We’ve got you covered for the 4th of July, but there’s a whole week after that wherein you may need to find ways to entertain yourself, your family, and perhaps your visiting relatives and/or friends. There are still lots of great things to do. Go. . .seek out and enjoy. I think that may be my new motto.

Best bets for the upcoming weekend, however, are the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, and any 4th of July celebration that suits your fancy. If you’re headed up to the mountains, many of the communities up there have celebrations and fireworks displays on tap, too, so look for those.

Free Days

Please note: The Denver Art Museum will be closed this July 4th, a day that would normally be a Free First Saturday. Their next free day will be Saturday, August 1.

Sunday, July 5, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls, and Toys, 1880 Gaylord Street, Denver. A free day, but this unique museum will never turn down a donation.

Tuesday, July 7: Free First Tuesdays at the Children’s Museum, 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., 2121 Children’s Museum Drive (Off of I-25 and 23rd Ave, near the Denver Aquarium), Denver. The Children’s Museum has several new programs and exhibits starting up. Check it out!

Summer Concerts

Thursday, July 2
6:30 pm: Sounds of Summer, CityCenter Englewood Ampitheater, 1000 Englewood Parkway (at the base of the light rail station). This week’s performer: 101st Army Band.

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm: Banks in Harmony Summer Concert Series, Del Mar Park, 12000 E. 6th Avenue, Aurora. Runs through August 6th, and concessions are available. This week, it’s the Queen City Jazz Band.

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm: Confluence Concerts, Confluence Park, 15th and Little Raven, LoDo (across the river from REI). Parking is available at the Downtown Aquarium for $6.00. This series runs Thursday evenings, but only in July, so catch it while it’s hot. The Shuffletones start the series off right.

Friday, July 3
Noon – 1:30 pm: Noon Tunes, 1300 Block of Pearl, Boulder. This series runs through August 14, and apparently goes on even though it’s a holiday. Go Boulder! This week, head out and enjoy FlexiGrass w/ Pete Wernick.

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Northfield Stapleton Summer Concert Series, Main Street at Northfield Stapleton, 49th and Quebec. Catch the Northfield Stapleton Summer Concert Series on first and third Fridays, June through August. This week: Opie Gone Bad.

7:00 – 8:30 pm: Summer Entertainment Series at Clement Park, Chris Daniels and the Kings. (Note: Clement Park originally had a huge Independence Day celebration planned, but had to cancel. If you were planning for that, consider going to this, instead.)

Sunday, July 5
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm: City Park Jazz, at the Bandstand at City Park Pavilion. This popular series runs Sundays through August 9. Park for free at the Zoo or the Museum, then take the shuttle to the bandstand. Free bike parking is also available. This week’s band is the Purnell Steen and Le Jazz Machine.

6:30 pm: Summer Concerts in the Park, Memorial Park at 25th and Chase, Edgewater. 303-238-7803 x28. This series runs through July 6. This week: Deja Blu.

Tuesday, July 7
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Concerts at the Crescent, Crescent Ampitheater, DTC Boulevard and Belleview (just east of Yia Yia’s Euro Café) in the Denver Tech Center. This new addition to our list features fun concerts in a nice little area down south. Bring your own food, but leave Fido at home. This week’s band: Tuxedo Junction, an authentic USO band performing a 1940s revue.

Wednesday, July 8
6:30 pm: Northglenn Summer Concert Series, E.B. Rains, Jr. Memorial Park, 11701 Community Center Drive (across from City Hall), Northglenn. Northglenn’s World Beat series runs through July 29. In case of inclement weather, head across the street to the D.L. Parsons theater for the performance. This week, enjoy the Celtic rock sounds of the Indulgers.

6:30 pm: (doors open at 6:00 pm) Swallow Hill’s Shady Grove Picnic Series at Four Mile Historic Park, 715 Forest Street, Denver. This week: John Common with Aaron Espe. Tickets are $10/adults, $2 kids 12 and under.

