Plan Your 4th of July: 23 Firework Shows in Colorado (2018)

              4th of July is just around the corner with fun festivals, parades, BBQ cookouts, and fireworks. This year, Independence Day is on Wednesday right in the middle of the week. It can be hard to plan a big trip to the mountains or know when the big fireworks show is happening for your family and friends to get together. Here is a list of events happening in Colorado and what day(s) the fireworks are.

What is Independence Day?

                They say that the 4th of July is the biggest American holiday because of the significance of the start of the country. It celebrates the time when the Thirteen Colonies of America declared themselves to be states and separate themselves from the British Empire on July 4th, 1776.

Firework Shows and Events in Colorado

                All major cities will have some form of celebration for the day and will have a fireworks show. The only exception is if the weather is bad and it rains or thunderstorms, which then, it will be delayed until the next day. Here is a list of events happening with links to lean more about the event and when the fireworks show will be:

Celebration	Event Location	Firework Show Date(s)
Independence Eve Fireworks	Denver (Civic Center Park)	July 3rd
Elitch Gardens Fireworks	Denver (Elitch Gardens)	July 4th
The Rockies Fireworks	Denver (Coors Field)	July 3rd & 4th
The Rapids Fireworks	Denver (Dick's Sporting Goods Park)	July 1st & 4th
Independence Day Festival	Arvada (Stenger Soccer Complex)	July 4th
Old Fashioned July 4th Celebration	Aspen	July 4th
4th of July Spectacular	Aurora (Municipal Center)	July 4th
4th of July in Boulder	Boulder (Folsom Field)	July 4th
Independence Day Celebration	Breckenridge	July 4th
Great American Picnic	Broomfield (Community Center)	July 4th
4th of July	Castle Rock	July 4th
Sky Sox Fireworks	Colorado Springs (Security Service Field)	July 4th & 6th
4th of July Celebration	Estes Park	July 4th
4th At Firestone	Firestone (Miners Park)	July 4th
July 4th Celebration	Golden (Lions Park)	July 4th
Red, White, & You	Littleton (Clement Park)	July 3rd
Fireworks in Longmont	Longmont (Boulder County Fairgrounds)	July 4th
July 4th Celebration	Loveland (North Lake Park)	July 4th
July 4th Festival	Northglenn (E.B. Rains Jr. Memorial Park)	July 4th
Stars & Stripes Celebration	Parker (Salisbury Park)	July 4th
Red, White & Boom Bash	Thornton (Carpenter Park Fields)	July 4th
Uncle Sam's Splash Bash	Westminster (City Park)	July 4th
Lance Gutersohn's 4th of July Celebration	Winter Park (Hideaway Park)	July 1st & 4th

What are your plans for the 4th of July? Leave them in the comments below.

Enjoy the Holidays (Without Looking Like Santa): 3 Tips for Beating the Holiday Bulge

The holidays are a great time of year for people to come together and celebrate with good friends and family. Unfortunately, most of those celebrations also involve mass quantities of high-calorie foods, sugary sweets, and alcohol- all of which are contributing factors to weight gain and bloating. This holiday season, we have some tips for avoiding the holiday bulge without having to cut back on fun!

Practice the 80/20 Rule: Nobody should have to miss out completely on all the goodies that make the holidays special, but they can be enjoyed with moderation if you follow the 80/20 rule. Try to eat until you feel 80% full, like you could maybe use a little extra food...and then stop. It takes a little longer for your brain to get the signal that your stomach is full, so many of us just keep on eating until we’ve had too much of a good thing. By stopping before you feel 100 percent full and then waiting for about 20 minutes or having a glass of water, you can avoid the uncomfortable, over-full feeling that so many of us associate with holiday meals. After all, the only one that should be stuffed is the turkey!

Stick to Your Exercise Plan: With the weird work schedule, traveling to visit family, and company parties that keep you out late, the holidays can certainly wreak havoc on your routine. Many people find that it is difficult to fit a workout into all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and skip the gym for several days in a row. Not only does this make it harder to get back to your usual exercise regimen once the new year has begun, but it also can make you feel sluggish and tired because you’re not moving enough. Try to work in at least 30 minutes of exercise three times a week during the holidays in order to stay on track with your fitness plan.

Everything in Moderation (Including Moderation!) Nobody expects you to eat a plate full of raw broccoli at a party or family feast when there are things like pie and cookies in the room! It’s the holidays, and it’s OK to give yourself a treat. As long as you limit your intake of sweets, breads and high-calorie foods to one treat or so per day, you can enjoy all your delicious favorites this holiday season. Stick to the once-per-day rule and you’ll be fine. Then again, if you fall off the diet wagon one day this season, don’t beat yourself up- just resolve to make healthier choices the next day and maybe step up your exercise game, and you can make sure you stay ahead of the holiday bulge!

What are your favorite tips for staying healthy during the holidays? Let us know in the comments section.