When the City of Loveland reopened the first two rebuilt blocks of Fourth Street, it held the opening at the Festival of Lights. The project has worked that way since. Each finished block got its own party, tied to a downtown event already on the calendar. Block 5 opened with the Bluegrass Festival. Block 3, the stretch in front of the Rialto Theater, opened with a block party during Pastels on 5th on September 12.
On Friday, November 20, the Festival of Lights returns to the street where that sequence started. This time the Loveland Downtown District describes the location as "the newly completed 4th Street." That makes the 2026 season the first one downtown on a street built for events, with leveled paver sidewalks, wider patio space and better pedestrian crossings in place. The street is nearly finished, and the details below cover what that means for planning your evenings from now through New Year's Day.
Where the Fourth Street rebuild stands going into the holidays
The Heart Improvement Plan, known locally as HIP Streets, covers five blocks of Fourth Street. Block 3, between Lincoln and Cleveland avenues, reopened to cars and parking on July 24. It was the fourth block finished. In the City's announcement of the reopening, Loveland Downtown Development Authority Director Sean Hawkins called that section of Fourth Street "truly the heart of our downtown." In its July update, the City said it expected Block 4, from Cleveland Avenue to north Railroad Avenue, to be done by late fall 2026. It also expected the intersections around the railroad tracks to be finished before the holidays. Both were estimates, not firm dates.
The City's weekly update for October 19 to 25 gives the most recent picture:
- Block 4, Cleveland to Railroad Avenue: open to traffic, with limited southbound access at the east side of Railroad Avenue.
- BNSF railroad crossing at Fourth Street: fully closed to vehicles. Pedestrian crossings at the tracks are shifting, so follow posted signs.
- Railroad Avenue, west intersection: crews are paving the intersection and the parking lots next to it.
- Blocks 1, 2, 3 and 5: permanent sculptures are going in, and some parking spaces may close briefly while equipment is on site.
That update shows the timeline shifting. On October 9, the Loveland Reporter-Herald reported that Block 4 would open briefly for the Pumpkin Festival and then close again for crews. Ten days later, the City listed it as open to traffic. If you plan to drive downtown on festival night, check the City's HIP Streets page that week. The railroad crossing is the piece most likely to change.
A few familiar features are still on their way back. The Downtown Development Authority is paying for professional restoration of the historic Fourth Street clock, and the City says it will go back near its original spot "in the coming months." The Rialto plans to add a new marquee directly on Fourth Street and to reinstall "Persistence of Vision," the bronze sculpture by Patrick Kennedy long associated with the theater. A new artwork spanning all five blocks is scheduled for the first quarter of 2027. One piece is confirmed for this season: the official downtown Loveland Christmas tree returns to Fourth Street, standing in front of the Rialto Theater again.
Festival of Lights is the first big test of the new street
The Festival of Lights runs from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, November 20. It marks the debut of the holiday lighting along Fourth Street, with a tree-lighting ceremony, live music, live reindeer, a holiday market, carriage rides, and visits with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Floats on Fourth returns the same evening as a stationary float parade across two blocks of Fourth Street between Lincoln and Washington, with performers moving through the crowd.
The new street design matters most for an event like this one. The City says the leveled sidewalks and improved crossings were built "to better support community events and local businesses." A tree-lighting crowd, a holiday market and carriage rides all on one street will put that design to the test.
The depot has a new tenant at the edge of the work zone
Railroad Avenue, where the remaining crossing and paving work is concentrated, also has downtown's newest restaurant. Echo Brewing & Pizzeria opened in October 2026 at 409 N. Railroad Ave., inside Loveland's original train depot. It is the second Colorado location for the Erie brewpub, which started in a converted fire station in Erie in 2014. BizWest identifies Katy Dukes as one of Echo's owners.
