Littleton Turned 250/150: Illuminate, an Exclusive Wine, and a Whole Year of Celebration
2026 is a milestone year, and Littleton is celebrating in a way you won’t find anywhere else. As America marks its 250th birthday and Colorado celebrates 150 years of statehood, we’re pulling out all the stops right here in Downtown Littleton, with a signature event, a one-of-a-kind wine made just for us, and a full calendar of ways to join in.
Here’s what happened, and what’s still ahead this year.
Illuminate Littleton presented by The Diamond Reserve
Littleton was selected by the State of Colorado to host a drone show celebrating both anniversaries, and we built an entire evening around it. On July 24, Downtown Littleton transformed into an open-air experience, Illuminate Littleton, featuring illuminated and interactive art installations, roaming musical performances, and extended outdoor dining from our local restaurants and bars.
Neighbors and visitors explored, lingered, and connected before the night culminated in a spectacular drone show lighting up the Littleton sky. It was family-friendly and completely free to attend.
A Wine Made Just for Littleton
Here’s what made this celebration truly one of a kind: Carboy Winery crafted Illume, a dry, sparkling Riesling made exclusively for Littleton, as part of Illuminate. Inspired by light, community, and a true sense of place, Illume captures the spirit of our city in every sip.
This is a one-time, limited release, bottled right here in our backyard as a testament to Carboy’s craftsmanship. It’s now available at Carboy Winery in Littleton, but quantities are limited, so each bottle is a genuinely rare piece of this milestone moment. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.
And this isn’t just any tasting room. Carboy’s Littleton location, just 20 minutes south of Denver, is the winery’s flagship and primary production facility, where barrels rest in quiet stacks and the cellar hums with activity year-round as the team shapes the bold, expressive wines that define Colorado’s high-elevation style. With the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, it’s a front-row seat to Colorado wine country without ever leaving the Front Range.
Wine tastings are offered daily, with walk-ins accepted based on availability (reservations are required for groups of 8 or more, and recommended for smaller groups). Stop by, sip on the patio, and take a piece of this celebration home with you while Illume lasts.
More Ways We're Celebrating All Year
Illuminate was our biggest moment, but the 250/150 celebration isn’t over. Here’s what else is on the calendar:
- Historic Littleton Tours – With nearly 150 years of history behind us, much of it is still standing in our preserved downtown buildings and living history museum. Reserve a spot on a walking tour to see it firsthand.
- Littleton Museum – Step inside a working blacksmith shop modeled after a 1903 structure and wander an 1860s living history farm, all while exploring artifacts honoring both Colorado’s 150th and America’s 250th milestones.
- America 250 Relay – On September 8, the American Discovery Trail Society brings a relay carrying copies of the Declaration of Independence through Littleton along the South Platte River Trail, powered entirely by hikers, bikers, and runners making their way coast to coast.
- 98th Annual Western Welcome Week – One of our longest-running traditions continues this year, bringing the community together for a week of history and tradition, capped off with a parade that draws nearly 18,000 attendees from across Colorado and beyond.
Plan Your Visit
Whether you’re coming for the wine, the September relay, or Western Welcome Week, 2026 is the year to experience Littleton at its best. Illuminate may be behind us, but there’s still plenty of 250/150 to celebrate.