We here at the Mamas strive to bring you information on activities that are fun and economical. The 4th of July offers so many amazing things to do, whether it’s a community fireworks display, or the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. Thus we bring you our 4th of July list. It’s long, but by no means exhaustive. Almost every city/municipality/what-have-you has some kind of Independence Day celebration and/or fireworks display. If you don’t see your neighborhood represented, give your local government, civic association, or HOA a call. Chances are they’ll point you in the right direction, whether it’s their own celebration, or one nearby. These events are organized by date, and then region, so you can strategically plan your weekend and soak up as much fun as humanly possible. Have fun!

Friday, July 3
Central
10:00 am – 8:00 pm: Cherry Creek Arts Festival, (continues on July 4 and July 5) North Cherry Creek between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, and Clayton and Steele Streets, Denver. If you’ve never been to the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, you really should take a day this holiday weekend and go. This three-day event is no ordinary artisan festival, and in fact features some truly fine art by amazing artists. It’s a gigantic street fair-slash-art gallery. It is beyond well-organized, with plenty of restrooms, relaxation stations, and changing stations. There are tons of fun activities for the kids. Live music continues into the night. Check the website for information on parking, shuttles, biking, etc. In addition to great art, food and beverages are available for purchase, so you won’t go hungry or get dehydrated as you marvel at the beauty around you.

Dusk: Glendale Fireworks, Cherry Creek Drive at Cherry Street in Glendale. Fireworks start at dusk, and last approximately 30 minutes.
7:00 pm: Colorado Symphony Orchestra Patriotic Concert, City Park Meadow, behind the Museum of Nature and Science in Denver. The CSO offers up a traditional, All-American program for Independence Day.

Northwest Denver
4:00 pm: Edgewater Fireworks, Citizens Park, 24th and Chase Street in Edgewater. Entertainment, food, and drinks begin at 4:00 pm. Fireworks to follow around dusk. Check the website or call 303-238-7803 for more information.

Saturday, July 4
Central
8:30 am – 11:00 am: Stapleton 4th of July Parade and Pancake Breakfast, Central Park in Stapleton. Get there early for the pancakes, and stay for the parade.
10:00 am – 4:00 pm: Old Fashioned July 4th Celebration, Four-Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest St., Denver. Enjoy horse drawn rides (for a small fee), and other old-fashioned Independence Day events and activities.

North
7:00 am – 10:00 pm: July 4th Family Festival, E.B. Rains Jr. Memorial Park, 11801 Community Center Drive. Fantastic activities all day; the fireworks begin around dusk.

6:00 pm – 10:00 pm: Broomfield Great American Picnic and Fireworks Extravaganza, Third Avenue and DesCombes (Northwest corner of the City and County Municipal Center Complex), Broomfield. Children’s activities start at 6:30, the concert is at 7:00, and the fireworks begin at 9:15.

6:00 pm: Thornton Independence Day Celebration, 108th and Colorado, at the Multipurpose Fields, Thornton. Festivities start at 6:00, including a concert by the Longmont Symphony, and it all culminates in the fireworks around 9:00 pm.

South
9:00 am – 9:30 pm: Highlands Ranch 4th of July Festival , Town Center at Ridgeline and Highlands Ranch Parkway, Highlands Rance. Highlands Ranch actually kicks off the celebration with a 5k race at 8:30 am. If you’re interested in that, check the website for details. Otherwise, the day’s activties begin at 9:00 with the parade. There’s also a hot dog eating contest at 2:00 pm (incentive to run the 5k. . . ), and of course the fireworks begin around 9:30.

East
7:00 pm: Aurora 4th of July Festival, Aurora Municipal Center Lawn at Chambers and Alameda. The Air Force Academy Falconaires Jazz Band plays at 7:00 pm, followed by the Air Force Academy Concert Band. Presumable, the fireworks start when it starts to get dark.

