How to Celebrate the Fourth of July Across Douglas County
The Fourth of July is a highlight of the summer in Douglas County, with fireworks, parades, live music, festivals, and family-friendly fun happening throughout the area. Whether you are looking for a small-town celebration, a big fireworks show, or fun activities for the kids, there are plenty of ways to celebrate Independence Day in Parker, Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, and beyond. Here is your guide to July 4th celebrations and events happening throughout Douglas County this year!
Fireworks displays can always be delayed or postponed due to wind and other weather conditions. If fireworks shows are canceled at July 4 events, you can still enjoy two drone shows in Douglas County this summer for a festive alternative.
Castle Rock
July 4th ROCK-IT RUN
July 4; 6:30 a.m.
Douglas County Fairgrounds
Join the 6th Annual ROCK-IT RUN 5k, Half Marathon (Relay Optional), and FREE 1k Little Rock-It RUN (8 years and under). There will be music all morning long to get your pre-race pump AND music on the course! Stay for the post-race Let Freedom ROCK celebration.
Town of Castle Rock Fourth of July Celebration
July 4; 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. (fireworks)
Festival Park
The Town of Castle Rock will host a special America 250 – Colorado 150 version of our annual event at Festival Park with live music, local food trucks, face painting, other family-friendly activities, and the return of the Town’s Pie Bake-Off competition. Weather permitting, the evening will conclude with a fireworks display!
Highlands Ranch
Star-Spangled Birthday Bash
July 2; 6 p.m.
Highland Heritage Regional Park
While fireworks will not take place, residents can still enjoy a festive evening filled with live music, patriotic spirit, and family-friendly fun. Enjoy a performance by bluegrass favorite Ragged Union from 6 to 7 p.m., followed by an energetic headlining performance by 2025 Colorado Country Male Vocalist of the Year Jeff Goodwin and the Front Range Cowboys from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, gather with friends and neighbors, and celebrate as Highlands Ranch begins commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Independence Day 5K
July 4; 7:30 a.m.
Highlands Ranch Town Center
Celebrate Independence Day with a fun morning on the move — this spirited run/walk welcomes everyone: first-time 5K participants, elite athletes, kids, parents with strollers, and even four-legged friends.
Fourth of July Parade
July 4; 8:45 a.m.
Highlands Ranch Town Center
The festivities begin at 8:45 a.m. with a charming Pet & Bike Parade, followed by the main parade at 9:00 a.m. The parade will take place along Highlands Ranch Pkwy, between Highlands Ranch Pkwy between Hepburn St and Ridgeline Blvd.
Fireworks Show
July 4
Information coming soon.
Lone Tree
Independence Day Celebration
July 4; 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (fireworks)
Prairie Sky Park
Celebrate throughout the day with a variety of festive activities, delicious food, live music, and plenty of fun. The day starts at 9 a.m. with a Family Fun Ride & Stroll. During the day, enjoy a variety of inflatables, interactive activities, food trucks, and plenty of fun! This is a FREE event to attend, however, some items inside the park may have a fee.
Then grab blankets, camping chairs, coolers, outdoor games and mingle with your friends and neighbors while you enjoy live music (starting at 6:45 p.m.), leading up to the main event, a spectacular fireworks display illuminating the Lone Tree sky at 9:30 p.m.
Parker
July 4th Fireworks Show
July 4; 9:30 p.m. (fireworks)
Salisbury Park
For Independence Day 2026, we’ll celebrate our nation’s history with the Town of Parker’s biggest and best fireworks show to date! We encourage residents to gather at various parks and other locations around Parker to celebrate America’s 250th birthday with this beautiful fireworks display.
Salisbury Park and its 300 legal paved parking spaces will be open to the public for residents to enjoy during the day and evening of July 4. Parking and park availability will be first-come, first-served and will be free. Regular park rules will apply. Public parks that may provide good views of the display include Bar CCC Park, McCabe Meadows, Stroh Soccer Field and Tallman Meadow Park, as well as select areas along the Cherry Creek Trail.
Sterling Ranch
Stars and Stripes Celebration
July 4; 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (fireworks)
Overlook Clubhouse/Providence Park
Celebrate the Fourth of July at the Stars and Stripes Celebration! Kick off the morning at 9 a.m. by taking part in a festive bike parade filled with red, white, and blue spirit, followed by the USA 250 / Colorado 150 aerial photo at 10 am at Providence Park, a special community moment that commemorates these historic milestones.
The celebration continues with a live concert from That Eighties Band from 5 to 7 pm, bringing all the best throwback hits and high-energy entertainment to the stage. Families can enjoy bounce houses, face painting (pay per face), and a balloon artist, explore sponsor booths, enjoy great food and sweet treats.
As the evening comes to a close, gather in the fireworks watch area just west of the pickleball courts for the grand finale at 9:30 p.m. – a dazzling fireworks display set to fill the night sky with color, excitement, and patriotic spirit.
Other Douglas County Fireworks Shows
Douglas County Fair and Rodeo
July 22; 8:15 p.m.
Douglas County Fairgrounds, Castle Rock
Light up the night with a spectacular drone show that takes entertainment to new heights! Watch as hundreds of illuminated drones dance across the sky, creating stunning patterns, animations, and dazzling effects synchronized to music. It’s a cutting-edge, family-friendly experience that blends technology and artistry into one unforgettable performance.
Summer Sunset Concert and America 250/Colorado 150 Drone Show
Aug. 22; 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Civic Green Park, Highlands Ranch
This free event will include a drone show as part of the celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and Colorado’s 150th anniversary of statehood.
Enjoy live music from the 1990s and 2000s with Ninety2K, a Colorado-based band, while enjoying dinner and dessert from local food trucks. Admission is free, and food is for purchase.
Stay Safe this Fourth of July
As a reminder, fireworks that explode or leave the ground are always illegal in Colorado, including in unincorporated areas of Douglas County, the City of Castle Pines, and the Town of Larkspur.
More information about illegal fireworks and how to report them can be found on the Douglas County Sheriff’s website.
