Holiday carousel planned for downtown Denver

Downtown Denver's holiday celebration will have a new element this year.

Denver Pavilions, Downtown Denver Partnership, Visit Denver and the Denver Office of Economic Development will set up a holiday carousel in downtown Denver from Dec. 12 to Dec. 21.

Glenarm Place between 15th and 16th streets will shut down from Dec. 10 through Dec. 22 to ensure time for setting up and tearing down the carousel. The carousel will be 36 feet in diameter.

Rides will cost $3, however visitors who make a purchase at Denver Pavilions stores or bring a can of food to donate to the Food Bank of the Rockies can ride for free.

The carousel will run from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

"The Denver Pavilions' Holiday Carousel promises to be a very popular attraction, one that will draw local and regional visitors to Denver Pavilions and the 16th Street mall," said Mark Sidell, president of Gart Properties, manager of Denver Pavilions.

"A beautiful, family-friendly carousel for visitors of all ages will add a memorable dimension to the Denver holiday experience," he added.

To boost traffic to retailers in the area, Denver Pavilions merchants will offer a free ride voucher with a purchase, and select hotels and downtown businesses will also have free ride tickets to distribute to customers and guests.

Other holiday events in downtown Denver include musical performances and visits with Santa.

"This kind of holiday activation is also in line with the retail strategy proposed in the JumpStart 2014 annual economic development plan for the city produced by the city and county of Denver's Office of Economic Development," according to Denver Pavilions.

Molly Armbrister covers real estate, retail and construction for the Denver Business Journal and writes for the "Real Deals" blog. Phone: 303-803-9232.