Colorado fireworks displays and Independence Day activities

By The Denver Post
How does Colorado celebrate Independence Day?

With a horseshoe tournament in Winter Park, a twangfest in Boulder, a pie-eating contest in downtown Denver.

And, fireworks, of course, across every sky.

This weekend's party commemorates everything American, and there's an event for just about everyone's taste. The prices are right, too: So many of this weekend's big offerings are free.

Our good advice: Look beyond your own municipal borders for new ways to celebrate a fun Fourth. This list offers plenty of opportunity.

Bandimere Family Festival

Sat: Fourth of July celebration with Jet Car Nationals, games, drag racing and more, 3 p.m. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. $18,

$16 senior and military, $12 ages

6-12, free for ages 5 and under. $10 parking. C-470 and Morrison Road, Morrison, familyfestivalfun.org

Boom Town

Sat: City of Black Hawk's fireworks display. cityofblackhawk.org

Breckenridge Celebration

Sat: Fourth of July parade, kids activities, fireworks and more. Riverwalk Center, 970-453-2913, gobreck.com

Breckenridge Art Festival

Friday-Sun: The festival features a wide array of art, including painting, metal, wood, glass, ceramics, sculpture, photography and jewelry, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Main Street Station and The Village at Breckenridge, South Main Street and Park Avenue, 970-547-9326, mountainartfestivals.com

Cherry Creek Art Festival

Friday-Sat: The 19th annual festival showcases visual, culinary, performing and interactive arts for the whole family, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Festival Nights: Music on Fillmore Street, 8-10 p.m. July 3-4. Free. Cherry Creek North, from East Second and Third avenues, 303-355-2787, cherryarts.org

Paonia Cherry Days Festival

Friday-Sun: Hometown fun includes pancake breakfast, sidewalk sales, cherry cook-off, art shows, carnival, dance, 5K run/walk, parade and more.

Paonia, 970-527-3886, paoniachamber.com

Cheyenne Mountain State Park

Friday:Watch Fort Carson's fireworks from the Cheyenne Mountain State Park amphitheater with guitar music of Adam Gardino and the Acme Bluegrass Band. Kid's activities all day. $6 per car.410 Jl Ranch Hts., Colorado Springs, 719- 576-2016.

Creede Days of '92 Mining Competitions

Friday-Sat: Hard rock mining competitions beginning at 9 a.m. each day. On July 4th a parade at 10 a.m., beer garden and vendor and craft booths (both days). Dance to live music at 9 p.m. on July 3 and after the fireworks on July 4 at the Creede Elks Club. Fireworks at dusk from Inspiration Point. Creede, 719-658-2374

Estes Park Celebration

Sat: Features Arabian Sport Horse Championships, vintage car show, live music and more. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. 800-443-7837, estesparkcvb.com

Family Fourth at the Ranch - Colorado Springs

Sat: Carnival games, historic re-enactments and patriotic music, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $6, $4 seniors and ages 13-18, $2 ages 12 and under, free for active-duty and retired military with an ID. Rock Ledge Ranch, North 30th Street and Gateway Road, Colorado Springs, 719-578-6986

Kremmling's Fire Up the Cliffs

Sat: KVFD BBQ, live music, annual Mud Shuffle and Calcutta, and fireworks. Kremmling, 970-724-3472, kremmlingchamber.com

Grand Lake Fireworks Extravaganza

Sat: The village of Grand Lake hosts a fireworks show at dusk. 970-627-3402, grandlakechamber.com

Glendale Fireworks Feast

Friday: Whole Foods Market hosts its annual outdoor party featuring live music, entertainment and food, 5-9 p.m. City of Glendale's fireworks display starts at dusk. 870 S. Colorado Blvd., Glendale, 303-564-3845

Fourth of July Downtown Fort Collins

Sat: Festivities include live music, a beer garden, pie-eating contest, petting zoo, games and more. Fireworks over Sheldon Lake at 9:30 p.m. 970-484-6500, Fort Collins, downtownfortcollins.com INVESCO FIELD AT MILE HIGH

