TORRINGTON – Touted as a “two-day celebration of love and joy,” Goshen County’s annual holiday celebration will kick off Friday morning, Dec. 1 with events designed to give back, spread cheer and make memories for years to come.
The Gracie’s Promise Festival of Trees begins Friday at 9 a.m. in the Platte Valley Bank Community Room and features trees decorated by members of the community. One by one, the forest of festivity is auctioned off to help the organization give financial assistance to families with children battling catastrophic medical circumstances. The event runs until 6 p.m. Friday, and continues from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
A series of holiday happenings take place Friday evening at 21st and Main, including free sugar cookie decorating in The Loft from 4 to 6 p.m. – attendees are requested to bring a non-perishable snack for the after-school program, if possible – and the Kid’s Paint Zone in The Cellar, also from 4 to 6 p.m., sponsored by Table Mountain Vineyards.
During these events, Ellis’ Harvest Home will sell caramel apples in the Grand Hall, the Java Jar will host a hot chocolate bar, and the Torrington High School show choir and teen a cappella group will perform in The Loft.

Little dancers from 28th Avenue Dance Studio will show their stuff at Crossroads Café from 4 to 5 p.m., followed by toe-tappin’ music from the Torrington Fiddlers at the same venue.
Just up the street, at Vandel Drug from 5 to 6 p.m., the Wyo-Ring Handbell Choirs will help ring in the parade with a special holiday performance, and Pinnacle Bank and Kiwanis will partner to offer hot chocolate and apple cider.
The parade, themed “12 Days of Christmas” will line up on 27th Avenue and head south down Main Street. Several individuals and businesses, in addition to the fire department and Santa Claus, himself, will march down Torrington’s main drag beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Parents may also enroll their children in the National Child Identification program from 4 to 6 p.m. at The Loft on Friday, and 12:30 to 2 p.m. at the former D and B Fine Furniture building Saturday.
Residents can catch an encore Wyo-Ring performance at 9:30 a.m. at the Grand Hall on Saturday, just before Wyoming Theatre’s presentation of a free holiday movie at 10 a.m.
Olaf from Disney’s “Frozen” will visit Torrington Office Supply from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., while Santa Claus hangs around the old D and B Fine Furniture building for photo opportunities from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Bring a canned good and get your photo taken with Santa!
A reading of “The Polar Express” in a real train car at the Homesteaders Museum at 2:30 p.m. Saturday caps off the weekend’s events.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the holiday season together and just have a time for community,” Goshen County Economic Development Corporation CEO Ashley Harpstreith said. “It’s all areas of the county coming in to celebrate – a true Goshen County celebration.”