DENVER (KDVR) — It’s almost time for America’s birthday bash — the Fourth of July — and many around Denver and across Colorado will celebrate it with fireworks and drone displays.
It’s important to remember that in most areas of Colorado, fireworks are prohibited if they leave the ground. In other areas, all fireworks — including sparklers and ground-based fireworks — are illegal.
FOX31 compiled this list of permitted events happening across the state.
Colorado fireworks shows: Full list
Arvada: The city has celebrated Independence Day since 1979 with fireworks at the Stenger Sports Complex, 11200 W. 58th Ave. The show is slated to begin just after 9 p.m., but the Stenger Sports Complex gates will open to vehicles at 6:30 p.m. and food trucks will be in the area.
Aurora: Celebrate July Fourth in Aurora from 6-10 p.m., with fireworks planned for 9:30 p.m. The event is set to take place at the Aurora Municipal Center, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway, and will feature a variety of musical performances, food trucks and other entertainment.
Breckenridge: The city of Breckenridge holds a variety of July Fourth celebrations, starting at 7 a.m. with the Independence Day 10K. The National Repertory Orchestra is scheduled to play at 6 p.m. Because of fire risks, the city does not have fireworks displays.
Boulder: The city is not planning a July Fourth celebration, citing the end of a private-public partnership with a real estate group that provided funding for the Folsom Field event.
Brighton: The Adams County “Stars & Stripes Celebration” is on July 3 and is planned to start at 4 p.m. at Riverdale Regional Park, 9755 Henderson Road. Country singer Thomas Mac is scheduled to perform at 7:30 p.m., and a fireworks display is planned for 9:30 p.m.
Broomfield: Join the Great American Picnic at Broomfield County’s Commons Park at 13200 Sheridan Blvd. The events start at 5 p.m. and will include inflatables, concessions, food vendors and a beer garden, and a music show is planned to begin at 6 p.m. End your evening with a bang with fireworks planned for 9:15 p.m.
Buena Vista: The town’s annual festivities start with a parade at 8 a.m. on historic Main Street, followed by a vendor festival at McPhelemy Park that will feature local beer and wine vendors, food trucks and live music. The American Legion Post 55 is sponsoring fireworks at 8:30 p.m. (around dusk).
Castle Rock: Fireworks will begin at sundown (approximately 9:30 p.m.) with a “high-flying, 15-minute fireworks show” that will be set off from the former Acme Brick facility on Prairie Hawk Drive. A three-shot salute will start the show. In the event of a rain or severe weather event, the fireworks show will be moved to July 5.
Colorado Springs: The main event planned in Colorado Springs is the Star Spangled Symphony and Fourth of July Fireworks show scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. at the Pikes Peak Center in downtown Colorado Springs. The performance is broadcast on several radio stations in conjunction with 10 fireworks shows and will be followed by a fireworks show as well.
Commerce City: The 4thFest is a free event outside Dick’s Sporting Goods Park and is a partnership with the Colorado Rapids team. The city is planning a block party with a live DJ, drinks, food trucks, a quad trampoline, a rock-climbing wall and an LED wall to stream the Rapids’ game. The night will conclude with “one of the largest public fireworks shows” in Colorado.
Cripple Creek: The city is hosting the 2024 Fourth of July Fireworks celebration starting “about 20 minutes after dusk,” which the city reported to be about 9:30 p.m. The show will be set off from the south side of town.
Durango: The city of Durango’s Fourth of July celebration will once again feature fireworks, planned for 9:15 p.m. as part of the downtown street party. Other events during the day include magic shows, eating contests, bands, a scavenger hunt and so many more.
Englewood: The city’s annual firework celebration will be held at Centennial Park, 321 Union Road, and is scheduled for 10 p.m. A rain date has been scheduled for July 5.
Estes Park: The Fourth of July in Estes features a live musical performance by El Loco Fandango, a ZZ Top tribute band and fireworks displayed over Lake Estes. The event is scheduled for July Fourth from 6-10 p.m., but to be in the grandstand you must purchase tickets, available here.
Firestone: Celebrate the 22nd Annual 4th at Firestone at Miners Park. The city is planning events beginning at 8 a.m., including a parade and beer garden. A fireworks display is planned for 9:30 p.m., weather permitting.
Golden: The city will not have any fireworks in 2024, although the Golden Lions Club is hosting the annual 4th celebration in Lions Park on 10th Street. The event will feature bands, food and drink and kids’ games, among other activities.
Grand Lake: The town of Grand Lake is planning its fireworks display for July 4 at about 10 p.m. “over the lake.” The display is set to be 30 minutes long, but potential fire bans could cancel the event.
Greeley: There is one professional fireworks display planned for the Greeley area on July 4 at about 9 p.m. The display is part of the Greeley Stampede, which is held at the fairgrounds.
Highlands Ranch: Douglas County, the Highlands Ranch Community Association and the Highlands Ranch Metro District are planning a joint July Fourth fireworks display at about 9:30 p.m. The timing is contingent on the weather and if there are any fire bans. The display will be held at Highland Heritage Regional Park, 9651 S. Quebec St.
Kremmling: See the “Fire Up the Cliffs” at Kremmling Town Square, with an event scheduled from 5-10 p.m. set to include live music, food, a beer garden and more. The fireworks display is set to begin at dusk.
