. Families can sign up for a call from Santa at Frisco Town Hall, the Frisco Adventure Park, the Frisco Historic Park & Museum, Summit County Preschool, Frisco Information Center, Stork & Bear Co. and The Sunny Side Up Studio. An online form is also available at TownOfFrisco.com. Then Santa will be calling all the kids on his list from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 7.

The town will have its tree lighting in the Historic Park, featuring the special guest, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27. The event will have carolers, fireworks and warming fire pits as well as hot wine, wassail and s’mores kits for sale to benefit the Family & Intercultural Resource Center.

Santa visits the Historic Park again from 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, Nov. 28, and 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 4. He will also visit the Summit County Community and Senior Center for a breakfast to benefit the Summit County Preschool beforehand at 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Dec. 4. Reservations are required, and tickets can be purchased by calling 970-668-5508, ext. 1, or at Bit.ly/PreschoolSantaBreakfast.

Head to the Historic Park Gazebo after breakfast for storytime from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Dec. 4. Bill Thomas will tell a holiday tale, and people can pet Santa’s reindeer.

Later that day, carolers will walk up and down Main Street spreading holiday cheer from 4:30-6:30 p.m. The carolers return to sing again from noon to 2 p.m. Dec. 5.

More music will happen from 3-4 p.m. Dec. 5 thanks to a concert from Hazel Miller at the gazebo.

Lastly, a free day of skiing and snowshoeing is available at the Frisco Nordic Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 7.

Peak parade

Copper’s Center Village is another holiday destination Friday, Nov. 26, and Saturday, Nov. 27. People can explore the 10 Barrel minipub from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or participate in games like car karaoke and toss from 12:40-2:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Saturday will also add a Yeti cooler contest to the mix of games, in addition to starting the day with a DJ set from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Duke’s Stage.

The live music gets going at 3 p.m. Friday with local DJ Benjë in Eagles Landing followed by the annual snowcat parade at 6 p.m. After those machines make their way down the mountain, look toward the sky for a fireworks show at 6:10 p.m.

Head back to the village Saturday at 3:30 p.m. for the free, opening performance by guitarist Daniel Rodriguez. He is best known as one of the founding members and lead songwriters of the Colorado folk band Elephant Revival. Rodriguez released his debut album, “Sojourn of a Burning Sun,” in August 2020.

Headlining at 5 p.m. is renowned jam band Leftover Salmon, which celebrated its 30-year anniversary in 2019. The group released “Brand New Good Old Days” this year with the lineup of founding members Drew Emmitt and Vince Herman, banjo player Andy Thorn, bassist Greg Garrison and drummer Alwyn Robinson.