Celebrating Independence Day in Colorado this year means taking part in decade-long traditions or beginning a whole new one. Many cities and small towns start the day off early with a run or pancake breakfast and continue on until dusk when the sky is illuminated by each area’s fireworks display. Below is a sampling of activities taking place across the state this Fourth of July, according to the Colorado Tourism Office. For more information, visit www.Colorado.com.
Salute to the USA (Avon). Get a head start on the festivities by celebrating Independence Day a night early for Avon’s 29th annual “Salute to the USA” on Friday. Face painters, fire jugglers, stilt walkers, balloon sculptors, magicians and more. After, enjoy Colorado’s largest firework display that features 10,000 shells exploding in a pyrotechnic extravaganza of color and sound.
Grill on the Grass (Boulder). Relax at the St. Julien Hotel & Spa this Fourth of July. Savor festive food while taking in panoramic views of the Flatirons on the hotel’s outdoor terrace. Join other visitors in backyard games such as corn hole and ladder golf, all accompanied by live entertainment from the Delta Sonics, a Denver-based blues band. Tickets are $29.95 for adults and $14.95 for children ages 4-12.
Breckenridge’s Independence Day (Breckenridge). The day begins with a 10K trail run followed by a 50-mile mountain bike race that kicks off the Fourth of July Parade on Main Street. After the parade, kids can beat the heat with a good old-fashioned water fight. The weekend will also feature the Street Arts Festival, a performance by the National Repertory Orchestra and an extraordinary fireworks display.
Fourth of July in the Mile High City (Denver). The Cherry Creek Arts Festival will be celebrating world-class and award-winning visual, culinary and performing arts beginning at 10 a.m. Just a bike ride away, Denver’s largest Independence Day parade begins at 1:30 p.m. in Park Hil. At dusk, Colorado’s Major League Soccer Club, the Rapids will play against the Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club at 7 p.m. After the game a fireworks display closes out the evening.
Greeley Stampede Parade (Greeley). Greeley’s family-friendly July 4th Parade displays Colorado’s Western heritage with floats, bands and equestrian entries from across the state. The parade kicks off on 19th Street and will end at Fifth Street beyond Lincoln Park. After the parade, the stampede will be going full force with carnival games, rides, food, the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association Rodeo finals and a concert by country music stars Gary Allan and Jerrod Niemann followed by fireworks.
Independence Day in Gunnison (Gunnison). Watch the sun rise among an array of hot air balloons over the rolling hills surrounding Jorgenson Park. Later in the evening, the park will host three legged races, log sawing, bounce houses and more. Adults can grab a brew at the beer garden all while enjoying a variety of live music that will be paired with a fireworks display after sunset.
Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration (Lake City). Revisit some of Colorado’s roots in Lake City where in 1875 the town hosted the first “official” Fourth of July celebration on Colorado’s Western Slope. Revelers will share Lake City’s special link to its past with unforgettable festivities. Begin with a pancake breakfast followed by the annual parade. Later enjoy live music, a street dance and a fireworks display put on by the Volunteer Fire Department.
July 4th Festival at North Lake Park (Loveland). Start the day by watching The American Legion raise the American flag at 10 a.m. by the Lone Tree School House. Then enjoy live music, a vintage car show and the area’s largest and longest fireworks show in Loveland’s 50-acre North Lake Park that features an outdoor amphitheater, a pond with a fishing dock, picnic areas and a miniature train.
Old Fashioned Fourth of July in Ouray (Ouray). This small town packs a punch with an array of activities starting at 6:30 a.m. with a pancake breakfast followed by a 10K race. Afterward, line up along Main Street for a parade that features water cannons. If that’s not refreshing enough, participate in or just watch the century-old tradition of the Ouray water fights where teams of two blast each other with fire hoses until one team surrenders.
July 4th Heritage Festival (Sterling). The Overland Trail Museum will be hosting an old-fashioned, small town celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All day long, spectators can watch the blacksmith process of barrel making or leather crafting and quilting. Children can enjoy such activities as gold panning and face painting along with plenty of live music and food for the whole family to enjoy.
Lance Gutersohn Fourth of July Celebration (Winter Park). Begin the day in the mountains by participating in the Rendezvous Run for Independence that races through Winter Park Resort starting at 7 a.m. Later that day, Hideaway Park will be bustling with activities including performances by two bluegrass bands, bouncy fun in inflatables, face painting for the kids and fireworks.
Comments are closed.
Leave a comment