Lakewood: The Big Belmar Bash promises to entertain the Lakewood and Belmar communities on July 3 from 5-10 p.m. at the intersection of South Teller Street and West Alaska Drive. Live bands, local vendors and a variety of food and drinks will be available at the event. The event will be capped off with a drone show at about 9:15 p.m., rain or shine. MIX 100.3 will provide a soundtrack for the airborne light show.
Littleton: The Foothills Park and Recreation District is hosting “Red, White and You” on July 3 from 5-10 p.m. in Clement Park, 7306 W. Bowles Ave. The event will feature vendors, a kids zone area, beer and wine garden and a free concert at 7 p.m. The fireworks display is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. and will launch south of the amphitheater. The display is fire-ban and weather-dependent.
Longmont: The Skyline Kiwanis Club is handling this year’s fireworks show in Longmont. The display is set to launch at 9:30 p.m. on July 4 from the Longmont Fire Training Center at 111 1st Avenue, which is a new location from years past. The St. Vrain Valley School District Drone Academy, sponsored by NextLight, “will provide additional magic in the sky.”
Lone Tree: Party in Prairie Sky Park on July Fourth with the city of Lone Tree. Events start at 9 a.m. with a family fun ride and stroll, but they really kick off at about 6 p.m. with the party. Acoustic music performed by Ryan Cowell is set to begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by a number of bands. At about 9:30 p.m., the fireworks display is scheduled to launch.
Louisville: Head to the Coal Creek Golf Course at 585 West Dillon Drive on July 4 for food, music and summer activities before the grand finale of a fireworks display scheduled to begin between 9:30-9:45 p.m. “If wind, weather, or a fire ban prevents a fireworks show on July 4th, the fireworks will be safely stored, and added to the 2025 show,” the city explained online. The display is launched from the Coal Creek Golf Course driving range.
Loveland: Loveland will celebrate Independence Day on July 4 at North Lake Park, 2750 N. Taft Avenue. Because of this, Lake Loveland Swim Beach is scheduled to be closed from July 2-4 and reopen on Friday, July 5. Many youth-centric activities, food trucks and other vendors are set to be present, and a children’s bike parade precedes the fireworks display at about 3:30 p.m. The fireworks display will launch from the swim beach over Lake Loveland at about 9:17 p.m.
Northglenn: The July 4 festival and fireworks are scheduled from noon to 10 p.m. on July 4 at the E.B. Rains Jr. Community Park, 11800 Community Center Drive. Events are planned throughout the afternoon, including a car show, vendor festival, beer garden, duck derby race and live music. Fireworks are planned for 9 p.m., based on the weather.
Ouray: If you’re up for the early mornings, the Old-Fashioned Fourth of July in Ouray is the place to be — at 7 a.m. for the Ourayce, a fundraiser for Home Trust of Ouray County that starts at City Hall. Other events are planned throughout the day, including kid’s games at Fellin Park and a water fight at 2 p.m., courtesy of the volunteer fire department. Fireworks are scheduled to end the night after the Jeep light parade.
Parker: Parker is hosting a fireworks display on July 4 at about 9:30 p.m. The display will launch from Salisbury Park, 11920 Motsenbocker Road, with no associated event.
Pueblo: Celebrate July Fourth the southern Colorado way: on the Pueblo Riverwalk. Events begin at 4 p.m. with food trucks and a ceremony by the Veterans Ritual Team. Rhett Haney will perform at 7:45 p.m., and fireworks, weather permitting, will launch at 9:30 p.m. from the roof of the Main Street parking garage.
Rangely: The Rangely Chamber of Commerce is hosting Fourth of July festivities on July 3 beginning at 10 a.m. The event will feature live music, food trucks, games and other activities. The night ends with a spectacular fireworks display over Kenney Reservoir, which will be launched by Western Rio Blanco Metropolitan Recreation and Park District at dusk.
Sheridan: The cities of Sheridan, Englewood and Littleton are hosting a celebration on July 4 from 5-10 p.m. at the Cornerstone and Belleview Parks in Englewood, located at 5150 S. Windermere St.
Thornton: The party starts at noon in Thornton at Carpenter Park Fields, located at the intersection of 108th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard. The event will have food, live entertainment and beer gardens, all culminating with a parachutists jump at 9:30 p.m. followed by the “Red, White and Boom Fantabulous Fireworks” display.
Timnath: The Timnath Reservoir will be the site of live entertainment, family activities, food trucks and other vendors on July 4 beginning at 6 p.m. The night will end with a “pyro-musical and spectacular firework show” that will be launched over the reservoir. It’s scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m.
Vail: From 10 a.m. to noon, Vail is holding a Fourth of July parade, but the real slate of events begins at 2 p.m. with a concert by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra at the Amp. The city is planning a fireworks show at 9:45 p.m. that will launch from Golden Peak, weather permitting.
Water World: No, this isn’t a city-run event, but Water World is hosting a drone show preceding July 4 on Saturday, June 29. Tickets to be up close and personal at Thunder Bay are available for purchase, but the amusem*nt park promised that the show will be “viewable for many miles surrounding the park.”
Westminster: The cities of Westminster and Northglenn are planning their annual fireworks display for July 4 at about 9:15 p.m., sponsored by St. Anthony North Health Campus. The firework display will be held at Westminster City Park and shuttles will be available from the Front Range Community College and the MAC.
Winter Park: Winter Park is planning a “rousing, free concert and light show” at Rendezvous Event Center from 6-9 p.m. on July 4, but there will be no fireworks. Live music will be provided by Buckstein and DJ Jen G, the latter of whom will play during the light show, which will end the night.
