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It’s already been a busy week celebrating Independence Day with Minturn hosting festivities on Wednesday, Avon hosting its huge Salute to the U.S.A. celebration and Gypsum providing downvalley fun on Thursday, but July 4 is when you’ll find a multitude of events and activities throughout the Vail Valley. Please note that as of press time, the fireworks shows were scheduled, but are conditions permitting.

Vail America Days

Get ready for a day full of activities with Vail America Days on Friday. A parade, patriotic music, family fun and fireworks will fill your schedule. Start your day out with the region’s largest parade at 10 a.m. where the route goes from Golden Peak to Lionshead. This year’s theme is “Local Motion.” The parade will include community-organized floats crafted by local businesses and nonprofits, marching bands and performances including the Colorado State University Select Marching Band and Brothers of Brass from Denver. The parade will be led by local and visiting veterans. It’s a wonderful slice of hometown fun. Listen and look for the flyovers with a C-130 and F16s, they come and go quickly.

This is a very busy day in Vail, so arriving early to find a place to park and find a place to see the parade on the route is key. Come in and enjoy a nice walk in the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens and grab breakfast and coffee at various restaurants in the village. Consider carpooling, biking to Vail or taking the bus to ease congestion. Also, consider leaving your dog at home where it will be safe from the crowds and loud noises that could be stressful to your pet. Can’t watch the parade in person? Watch it live at 10:30 a.m. on High Five Access Media Channel 5 or via webstream at  or find it on Roku and Apple TV beginning at 10:45 a.m. After the parade there will be family entertainment:

Vail Village Stage – Intersection of Meadow Drive and Willow Bridge Road

• 12:30 – 1:45 p.m. – The Fabulous Femmes
• 2:15 – 3:30 p.m. – Bourbon Brass Band
• Lionshead Stage – Located at the entrance to Lionshead Mall
• 10– 11 a.m.- ߣÏÈÉún the Rabbit
• 12:30 – 1:45 p.m. – Guerilla Fanfare Brass Band
• 2– 3:30 p.m. – ߣÏÈÉún the Rabbit

At Ford Park check out the Meet and Greet with the HAATS Black Hawk Helicopter from 12 – 1:45 p.m.

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Don’t miss the annual Fourth of July Patriotic Concert at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. It begins at 2 p.m. featuring the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and is a benefit for the Vail Veterans Program. On the day of the show, free, non-ticketed lawn seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Gates open at 12:30 p.m.

Cap off the holiday with the fireworks which can be viewed from plenty of areas around town at 9:45 p.m. Find a full schedule and parking tips and more at .

Independence Day celebration in Beaver Creek

Beaver Creek is hosting its July 4 festivities is grand style with an all-day event filled with family fun. The activities start at noon with the Kids Zone over by Strawberry Park Express with inflatables, face painting and more. The music starts at noon as well with a DJ and four different bands playing at the stage at the base of the mountain. The headlining act is Jerrod Niemann with his chart-topping country hits.

Main Stage:

• 12 – 1:30 p.m. – DJ Pippen
• 2 – 3:30 p.m. – Tonewood Stringband
• 4 – 5:30 p.m. – Darling Revival
• 6 – 7:30 p.m. – The Powell Brothers
• 8 – 9:30 p.m. – Jerrod Niemann

Never ask, “What should we do this weekend?” again.

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The Family Stage, which will be located on the plaza level where the ice rink is during the winter, will host a variety of acts:

• 1- 1:15 p.m.- Colorado Hip Hop
• 1:15- 1:45 p.m. – Magic Performance
• 2 – 2:15 p.m. – Colorado Hip Hop
• 2:15- 2:45 p.m. – Peter Irish Performance
• 3- 3:30 p.m. – Magic Performance
• 3:45 – 4:15 p.m. – Peter Irish Performance
• 4:30 – 4:45 p.m. – Colorado Hip Hop 

There will be many food trucks and the Beaver Creek restaurants will be open, but reservations are recommended. Outside alcohol is prohibited but alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks will be for sale. No pets allowed at this event. For more information, visit .

Kids bike parade and foam dance party in Eagle

The annual Kids Bike Parade takes place on Friday morning and it’s not just for bikes, you can also bring scooters, tricycles, unicycles or any other pedal-powered, non-motorized mode of transportation. Meet at the Edwards Medical Center at 9:30 a.m. to decorate or put the final red, white and blue touches on your bikes and to line up. At 10 a.m., everyone will ride from the Edwards Medical Center North Lot along the bike path to Brush Creek Park and Pavilion for the foam party which goes from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Frozen pops will be given out while they last and the music will be on so get ready to dance in the bubbles. Bike parade organizers ask that you don’t bring your dogs on the bike parade route, but they can come to Brush Creek Park. This event is free and for more information, go to .

Avanti Vail Fourth of July party

Avanti Vail is the new food hall that opened up last December in the former Larkspur Restaurant space at the base of Golden Peak and offers five different food concepts under one roof, an indoor and outdoor bar and one big, fantastic patio. This will be a prime spot to watch the fireworks from Vail as Golden Peak is the launching point. Come early and enjoy live music from Matt Garth starting at 2 p.m. They will also be serving up a perfect drink for the holiday: the Bomb Pop frozen cocktail. This red, white and blue layered drink is reminiscent of those Bomb Pops, the frozen popsicles from your youth. Bring blankets or low lawn chairs and extra layers to enjoy the fireworks once the sun goes down. For more information, go to .

Manor Vail hosts barbecue buffet

Another great location to watch the Vail America Days fireworks is Manor Vail Lodge at Golden Peak. Manor Vail will host its festive Fourth of July Barbecue Buffet from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. with flame grilled burgers and hot dogs, tender pulled pork, smoked brisket and more. Check out happy hour from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. with $2 off draft beer and well drinks and $10 wine by the glass. There will also be live music from 5-7 p.m. with Nick Steingart. Come before or after the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Patriotic Concert at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater or before the fireworks. The costs is $50 for adults and $35 for children (12 and under). Reservations are recommended at .

Backyard barbecue at Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch

The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch is hosting its Fourth of July Backyard Barbecue from 12– 5 p.m. at Daniel’s Terrace looking up at the slopes of Bachelor Gulch. This event is open to the public and is a traditional barbecue featuring items from the smoker like baby back ribs, brisket with chipotle barbecue sauce, Texas dry rub chicken or jalapeno elk sausage. There will also be classics from the grill like hamburgers and hot dogs and sides like corn on the cob, baked potatoes, baked beans, cole slaw, cornbread and biscuits followed up with sweets like a berry crumble, upside down peach cake and strawberry trifle. The price is $75 for adults and children are $35. 

In addition to the barbecue menu, there will be live music from 4 – 8 p.m. and lawn games. Want to buy a new hat for the holiday? The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch is currently offering a Nick Fouquet Pop Up experience from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. at WYLD Terrace Bar. Nick Fouquet hats are out of Los Angeles and formerly Aspen and this pop up will showcase incredible hat products that will be fit and customized with a variety of options for both men and women. Complimentary valet parking available for guests attending the barbecue. Reservations are recommended by calling 970-343-1066.

Shakedown Bar Vail

Take your Independence Day into the late-night hours at Shakedown Bar Vail. Barry Sless from Bobby Weir and the Wolf Bros joins Scott Rednor, Mark Levy, Edwin Hurwitz and Tommy Shugart to play Dylan and the Dead. Doors will open at 9 p.m. Go to for more information.