The 4^th of July in Teller County is going to be one crazy and energetic day, with something going on all the time, here, there and everywhere.  

In Woodland Park, the celebration honors the 60^th year for Old Fashioned Fourth of July which happens to be same time the state of Colorado turns 150. And lo and behold! the United States celebrates 250 years.  It’s a 60-150-250 celebration in Woodland Park.

For the past five years, SOAR, a collective nonprofit organization, has facilitated the event in Memorial Park and selected the beneficiaries; this year’s nonprofits are Toastmaster’s Above the Clouds, Colorado Phoenix Project and the Lions Club.

Funds come from fees for vendor booths in addition to sponsorships and donations.

s“SOAR does all the financial coordination,” said Gayle Gross, founder and volunteer with SOAR.  

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. it’s one thing after another, activities, games, food, drink, soft and otherwise, pies, gold panning, all fun and games.  The Mountain Eire Dancers inject an Irish note to the event early-on at 9:30 a.m. Later, participants can show off their dancing toes in a line dance contest.

If dancing sounds like a real bummer, there’s the tug-of-way or the sack races that may sound like a better deal. Or there’s the fishing derby sponsored by Mountain Memorial Funeral Home. For the early birds, yoga on the grass is at 7 a.m.

Kids can do art projects in the park pavilion, an activity sponsored by Reserve Our Gallery.

But the main event is at noon with a flag-raising ceremony and the National Anthem and America the Beautiful sung by Erika Lehmann, with a backup band.

For to-be-dunked wannabes, the July 4 shindig provides the opportunity with the dunk tank, that proverbial get-a-laugh over seeing someone else land in a bucket of ice-cold water.   

This year’s event adds a pie-baking contest that comes with the pans and aprons. Thom Seehafer, founder of Colorado Phoenix Project, oversees the contest and distributes the materials. To register, email: thomseehafer53@gmail.com.

With more vendors this year, which means more money raised for the nonprofits, “60” is a beneficial number.

The day concludes with the Symphony Above the Clouds presented by the Ute Pass Symphony Guild and performed by the Woodland Park Wind Symphony.

CRIPPLE CREEK

For the hearty 4^th of July traveler and all the locals, the city of Cripple Creek combines culture, social interaction, gustatory satisfaction and a dazzling display of fireworks.

But first, the whole deal starts at 9 a.m. at the Cripple Creek Heritage Center with the 29^th annual Once Upon a Time in the West art show.  This year’s art show features the 14-foot totem crafted by Woodland Park artist Jon Zimmer.

With things to do in the parking lot and family crafts inside – and that amazing view – the heritage center is a show-off place, scenic beauty, tasty food prepared in trucks, and a row of vendors. For the adventurous, there’s a traveling opportunity.

 “We’ll have a scavenger hunt that takes you all the way through Cripple Creek and Victor,” said Michelle Rozell, the city’s director of heritage tourism.  “We do it on a bingo card where people go to the businesses and get the card stamped or people can take a ‘selfie’ outside the business.”

The participating businesses donated funds for prizes for the hunt.

In the center of downtown on Bennett Avenue, the party continues with a parade at 11 a.m., along with food trucks, vendors, live music and a beer tent courtesy of the American Legion Post #171.

Add to that the Lake George Gem & Mineral show in the parking lot of the District Museum and the day is one of variety and camaraderie.

The day winds down with an option for a Fourth of July Experience at 6 p.m. back at the heritage center, with charcuterie boards and beer or wine. Tickets for the fundraiser for the heritage center are $75 or $135 for two.

Around 9:30 p.m., participants can watch the fireworks from the center.  “You can’t get a better view,” Rozell said. “Last year our parking lot was full of people who came to watch the fireworks.”

In Teller County, thousands of people will honor America’s 250^th birthday together in a most beautiful place.