Let there be lights in LoDo

​On Sunday night, a fellow judge and I careened around all the road work downtown, attempting to look at the 21 windows that are all competing in LoDo Aglow, an annual decorating contest sponsored by the LoDo District. Not only did we find an impressive official expression of holiday cheer (you can find a map of the contestants on www.lodo.org), but many, many more businesses have decorated for the season, and there are lights along the mall and on many of the streets, too.

Among our nonofficial favorites: The Barth Hotel on 17th Street, for its restrained show of lights; BD's Mongolian Barbeque, for its raucous strings of lights outside, and the Wazee Supper Club, whose interior decorations are so warm, they bring the party to anyone who looks in those big windows.

And then, of course, there's Elitch Gardens. The amusement park's official holiday display wraps up the buildings in big red ribbons, like presents. But the real gift to light lovers is the light show on the Ferris Wheel, a gift that keeps on giving all year-round.