9Things to do in Colorado this July 4 weekend: July 2, 3, 4, 2021

COLORADO, USA — Happy Independence Day weekend!

Celebrate the United States of America’s 245th birthday by soaking in the best summer festivals and events Colorado has to offer. With fireworks, parades, festivals, fairs, rodeo, soccer, racing and baseball, there’s so much to do, see and explore in Denver and Colorado this first weekend of July.

Remember to share your holiday weekend photos with the “Near Me” feature on the 9NEWS app. Have a fun and safe 4th of July weekend!

> Would you like to see your favorite Colorado event in 9Things? Send it to alexander.kirk@9news.com.

COLORADO — Fourth of July weekend is here and many may be contemplating where to watch fireworks blast into the night sky. Luckily, there are plenty of firework shows planned throughout Colorado from which to choose.

Check out our handy list and map of places to help celebrate America’s 245th birthday. As always, make sure to read up on the firework laws in your area.

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LARKSPUR — Take a magical tour through time and legend at the 44th annual Colorado Renaissance Festival. The festival’s village streets will have artisans selling original art, fresh-baked goods, roasted turkey legs, steak on a stake and much more. There will be jousting, comedy shows and a cast of hundreds walking and performing throughout the faire. The Renaissance Festival runs on weekends through Saturday, Aug. 22. Tickets are available at ColoradoRenaissance.com.

GREELEY — The Greeley Stampede continues through Sunday, July 4 at Greeley’s Island Grove Regional Park. The 13-day festival has been a Colorado tradition since 1922 focused on celebrating and preserving our state’s Western heritage through rodeo, concerts, a carnival, vendor fair, food and more.

The Greeley Stampede also features a large Independence Day celebration. The annual parade will be held Saturday, July 3 and fireworks are planned Sunday night.

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GRANBY — Granby will have three days of Independence Day festivities beginning with a Family Bike Parade on Friday, July 2. Granby will host a rodeo at Flying Heels Arena featuring the Westernaires at 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Granby’s 77th annual 4th of July Parade steps off at 11 a.m. on Sunday, July 4.

MEEKER — The 136th annual Range Call will be held this weekend in Meeker. The rodeo, which began in 1885, is the “oldest annual rodeo in Colorado.” A CPRA rodeo is scheduled for Friday, July 2 at the RBC Fairgrounds. Bellamy Brothers will perform a concert at 7 p.m. Saturday. For tickets and a complete Range Call schedule, visit MeekerRangeCall.com.

FRASER — The High Country Stampede Rodeo begins its 38th rodeo season this Saturday night. This week’s rodeo theme is “Celebrating the 4th of July,” so be sure to wear red, white and blue. The rodeo also features delicious food options at the Chuck Wagon Grill which will be open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. The 2021 High Country Stampede Rodeo continues Saturday nights through Aug. 14 with tickets available at gate.

PAGOSA SPRINGS — The 72nd annual Red Ryder Roundup Rodeo takes place Friday through Sunday. The event features a grand entry, 4-H truck raffle, mutton bustin’, Red Ryder BB gun drawing and sanctioned rodeo events each day. Tickets are available at the gate of the Western Heritage Event Center Rodeo Grounds at Highway 160 and 84 or online.

RELATED: A detailed look at Colorado’s 4th of July weather forecast

LAKEWOOD — Lakewood’s 3rd annual Big Boom Bash celebration is back on Sunday, July 4. This year’s Independence celebration will be a fireworks-only display at dark (approximately 9:15 p.m.) and choreographed to music by MIX100. Tune to 100.3 FM to listen along. The show will be visible from Lakewood parks, neighborhoods and residences within a 1.5 mile radius of Jeffco Stadium.

BRIGHTON — Adams County will enjoy the 6th annual Stars & Stripes Independence Eve Celebration at Riverdale Regional Park on Saturday, July 3. The free celebration includes a Stars & Stripes 5K, cornhole tournament, live entertainment from Morgan Evans and The Tyler Walker Band, food and beverage options and fireworks.

FORT CARSON — Freedom Fest hosted by Fort Carson and the 4th Infantry Division will be held Friday, July 2 at Iron Horse Park. The event is open to Department of Defense ID cardholders and their guests with a valid visitor pass.

Entertainment will include a concert featuring Joe Nichols, food and beverages will be available for purchase and the evening will conclude with a large fireworks display at 10 p.m.

LITTLETON — Arapahoe Philharmonic in collaboration with Breckenridge Brewery present “Stars and Stripes Forever Concert and Fireworks” in-person and livestream on Saturday, July 3 at 8 p.m. The Breckenridge Brewery Littleton Beer Garden will have food, drinks, music and patriotic fireworks. Purchase tickets online at arapahoe-phil.org.