West
12:00 pm – 9:30 pm: 4th of July Festival in Lions Park, 10th and Maple Streets in Golden. The Golden Lions Club holds its annual festival, with free kids’ rides all day, along with music, food, and other entertainment. The Golden Eagle Brass Band starts at 7:00 pm, and plays until the fireworks start, around 9:30.

Northwest
3:00 pm: Arvada 4th of July Festival, at the Lutz/Stenger Sports Complex, West 58th Avenue, just west of Kipling. Enjoy family-friendly events all afternoon, then settle back for the fireworks around 9:00 pm.

6:00 pm: Westminster 4th of July, Westminster City Park, 10455 Sheridan Boulevard. Food vendors open at 6:00, live entertainment at 7:00, and then the fireworks begin!

Southwest
3:00 pm – 10:00 pm: Englewood Family Festival and Fireworks, Belleview, Cornerstone, and Prospect Parks—all the parks off of Belleview between Broadway and Santa Fe. Englewood does it up right, with tons of activities for all, including face-painting, jumping castles, eating contests, and, of course, fireworks.

Southeast:
3:15 pm – 10:00 pm: Lone Tree Independence Day Celebration, Sweetwater Park, 8300 ½ Sweetwater Road, Lone Tree. Community parade (staging at 3:15, parade at 4:00), live entertainment, activities for the kids, and fireworks around dark.

2:00 pm – 10:00 pm: Let Freedom Sing, 20120 E. Main Street (west side of Town Hall), Parker. Live music begins at 2:00; Parker also offers activities to keep any kid happy, including face painting, balloon artists, and bounce houses. Food and drink available for purchase, as well, but you can bring a picnic if that’s your style. Expect the fireworks to begin around 9:30 pm.

Boulder and the Mountain Areas:
Boulder:
8:00 pm – 9:30 pm: Ralphie’s Independence Day Blast, at Folsom Field on the CU Boulder Campus. Gates to Folsom Field open at 7:45 pm, ceremonies begin at 8:00, and the finale is at 9:30. Check the website for complete details; shuttles are available from various points to Folsom Field.
Georgetown/Idaho Springs:
Saturday, July 4, All Day: Georgetown and Idaho Springs Old Fashioned 4th of July Celebrations, throughout Georgetown and Idaho Springs. These two mountain towns offer all sorts of activities, including a parade, BBQ, and bucket brigade. Fireworks begin at dusk; check the website for complete details or call 303-569-2555.

Breckenridge:
Saturday, July 4, 11:00 am: Breckenridge 4th of July Parade and Celebration, Main Street in Breckenridge. Parade, kids activities, and live music, followed by fireworks at the end of the night. Also in Breck that day: the NRO Orchestra “July 4th Patriotic Celebration” at 8:30 pm at the Breckenridge Riverwalk Center. The concert is free, but does require tickets.

Frisco:
9:00 am – 9:30 pm: Fantastic 4th of July, throughout Frisco. A fishing derby, bike parade, Green Art Festival, live entertainment, and fireworks over Lake Dillon. Check the website for the complete schedule, as well as locations of various events.

Vail:
10:00 am – 9:30 pm: Vail America Days, throughout Vail. Enjoy the parade at 10:00, followed by street entertainment in the Village, live music in the afternoon, and fireworks at 9:30.

Winter Park:
7:30 am – 10:30 pm: Lance Gutersohn Re/Max Peak to Peak 4th of July Celebration, Venus in Winter Park and the Fraser Valley. The Lions Club starts things off with a Pancake Breakfast, there’s a Rendezvous Run for Independence, a fishing derby, live music, and, of course, fireworks. The main festival is at the Fraser Valley Sports Complex; check the website for details on all of the activities.

Copper Mountain:
July 3 – 5, 3 Ring Weekend at Copper Mountain. Copper Mountain presents a full weekend of kid activities, including live music by Super Diamon, a kid’s parade and fireworks.

To be considered for inclusion in our weekly event picks, be sure to email Jennifer at jennifer@milehighmamas.com