New Year’s Day: celebrations to see in the New Year largely take place on New Year’s Eve, with parties held across the city and lasting into the early hours. New Year’s Day itself is a day of rest and recuperation, with families usually spending the time together at home. Many services shut down on this day and public transport is limited.

National Western Stock Show: in January, Denver sees the arrival of the world's largest cattle show. The event includes stock and horse shows, horse and cattle auctions and educational displays about farm life. This is one of Denver’s biggest annual events – not to be missed.

Saint Patrick’s Day Parade: ranking as one of the USA’s largest St Patrick's Day parades, Denver visitors and residents alike can enjoy dozens of floats, bands and leprechauns. Regardless of whether you have Irish origins or not, this festival is absorbed and enjoyed by all.

Memorial Day: the end of May sees this one-day event as a mark of remembrance for all US citizens who have died in military service throughout the years. Ceremonies are often held at schools, churches and other institutes, while war memorials are enshrined with poppy wreaths.

CHUN Capitol Hill People’s Fair: held for two days in early June, the Capitol Hill area come together to gather at Civic Center Park to celebrate the diversity of the neighbourhood. Expect to see arts and craft stalls, delicious food, dance performances and live musical entertainment. Children and adults both love the fair as there is something for everyone.

Independence Day: 4 July marks one of the US’s favourite public holidays, with citizens taking to the city’s parks for the day to picnic, salute the flag, party and participate in firework displays. The day commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence, in 1776.

Cherry Creek Arts Festival: held in early July, international and national artisans gather in Cherry Creek North to peddle their crafts. Many genres of art are displayed and sold, with tasty food and live music on-hand helping to keep you here longer.

Labour Day: Labour Day weekend is marked by spectacular firework shows, which are often followed by parties and other celebrations. Expect this weekend to be busy with special events.

Taste of Colorado: held over Labour Day weekend, this event sees hundreds of restaurants from across Colorado set up shop at Denver's Civic Center Park. Although the food is the highlight, attendees can also enjoy six stages of music, a large carnival and a variety of exhibits.

Oktoberfest: mimicking the famous German event, Denver celebrates this beer fest in mid-September. Larimer Square takes on a distinctly German character, with everything from polka bands, German sausages and gallons of beer on offer.

Halloween: 31 October is when the entire young population of Denver hits the streets in costume to go ‘trick or treating’. Obliging residents give out candy or risk having a ‘trick’ played on them.

Great American Beer Festival: held in early October at the Colorado Convention Center, this festival attracts over 40,000 beer-lovers. The annual celebration of breweries and beer culture is always well-received in Denver, with many of the attendees enjoying one glass too many, with a great selection of brews on offer.

Thanksgiving: the end of November is marked by a public holiday that is traditionally a time to reflect and be thankful for what we have. A family-oriented day, Denver residents typically sit down to a dinner of roast turkey, stuffing and homemade cranberry sauce, with the leftovers being made into all sorts of turkey concoctions for days after.

World's Largest Christmas Lighting Display: held in late November, sees the City and County Building illuminated with some 40,000 lights. The lights can be viewed until 31 December and again at the National Western Stock Show in January.

Christmas Day: the highlight of the festive calendar, the religious significance of this Christian-based festival has been lost to many and it is now largely a commercial affair involving carol singing, gift-giving, Christmas tree-decorating and the adorning of houses with Christmas lights. Roast turkey along with a host of other festive dishes are typically eaten on this day.

Wild Lights: Denver Zoo hosts this annual illumination event, when the zoo is lit up with thousands of lights and lighted sculptures of animals, many which are designed to make the animals appear to move. Other Christmas-related happenings take place, much to the amusement of the large crowds who attend this event, which spans the whole month of December.