7:00 pm: Lakewood Summer Concert Series, 801 South Yarrow Street in the Lakewood Heritage Center, Lakewood. Tickets for most of these shows are $6.00 the day of the show (a little less if purchased in advance), or buy a season ticket package for $37.80 for all six shows. Food and beverages available for purchase. Bring your own chairs or blanket. This week, Colcannon performs.

7:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Littleton Historic Museum Concert Series, 303-795-3950, 6028 S. Gallup St., Littleton. This week: The 17th Avenue All-Stars.

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Bands on the Bricks, 1300 Block of Pearl, Boulder. This one runs through August 12—catch a different band every Wednesday night. This week it’s The Fab 4.

Thursday, July 9
6:30 pm: Sounds of Summer, CityCenter Englewood Ampitheater, 1000 Englewood Parkway (at the base of the light rail station). This week, catch the a cappella magic of The 17th Avenue All-Stars.

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm: Banks in Harmony Summer Concert Series, Del Mar Park, 12000 E. 6th Avenue, Aurora. Runs through August 6th, and concessions are available. This week, it’s Chase N the Dream.

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm: Confluence Concerts, Confluence Park, 15th and Little Raven, LoDo (across the river from REI). Parking is available at the Downtown Aquarium for $6.00. This series runs Thursday evenings, but only in July, so catch it while it’s hot. This week: Eric Trujillo and the Mambotet.

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Westminster Summer Concert Series, Westminster City Park, 105th Ave. and Sheridan Boulevard, Westminster. Chris Daniels and the Kings. Series runs through August 6.

Summer Movie Programs
Monday – Friday, 9:45 am: Harkins Kid Summer Movie Program, Northfield Theater, 8300 E 49th Avenue. This movie program runs through August 1st; movies cost $2.00. Adults must be accompanied by a child. Check the website for complete details and movie listings specific to this program

Thursday, July 2, 10:00 am: Kerasotes Free Summer Movie Program, Old Town 14 in Arvada, Chinese 16 at Arapahoe Crossing in Aurora, Southlands 16 in Aurora, Castle Rock 12, Cherry Creek 8, Bowles Crossing 12 in Littleton, and 20 Mile Village 10 in Parker. Doors open at 9:00 am, and seating is on a first come-first serve basis. Series runs through August 6. This week’s film: Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa. So “move it, move it” on down to the theater and see this movie.

Tuesday, July 7, 7:00 pm: Film on the Rocks, Red Rocks Ampitheater, Morrison. This week’s film is not the most family-friendly film around, but if you’ve got older kids, it might make the cut, because it’s a great film: Jaws. Musical performance by The Rouge. $10 general admission if purchased in advance, $12 at the door; parking is free. Not familiar with the Film on the Rocks series? In short: Live music at the world’s greatest venue, followed by a movie. Best idea ever. Check the website for the complete schedule.

Tuesday, July 7, 10:00 am Summer Movie Clubhouse at the Century 16 in BelMar, 440 S. Teller Street, Lakewood. Tuesdays through August 4, the Century 16 in BelMar offers a different PG or G rated movie for the kids. 10-packs for all 10 movies are available at the beginning of the season for $5, but now it’s pay as you go for a buck a show. This week’s movie is Arthur and the Invisibles.

Tuesday, July 7 and Wednesday, July 8, 10:00 am: Regal Free Family Film Festival, West Village Stadium, 14225 West Colfax; Greenwood Plaza 12, 8151 E Arapahoe Road; Park Meadows 12, 9355 Park Meadows Drive; Continental 10, 3635 S Monaco Pkwy. Free movies for the family; movies vary by location, so check the website for complete listings.

Wednesday, July 8, and Thursday, July 9, 10:00 am: Kerasotes Free Summer Movie Program, Old Town 14 in Arvada, Chinese 16 at Arapahoe Crossing in Aurora, Southlands 16 in Aurora, Castle Rock 12, Cherry Creek 8, Bowles Crossing 12 in Littleton, and 20 Mile Village 10 in Parker. Doors open at 9:00 am, and seating is on a first come-first serve basis. Series runs through August 6. This week’s film: Kung Fu Panda.