Outlaws at INVESCO

Sat: The Denver Outlaws Lacrosse team and INVESCO Field at Mile High will celebrate Independence Day with live music, pre-party tailgate, kids interactive zone and more. Denver Outlaws vs. Boston Cannons game at 7 p.m. and close proximity fireworks at 9:30 p.m. INVESCO Field at Mile High, 1701 Bryant St. Denver 720-258-3600

Commerce City Fourth FEST

Sat: The Colorado Rapids and Commerce City celebrate Independence Day with live music, picnics, kids interactive zone and more, 5 p.m. Colorado Rapids vs. Chicago Fire match at 7 p.m. and fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Dick's Sporting Goods Park, 6000 Victory Way, Commerce City, 303-825-4625

Aspen Fourth of July Celebration

Sat: Festivities include a parade, U.S. Airforce jet flyby, concerts, a kids bicycle rodeo, and spectacular fireworks on Aspen Golf Course. Aspen, 970-925-9000

Golden Fourth of July Festival

Sat: Golden Lions Club celebration hosts a farmers market, raffle, music and more. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Lions Park, 10th and Maple streets, Golden, 303-384-9923

Salvation Army Fourth of July Picnic

Sat: The Salvation Army hosts its annual community picnic for veterans, the homeless and families, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. 2136 Champa St., 303-860-5565

Fourth of July Twang Fest - Boulder

Sat: Gold Hill Inn hosts its annual Independence celebration featuring music by Halden Wofford and the Hi-Beams, Jeff and Vida Band, and Finders and Youngberg, noon-5 p.m. $15 music, $27 music and food. 401 Main St., Boulder, 303-443-6461

Fraser Valley Fourth of July Celebration

Sat: Family fun includes sporting games, horseshoe tournament, picnic, live music and more. Fireworks at dusk. Fraser Sports Complex, County Road 5 at U.S. 40, Fraser, 970-726-4118, winterpark-info.com

Freedom Run - Evergreen

Sat: 5K run to benefit Mount Evans Hospice in Evergreen, 8 a.m. $25, $12 children in advance. $30, $15 children race-day; Evergreen Middle School, 2059 Hiwan Drive, Evergreen 303-674-6400, mtevans.org

Frisco Green Art Festival

Sat-Sun: Juried art fair in conjunction with the Town of Frisco's July 4 celebration, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 304 Main St., Frisco, 954-472-3755, artfestival.com

Fun at Bent's Fort - La Junta

Sat: Activities include a parade, games, Frontier cooking and more, 1:30-4:30 p.m. $3, $2 ages 6-12, free for ages 5 and under. Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, Colorado 194, La Junta, 719-383-5010, nps.gov/beol

Georgetown Old-Fashioned Fourth of July

Sat: Parade, bingo, 5K race and stroll, bucket-brigade races and more, 8 a.m. Fireworks display at dusk. 303-569-2888

Granby Celebration

Sat: Independence Day parade and fireworks.970-887-23110, granbychamber.com

Jamestown Fourth of July Celebration

Saturday: Pancake breakfast, parade, live music, kids games and more, 7:30 a.m. Fireworks at 9 p.m. 100 Main St., Jamestown, 303-442-5847

Kiowa 4th of July

Sat:Fireworks begin at dusk at the Elbert County Fairgrounds. Bull riding from 3-6 p.m. at the fairgrounds. Just north of Highway 86 on the Kiowa Bennett Rd..

Lakewood on Parade

Friday: Features games, rides, live music and more. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Jefferson County Sports Stadium, 400 Kipling St., Lakewood, lakewoodonparade.org

Leadville's July 4 Celebration

Sat-Sun: Festivities include the Firecracker 5K, Bluegrass Festival, luau and more. Leadville, 888-532-3845, visitleadvillecolorado.info

Let Freedom Sing "Red, White and Brews" Music Festival - Parker

Sat:Wendy Woo and others will perform at Parker Town Hall at 6 p.m.21020 E. Main St., 303-841-0354, parkeronline.org

Aurora's Light Up the Night

Sat: Aurora's annual Fourth of July Spectacular features a performance by the Air Force Academy Falconaires Jazz Band and Air Force Academy Concert Band, 7 p.m. Fireworks at dusk. Aurora Municipal Center, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway, Aurora, 303-739-7756