RELATED: Here’s where fireworks are and are not legal in Colorado

KREMMLING — Town of Kremmling will host its free Fire Up the Cliffs block party from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 4. The party will have live music, beer garden and family activities leading up to Kremmling’s fireworks display.

GRAND JUNCTION — Downtown Grand Junction’s annual 4th of July Parade steps off at 10 a.m. on Sunday, July 4 on Main Street. The parade if free to the public.

WELLINGTON — Wellington’s Independence Day Parade steps off at 10 a.m. Sunday, July 4 on Cleveland Avenue. The 31st annual Northern Colorado Car & Truck Show and festival begins at 11 a.m. Fireworks at planned to launch around 9:15 p.m.

PALMER LAKE — Palmer Lake’s Festival on the Fourth is set for Sunday, July 4 starting at 1 p.m. There will be two beer gardens, 12 local bands, local restaurants, shops and food trucks. Organizers will booked up to 50 local vendors which will provide food, beverage, goods, services and crafts. Fun activities for the family include inflatable bounce castles and obstacle courses, hole-in-one disc golf contest, games and entertainment.

LA VETA — Celebrate summer with La Veta’s beautiful Art in the Park event this weekend. Featuring handmade arts, crafts, jewelry, apparel, paintings, ceramics, glass, wood and more, Art in the Park will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday with free admission.

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DENVER — This week, the Colorado Rockies opened Coors Field to full capacity with up to 50,000 fans welcome for the rest of the baseball season. Nolan Arenado and the St. Louis Cardinals arrive at Coors Field for a four-game series beginning Thursday, July 1. The Rockies’ epic firework shows are back on Friday and Saturday.

Tickets are sold at rockies.com/tickets, 303-762-5437 or at the Coors Field Ticket Office and Rockies Dugout Stores.

RELATED: Coors Field opens to full capacity

COMMERCE CITY — The Colorado Rapids’ 24th annual 4thFest Celebration with post-game fireworks display is Sunday, July 4 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. This year’s iteration will mark the first time the Rapids host a match at full capacity since March 7, 2020. The July 4 match will also serve as a special moment in club history, as the Rapids will retire Pablo Mastroeni’s jersey number during a ceremony held during halftime. Tickets are available via altitudetickets.com.

RELATED: Where to watch firework displays across Colorado

DACONO — Colorado’s fastest three-eighths-mile NASCAR-sanctioned racetrack, Colorado National Speedway, will host two big nights of racing and fireworks this Independence Day weekend. King of the Wing Sprint Cars will headline Saturday and Sunday night’s extravaganza with Legends, Figure 8’s and Bandoleros set for Friday. Sunday’s lineup will showcase the Legends, Bandoleros and Pure Stocks. Gates open at 4 p.m. each night with tickets at the gate or coloradospeedway.com.

BOULDER — The Colorado Music Festival is back. The summer concert series offers 22 performances of orchestral and chamber music by the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra and guest artists. Concerts begin Thursday, July 1 and continue through Saturday, Aug. 7 at Chautauqua Auditorium. For a full list of in-person and live-streaming performances and to purchase all tickets, visit coloradomusicfestival.org.

MORRISON — Canadian electronic music duo Zeds Dead is performing at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Friday, July 2 and Saturday, July 3.

Red Rocks reopened in April with a capacity of 2,500 people and increased capacity to 6,300 on Saturday, May 22. Concerts and events happening after June 21 are being sold at full capacity, which is 9,545 people.

MORRISON — It wouldn’t be summer without a Fourth of July Blues Traveler show at Red Rocks. Blues Traveler will headline a concert at Red Rocks on Sunday, July 4. Blues Traveler has played Red Rocks every July 4 since 1994, with the exception of 1999 and 2020.

RELATED: Red Rocks’ summer concert schedule

“F9” has ignited the post-pandemic box office!

The ninth installment in the “Fast & Furious” franchise opened only in theaters and had the widest release of any movie since the start of the coronavirus crisis.

“F9” topped the previous pandemic-best of $48.4 million for “A Quiet Place Part II” four weeks ago. It was the biggest opening of any film since “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” in December 2019.

• The Boss Baby: Family Business
• The Forever Purge

Last weekend’s box office

1. F9: The Fast Saga — $70.0M
2. A Quiet Place Part II — $6.2M
3. The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard — $4.9M
4. Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway — $4.8M
5. Cruella — $3.8M

RELATED: ‘F9’ puts charge back into movie theaters with $70M opening

RELATED: List of Fourth of July firework shows across Colorado

> Would you like to see your favorite Colorado festival, fair, expo, concert, drama, musical, ballet, run or event listed in 9Things? Send it to alexander.kirk@9news.com. 

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