Monday – Friday, 9:45 am: Harkins Kid Summer Movie Program, Northfield Theater, 8300 E 49th Avenue. This movie program runs through August 1st; movies cost $2.00. Adults must be accompanied by a child. Check the website for complete details and movie listings specific to this program.

Happenings and Other Fun Things to Do

Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4, 10:00 am – 8:00 pm, and Sunday, July 5, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm: Cherry Creek Arts Festival, 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. It’s an art festival as only Cherry Creek can do it—it’s like 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 deydrated as you marvel at the beauty around you.

Saturday – Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday through July 5: Family Summer Camp at Bass Pro Shops, 7970 Northfield Blvd, Denver. This program ends this weekend, so get on over there if you want to check out these family-friendly camping and outdoor-oriented activities! Check the website for complete details and times.

Wednesdays in July (beginning July 1), 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Firehouse Kitchen at the Denver Firefighters Museum, 1325 Tremont Place, Denver. This program is designed to teach kitchen safety, but you get to enjoy firehouse treats at the same time. We all know what great chefs those firefighters are! Take your favorite fire engine fanatic for a little afternoon getaway. $5 per class, or $15 for the 4 week session.

Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, now through August 28, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Tebo Train Rides on the Pearl Street Mall, Boulder. Let your little ones (10 and younger, please) hop on the train and get a little tour of the Pearl Street Mall—two whole blocks of it. Adults can ride with their child. Catch the train at the Wells Fargo Bank in the 1200 block of the Pearl Street Mall.

4th of July
In case you missed it earlier this week, I’ve plopped in our 4th of July Preview. Here you’ll find fireworks displays, community celebrations and festivals. Have a fun and safe 4th.

Friday, July 3

Central
6:10 pm: The Colorado Rockies host the Diamondbacks this weekend, and the Friday and Saturday night games are followed by a fireworks display. Tickets are still available.

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. The first of three over the weekend, at various venues in the greater Metro area.

Dusk: Glendale Fireworks, Cherry Creek Drive at Cherry Street in Glendale. Fireworks start at dusk, and last approximately 30 minutes.

West:
4:00 pm: Lakewood on Parade, Jefferson County Sports Stadium, 500 Kipling Street, Lakewood. Lakewood celebrates its 40th birthday with live music, family activities, and food, fun, and fireworks.

Northwest
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.

6:10 pm: The second game in the Rockies/Diamondbacks series. Fireworks follow the game. Tickets are still available.

7:00 pm: Denver’s Lacrosse team, the Outlaws, is also in on the fireworks scene, with a display on Saturday night after their game at Invesco Field. Tickets start at just $16.

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 that 5k. . . ), and of course the fireworks begin around 9:30.

7:30 pm: Colorado Symphony Orchestra Sounds of America, Fiddler’s Green Ampitheater, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Boulevard, Englewood. This concert isn’t free, as the other CSO concerts are over the weekend. However, there are affordable tickets available, and the CSO is always worth listening to.

East
5:00 pm: The Colorado Rapids host their “4th Fest” at Dick’s Sport Goods Park in Commerce City. The fun starts at 5:00, outside of the stadium on the south side, with live entertainment, music, food, and a kid zone (Legos! Jumping Castle!). The game is at 7:00, and at 9:00 there’s more music, with a reunion performance by The Samples, and then, finally, the fireworks. The Rapids are boasting one of the greatest fireworks displays in the state because they’re not bound by annoying things like noise ordinances and air space restrictions.

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. Presumably, the fireworks begin 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, Venues 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.

Theater and Music

July 1 – August 15: Colorado Shakespeare Festival, 914 Broadway (on the University of Boulder Campus), Boulder. Get a little culture this summer with one of the best Shakespeare Festivals around. Performances of the great works of the Bard (along with one or two others) run at various times. Check the website for specifics.

Opening July 2: Cinderella, Mexican Style at the Denver Puppet Theater, 3156 West 38th Avenue, Denver. 303-458-6446. A charming little twist on a popular tale. Check out the Denver Puppet Theater this summer; tickets are inexpensive ($6.00!), and shows are appropriate for children 3 years and older.

