Independence Day Community Celebration

7:30 a.m.: FireKracker 5K and Stars & Stripes Golf Tournament

11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Elevations Credit Union's Family Fun Zone

• Bounce houses including a water slide! Bring a towel or change of clothes.
• Misting/Cooling stations
• DJ
• Balloon twister
• Photobooth
• and Freddy the Yeti!

11 a.m.-2 p.m.: A Walk Through History and Touch-a-Truck Area

• Field of Honor: Celebrating 250 Years of America in partnership with the Breakfast Rotary Club
• America's Independence Exhibit: Liberty 250
• Historical Flag Displays
• Reenactors featuring historical figures like Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and more
• Interactive activities for the whole community
• Displays featuring local Colorado and Fort Collins history
• Touch-a-Truck area featuring firetrucks, a vintage Transfort bus, a WWI ambulance and field hospital, WWII jeeps and more!

11 a.m.-9 p.m.: Food trucks

Noon-4 p.m.: Special hours at City Park Pool

Noon-5 p.m.: Trolley rides from City Park to Old Town, sponsored by Elevations Credit Union

3:30-8:30 p.m.: Live music

• The Robin Lewis Band
• Salsa Forte
• The Pamlico Sound

9:35 p.m.: Fireworks over Sheldon Lake

The City of Fort Collins is happy to share the following food trucks will be present at this year's Independence Day Community Celebration: 

• Arepas Caribbean Food
• Aquas Frescas
• Ba-Nom-a-Nom
• Corndoggies
• Glacier Ice Cream
• The Goodness Truck
• Kona Ice
• Las Catrinas
• Los Antojitos Del Sureste
• Lulu's Taters
• Mary's Mountain Cookies
• Pierogies Factory
• Summer Sno Shaved Ice
• Sunny Sky Pies
• Tacos El Torito Loco
• Walrus Ice Cream

Yes, fireworks over Sheldon Lake will conclude the evening (weather permitting).

The City works closely with Poudre Fire Authority (PFA) year-round on fireworks safety, and PFA has supported the decision to move forward with the fireworks show over Sheldon Lake. Professional displays like this are permitted events not impacted by current fire restrictions, and the show is produced by a licensed pyrotechnics company. The display over Sheldon Lake also provides natural risk mitigation, and the fireworks used for this show are the smallest professional-grade fireworks available, resulting in less debris and smaller potential impact area.

The City approaches this event with safety as the top priority, working closely with PFA and Fort Collins Police Services to ensure a successful and safe celebration for the entire community.

The Fourth of July Parade has been a tradition in Fort Collins for over 10 years, and we know it’s something many community members enjoy. However, over time, a number of factors have changed how the parade operates.

Participation has declined in recent years, with fewer floats and community groups involved. At the same time, increased safety requirements, including spacing between entries and restrictions like no candy throwing, have changed the overall experience and added operational complexity. National trends around parade safety have also led to additional planning and costs for both the City and participants.

While attendance has remained strong, we’ve heard a wide range of feedback from the community – from those who love the tradition to others who feel it has become less engaging over time. Together, these factors prompted us to take a fresh look at the event. 

In place of the parade, this year’s celebration will feature a new experience in City Park that invites the community to engage with activities throughout the day, rather than watch from the sidelines. Many favorite traditions will still be part of the day, including the FireKracker 5K, Family Fun Zone courtesy of Elevations Credit Union, food trucks, live music and fireworks.

New activities include: Field of Honor flag display, Liberty 250 exhibit, historical flag displays, reenactors featuring historical figures, displays of local history and a Touch-a-Truck area showcasing firetrucks, historic military vehicles, a vintage Transfort bus and more!

The City evaluates the event each year and will consider future celebration formats following this year’s event, pending budget availability.

Yes! The event is free and open for all to attend.

Traffic impacts can be expected in and around City Park. Full details on road closures and parking information can be found below.

All interior streets of City Park will be closed to vehicular traffic from 11 p.m. on July 3 until midnight on July 5.

Exterior roads surrounding City Park, and adjacent to the area, will have closures in place throughout the day on July 4.

All roads will open around midnight, after the event concludes.

Jackson Avenue:

• Full closure from Oak St. to Mulberry St. (closed all day)

Magnolia Street: 

• Full closure from Jackson Ave. to Scott Ave. (closed all day)

Mulberry Street:

• Complete closure (eastbound and westbound) from Taft Hill Rd. to Shields St., 5 p.m.- midnight

Olive Street:

• Full closure Jackson Ave. to Scott Ave. (closed all day)

Roosevelt Avenue:

Streets closures for the FireKracker 5K race are placed in, and around, City Park vicinity.  Race-related closures will be in place from approximately 6 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The start line for the FireKracker 5K will be in City Park, near the intersection of Sheldon Drive and City Park Drive. 

Grandview Avenue:

• From Eastbound Laporte Ave. to Mountain Ave. 

Laporte Avenue: 

• Eastbound lane closure from Taft Hill Rd. to Grandview Ave. 

Mountain Avenue:

• Eastbound lane closure from Grandview Ave. to Jackson Ave.

Mulberry Street:

• Westbound lane closure from Shields St. to Taft Hill Rd. - 6 a.m. to noon (for Race and Parade)

Scott Ave.:

• Full closure from W. Oak St. to W. Mulberry St.

Taft Hill Road:

• Northbound lane closure from Mulberry St. to Laporte Ave. 

Cars parked on closed roads or in no park zones will be towed to the North Ballfield in City Park.

Parking is limited in and around the perimeter of City Park on July 4. We recommend parking in surrounding neighborhoods and then walking into the park. 

Handicap-accessible parking will be available in designated parking spots on the south side of Sheldon Lake. To access ADA spots, enter the event zone from eastbound Mulberry Street and Taft Hill Rd. Barricades are in place and a staff member will assist you. Please note, handicap-accessible parking is limited. 

Consider riding your bike and parking it on provided bike racks near the corner of Mulberry Street and Sheldon Drive. Or, catch a ride with Transfort! They'll be offering shuttle service to and from City Park starting at 5:30 p.m. from the Downtown Transit Center and Moby Arena parking lot.