And the winner of the Colorado Parent and Gaylord Rockies Resort Cirque Dreams Holidaze Costume Contest is: Northglenn resident Lucy Small.

Out of an array of submissions from kids age five to 12 across the state, a panel of judges picked Small’s colorful “Christmas King and Queen,” featuring a masculine red and green outfit complete with Christmas tree-printed pants, and a feminine ensemble with a poofy blue skirt and multi-colored tiara.

Photo: Leslie Small

“The committee felt that Lucy’s Christmas King and Christmas Queen had fantastic detail for an eight-year-old,” Deanne French, director of marketing at the Gaylord Rockies, says. “She may have a future in costume design!”

Small’s brother, Eli, found the contest call in this magazine; he made a copy of the entry form online and they both got creative. Before she knew it, Small’s use of crayon, colored pencil, and sparkles brought her imagination to life on the page.

“I wanted to make the design pop and look beautiful,” she says. “I wanted to make it have lots of colors and textures, plus I love glitter.”

Small won her family a stay at the Gaylord and tickets to see the Cirque Dreams Holidaze performance on December 2. The spectacular performance features acrobatics and high-flying stunts with a dreamy, seasonal backdrop and costuming.

“I’m grateful that my brother Eli found the contest and helped me enter it,” she says. “This is my first prize and I’m excited about it! My family has wanted to go [to the Gaylord] since it was built… I’m so glad I get to bring them.”

This article was originally published in December 2024.
Anna Sutterer

Anna Sutterer is the editorial assistant for Colorado Parent magazine.