The building has its own history. The Colorado and Southern Railway built the depot in 1902, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It closed as a depot in the mid-1980s and has housed several businesses since, most recently Sports Station. Retro 102.5 reported that the arcade area is now the pizza oven area, the old chairs went to East End Ale House, and the very old bar top is still in use. Individual pizzas start at $14. Echo pours its own beers, plans to add guest taps, and expects to keep hours that match its Erie location.
The depot is on the same street as the active crossing work, so the October 19 notes about paving and shifting pedestrian crossings apply to anyone walking between the festival blocks and dinner.
Your downtown and Centerra calendar, November 13 through January 1
On the east side of town, Centerra is marking its 25th anniversary in 2026, which makes this its 25th holiday season. Friday, November 13 has events in both places, and the downtown and Centerra calendars stay busy through December.
| Date | Event | Where | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Nov 13 | Flip the Switch Ceremony | Chapungu Sculpture Park, Centerra | 5 to 7 p.m. |
| Fri, Nov 13 | Night on the Town, 40+ local beers and ciders at $5 each | Downtown Loveland | 6 to 8 p.m. |
| Nov 13 to Jan 1 | All Is Bright Tour | Chapungu and locations across Centerra | Daily |
| Fri, Nov 20 | Festival of Lights and Floats on Fourth | Fourth Street, downtown | 5 to 8 p.m. |
| Sun, Nov 29 | Face Vocal Band holiday show | Rialto Theater | 3 p.m. |
| Thu, Dec 3 | Kalani Pe'a, "Hawaiian Christmas" | Rialto Theater | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sat, Dec 5 | Santa's Workshop | Loveland Visitor Center | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Fri, Dec 11 | Night on the Town | Downtown Loveland | 6 to 8 p.m. |
| Fri, Dec 11 | Reindeer Visit | Promenade Shops at Centerra | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. |
| Sat, Dec 12 and Sat, Dec 19 | Breakfast with Santa, ticketed | Promenade Shops at Centerra | 8:30 to 10 a.m. |
| Tue, Dec 15 | Face Vocal Band holiday show | Rialto Theater | 7:30 p.m. |
Downtown details and updates are on the Loveland Downtown District's Night on the Town page, and tickets for the shows are listed through Rialto Presents.
Centerra's 25th season starts at Chapungu
Centerra's holiday page calls Flip the Switch "possibly the most dramatic moment of the whole holiday hoopla." This year's Light of the Community honoree turns on the lights at Chapungu Sculpture Park, and the evening includes carolers, cocoa and a giant snow-globe photo op. The All Is Bright Tour begins the same day and runs daily through January 1. It starts at the Chapungu Illuminated display and continues to decorated homes and businesses across Centerra, with cocoa stations along the route that charge a dollar a cup. Centerra publishes a tour map on the same page.
If you have been here a while, the name may be new. Visit Loveland's November 2025 holiday guide said Winter Wonderlights "has come to a close." All Is Bright is Centerra's current lights program.
Santa's Workshop on December 5 is hosted by Visit Loveland at the Loveland Visitor Center. It features work from Loveland vendors, photos with Santa, an alpine slide and roasted s'mores. At the Promenade Shops, Santa's December schedule also includes Skating with Buddy & Jovie. That event depends on the rebuilt ice rink and gathering area. In early October, the Reporter-Herald described the rink as under construction and expected to be finished by November for the holidays. Check that it has opened before planning a skate.
A few newer stops for the in-between nights
Two other recent openings fit the busy weeks between events. Seven Brew opened its first Northern Colorado location at 1377 Sculptor Drive on August 28, 2026, and held a grand opening celebration on September 7. Endless Caffeine, owned by Justin Sommers, serves coffee at 5648 McWhinney Boulevard in The Yards. For more on the city beyond the holidays, our Loveland neighborhood guide covers where the different parts of town sit in relation to each other.
Lani Carwin and Gus Bergs at NOCO Luxury Estates are happy to talk about any part of Loveland, from which streets are open this season to where a move might fit into next year. Contact us whenever you're ready.
