Estes Park Promises Stirring July 4 - 06/17/2009

A 30-minute fireworks display many say is the best in Colorado highlights Fourth of July celebrations in Estes Park. The 9:30 p.m. show is preceded by a host of other activities including a horse show, vintage car show, and three concerts.

The fireworks display begins when the skies are dark enough for the spectacular. There is no charge to watch the fireworks over Lake Estes although there is a $5 fee for those parking in lots surrounding the lake.

This will be the 56th year that Arabian horses will be on display and compete in Estes Park during the July 4 holiday period. From July 2 through 6, riders and their mounts will compete in a variety of contests ranging from looks to dressage (an event in which horse and rider are judged for the elegance, precision and discipline of the horse’s movements) and hack. Activity generally begins daily at 9 a.m. and continues into the evening hours. Just before the fireworks begin, lights at the Fairgrounds at Stanley Park are turned off so that Arabian Horse Show spectators can enjoy the fireworks from their grandstand seats. There is no admission fee to the horse show.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 4, vintage cars from the 1920s and beyond will be on display during the “Coolest Car Show in Colorado” in the Bond Park area in the center of downtown. This is the 11th year that antique autos mark the Independence Day holiday here. Admission to see the vehicles up close is $5 for adults, $2 for students and no more than $10 for the entire family.

Free musical performances are another mainstay of the July 4 festivities in Estes Park. Three concerts will be held. Estes Park’s Jazz Big Band will perform swinging sounds from the big band era at 3 p.m. Acoustic folk music by Dick Orleans will be heard on the Riverwalk at Barlow Plaza at 7:30 p.m. and the Village Band will present its annual patriotic concert at 7 p.m. at Performance Park. For concerts in Performance Park, 417 West Elkhorn Ave., bring a blanket or lawn chair for more comfortable seating.

For more information about July 4 activities, in Estes Park at the eastern entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, contact the Estes Park Convention & Visitors Bureau at 970-577-9900 or 800-443-7837 or visit www.EstesParkCVB.com