Loveland's July 4 Celebration

Sat: Activities include car show, live music, dance performances and more. Fireworks at 9:15 p.m. North Lake Park, 29th Street and Taft Avenue, Loveland, 970-962-2727

Mile High Rendezvous

Friday-Sun: Western-style entertainment featuring Michael Martin Murphey, Riders in the Sky, Don Edwards, and Halden Wofford & the Hi-Beams. Family fun includes dance performances, storytelling, cowboy poetry, authentic chuck wagon and more. Fireworks Friday at dusk. $3, free for ages 12 and under. Mile High Market Place, I-76 and 88th Ave., 303-289-4656

Old-Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration - Four Mile Historic Park, Denver

Sat: Festivities include performances by the Denver Concert Band, reading of the Declaration of Independence, games, crafts, wagon rides and more, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $7, $4 students and seniors, free for children age 5 and under. Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest St., 720-865-0804

Peak to Peak Music Festival - Nederland

Sat: Live music, parade, pub crawl and fireworks. Nederland, 720-236-5190

Pikes Peak Arts Fest - Colorado Springs

Friday-Sun: Fine art, craft, microbrew and more, 4-8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. America the Beautiful Park, Colorado Springs, 719-637-8049, pikespeakartsfest.com

Ralphie's Independence Day Blast - Boulder

Sat: Performances by Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, Open Space and Mountain Parks singing rangers, the Skip-Its jump-rope team and more, 8 p.m. Fireworks at dusk. Folsom Field, University of Colorado, Boulder, 303-441-3155

Red, White and Blue Fun - Gunnison/Crested Butte

Sat: Gunnison-Crested Butte hosts a pancake breakfast, run/walk/crawl race, parade, music, fireworks and more. 800-814-8893, GunnisonCrestedbutte.com

Royal Gorge July 4 Celebration

Friday-Sun: Musical performances by The Geezers, live demonstrations by the Nature and Raptor Center, face painting and more, 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Cañon City, 719-275-7507, royalgorgebridge.com

Run for Independence - Winter Park

Sat: 5K run/walk and pancake breakfast, 7:30 a.m.Winter Park Resort 970-736-4118, playwinterpark.com

Avon's Salute to the USA

Friday: The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa celebrates Independence Day with live music, beer garden, carnival games, petting zoo and more, 5 p.m. Fireworks at 9:45 p.m. Harry A. Nottingham Park, Avon, 970-748-4032, avonrec.org

Arvada's Sea to Shining Sea

Friday: In their Arvada Center debut, music director Michael Butterman and the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra present patriotic classics, 7:30 p.m. $10-$28. Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada, 720-898-7200

Singles Picnic and Fireworks

Sat: Annual picnic for adult singles (ages 40-60)at the Foothills Golf Course Pavilion from 4-9 p.m. $15 per person for hamburgers, hotdogs, macaroni salad, fruit, chips, cookies, ice tea and soda. Sand volleyball, horseshoes, Bocce ball, croquet, and dancing. Bring a chair for viewing Pinehurst Country Club's fireworks. Cash bar.3901 So. Carr St., boomersocial.net

Englewood's Sounds of America

Sat: The Colorado Symphony Orchestra performs, 7:30 p.m. Fireworks at 9:40 p.m. $17, $15 seniors, $12 children ages 4-12. Fiddler's Green Amphitheater, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Englewood, 303-806-0444, livenation.com

Arvada's Spirit of America

Sat: Arvada hosts family fun featuring live music, classic car show, kids park and and more, 3 p.m. July 4. Fireworks at 9 p.m. Lutz/Stenger Sports Complex, 10664 W. 58th Ave., Arvada, 720-898-7400

Dillon's Stars and Bars Boat Parade

Sat:The Dillon Yacht Club invites boaters to decorate their boats and set sail on Lake Dillon. Boats line up at 11:30 a.m. Parade begins at noon. Dillon Marina, Dillon, 303-629-6342, townofdillon.com

Glenwood Springs' Symphony in the Valley

Sat:Free patriotic music concert at Two River Park from 8-9 p.m. with fireworks immediately following.Devereaux Road and Centennial St., Glenwood Springs, 970-945-4490.

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