July 3, 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. The first of three over the weekend, at various venues in the greater Metro area.

July 5, 7:30 pm: Colorado Symphony Orchestra Symphony on the Rocks, Red Rocks Ampitheater, Morrison. The concert is free, but it does cost $10 to park at Red Rocks.

Thursday, July 2 and July 9 (and every Thursday night during the summer): Music on the Streets in Old Town Arvada, Old Wadsworth and Grandview Avenue. Stroll through Old Town Arvada as live music plays. A lovely way to spend a warm spring evening.

Through September 5: Annie at Boulder’s Dinner Theatre, 5501 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder. The Broadway musical you love. . . with dinner! Special matinees added for families, so you can bring the little ones and you can all leave singing “It’s a hard knock life. . .” Check the website for show times and ticket prices.

Farmers’ (and other) Markets

The Farmers’ Markets have been rearranged by region, to improve your shopping experience.

Central:

Saturday, 8:00 am – 1:00 pm. Cherry Creek Fresh Market, 1st Avenue and University (in the Bed, Bath, and Beyond parking lot), Denver. www.coloradofreshmarkets.com

Sunday, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm: Stapleton, 29th and Roslyn, Denver. www.coloradofreshmarkets.com.

Sunday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Old South Pearl Street Farmers’ Market, 1500 Block of South Pearl Street, Denver. This market makes its debut this weekend. Check it out!

Sunday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. City Park Esplanade Fresh Market, East Colfax Avenue and Columbine Street, Denver. www.coloradofreshmarkets.com.

Tuesday, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm: Denver Civic Center Outdoor Market and Café, Colfax and Broadway, Denver. www.coloradofreshmarkets.com.

Wednesday, 9:00 am – 1:00. Cherry Creek Fresh Market, 1st Avenue and University (in the Bed, Bath, and Beyond parking lot), Denver. www.coloradofreshmarkets.com.

South:

Saturday, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. Highlands Ranch Farmers’ Market, Highlands Ranch Town Center, 9288 Dorchester Street, Highlands Ranch. www.denverfarmersmarket.com

Monday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. Tamarac Square, Tamarac and Hampden, Denver. www.denverfarmersmarket.com.

North:

Saturday, 8:00 am – 1:00 pm. Northfield Stapelton, Northfield Stapleton Shopping Center, I-70 and Quebec. www.laughingdogfarms.net

Saturday, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm. Boulder Farmer’s Market, Downtown Boulder on 13th Street between Canyon and Arapahoe 303-910-2236.

Sunday, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. Orchards Farmers’ Market, 144th Avenue and I-25. www.laughingdogfarms.net

Northwest:

Thursday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. 4260 Wadsworth Boulevard, Wheat Ridge. www.denverfarmersmarket.com.

Southwest:

Saturday, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm. Metro Denver Farmers’ Market, Southwest Plaza SE Parking Lot, Wadsworth and Bowles, Littleton. www.denverfarmersmarket.com

Wednesday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. Aspen Grove, 7301 South Santa Fe, Littleton.www.denverfarmersmarket.com

East:
Tuesday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. Aurora Farmers’ Market, 333 N. Havana, in the Maya Sports Bar and Grill parking lot. www.denverfarmersmarket.com

Southeast:

Saturday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Lone Tree, Yosemite and Maximus. www.laughingdogfarms.net.

Saturday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Southlands, E-470 and Smoky Hill Road, in the Southlands Shopping Center, Aurora. www.laughingdogfarms.net. This market opens this weekend, and will then be open Saturdays, 9:00 – 1:00 and Thursdays, 10:00 – 1:00.

Sunday, 8:00 am – 1:00 pm. Parker Farmer’s Market, Northwest corner of Parker and Main Street, in the Crossroads Shopping Center. www.laughingdogfarms.net. Runs through October.

Thursday, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm: Southlands, E-470 and Smoky Hill Road, in the Southlands Shopping Center, Aurora. www.laughingdogfarms.net.

To be considered for inclusion in our weekly event picks, be sure to email Jennifer at

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