#Summmit County #Colorado
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| Courtesy Summit Daily |
Next week the mountains will come alive with patriotism and parties. Here’s a breakdown of all that is happening on the Fourth of July in Summit County.
PARADES
The main event this Independence Day are the two major parades in Frisco and Breckenridge.
Frisco’s Fabulous Fourth of July Parade heads down Main Street at 12:30 p.m. from Madison Avenue heading east toward the Frisco Bay Marina. That morning from 8–11 a.m., fill up before the parade with the Team Summit Pancake Breakfast at the community center on 110 Third Avenue. Breakfast tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids 8 and under. Visit TownOfFrisco.com to purchase and for float registration.
Breckenridge’s Main Street parade starts at 10 a.m. with the Red, White and Blue Color Guard and the Wisconsin marching band. Following the parade, George Washington, portrayed by C.J. Mueller, will read the Declaration of Independence in the Blue River Plaza. Visit GoBreck.com to register for the parade.
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Before and after the parade in Frisco, music of various genres will pour out in the town. First, the Summit Concert Band will perform at the Frisco Historic Park Gazebo on the corner of Second Street and Main Street from 11 a.m. to noon. Then, following the parade, The Artisanals from Charleston, South Carolina, will play their folk-rock tunes at 1:30 p.m. at the gazebo. Headlining the Frisco festivities is a free concert by legendary classic rock group Jefferson Starship from 5:30–7:30 p.m. at the marina. In between concerts, Main Street will have chalk art, a silent disco, face painting, a photo booth, skateboarding demos and more.
Across the lake in Dillon, the Air Force Academy Band will perform a free concert at the Dillon Amphitheater on West Lodgepole Street at 7 p.m.
Silverthorne’s Rainbow Park, located at 590 Rainbow Drive, will host its own Fourth of July fun from 10 a.m. to noon. The National Repertory Orchestra will perform as families enjoy an instrument petting zoo, face painting, bounce houses and other activities. Guests are encouraged to provide their own blankets or chairs and can begin reserving a spot on the lawn at 6 a.m. Visit Silverthorne.org for more information.
Breckenridge is a bustling hub of celebration on the Fourth of July with arts festivals and live music. First, the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance will have a garden party at the Barney Ford House Museum at 9 a.m. Coffee, mimosas and breakfast are available to enjoy as attendees watch the parade at the annual fundraiser. The event is sold out, but people can call 970-452-9767×2 to be put on the waitlist. Tickets cost $75 for adults, $50 for teens and $25 for children. Meanwhile, the Breckenridge Creative Arts District Campus off of Washington Avenue will have chalk art, a pie-eating contest, a dog fashion show, games and more.
For more art, visit the 36th annual Breckenridge July Art Festival at The Village at Breckenridge and Main Street Station, 505 S. Park Ave., from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Though Thursday, July 4, may be the start of the festival, it goes until Saturday, July 6.
Providing tunes in town at 2 p.m. is the dance band Thumpin’ at the Riverwalk Center followed by The Pine Beatles at 5:30. Closing out the evening is a concert by the NRO from 8–10 p.m., with tickets ranging from $10–$30. Visit BreckCreate.org and GoBreck.com for a full schedule and to purchase tickets.
KIDS EVENTS
No holiday is complete without plenty of fun for the kids as the entire family takes in the day’s activities.
Kids can start their morning in Frisco with a fishing derby at 8 a.m. at Meadow Creek Park, 828 Meadow Drive. The free event is available to children 15 years old and younger and they must bring their own rods and bait. If children wish to join Frisco’s parade, they can deck out their bicycles in advance, participate in a decorating contest at 11:45 a.m. and then pedal down Main Street with the rest of the floats. Visit TownOfFrisco.com for details and rules on the events.
Pretty much all of Keystone Resort’s Stars and Guitars events are centered on the little ones. Like Frisco, the resort has a bike parade and fishing derby. The parade runs from 10:30–11:30 a.m. in River Run Village while the derby happens in Lakeside Village from 3–5 p.m. Lakeside Village will also be the home of a bubble beach party from noon to 1 p.m. and music from So What Brothers and other activities from 4–7. Visit KeystoneResort.com for more information.
Breckenridge has its own family fun zone on the Blue River Plaza. Throughout the day there will be a drum circle, water party, pony rides, trampolines and more. Visit GoBreck.com for a complete schedule.
RACES
Sitting and watching the sights while enjoying grilled food is one way to celebrate the Fourth of July, but folks may also want to do something slightly more active.
Runners can get up bright and early for the 7 a.m. Independence Day 10K Trail Run in Breckenridge. Advanced registration is recommended as the scenic race is limited to 500 people.
Kicking off Breckenridge’s parade is the Firecracker 50 mountain bike race on Main Street at 9:30 p.m. Visit GoBreck.com for race details and registrations.
FIREWORKS
Due to fire safety and congestion concerns, there will be no fireworks in Summit County on the Fourth of July. Breckenridge has banned any sort of fireworks in town limits. However, that doesn’t mean fireworks won’t shoot off into the night sky throughout Colorado, with a few displays happening just a short drive away.
Vail will have its display at Golden Peak at 9:30 p.m. Beaver Creek will launch explosives into the air at 9:15 p.m. Buena Vista will have fireworks at 9 p.m. at the rodeo grounds. At dark, Kremmling’s town square will light up the night. Weather permitting, Idaho Springs will have its display at 9:15 p.m. over the Charlie Tayler Waterwheel.
Black Hawk will have a fireworks display, allegedly the largest in Colorado, begin at 9:30 p.m. Gypsum and Fairplay will shoot off fireworks at 9 p.m.
Leadville will have its display at dusk, Granby’s will be after its 7 p.m. rodeo and Winter Park’s begins at 9 p.m. at the Rendezvous Event Center.
Courtesy Summit Daily.
