There’s no better place to be over the 4th of July weekend than in Denver. You’ll be treated to festivals, concerts, pro sports – and of course all the brilliant fireworks displays you could ever wish for. Enjoy such must-see exhibits as REAL PIRATES at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Make a weekend of it and take advantage of these great Denver hotel deals.

Denver hotels are offering great rates over the holiday weekend. All these rates are based on availability. Browse all the offers at http://www.denver.org/hotels/specials.

Festivals

Cherry Creek Arts Festival
July 2-4, Cherry Creek North, Denver
This free, outdoor extravaganza – the city’s signature cultural celebration of the visual, performing and culinary arts – gives more than 350,0000 annual visitors the chance to meet and talk with international visual artists, enjoy a wide range of family friendly fun sample fine cuisine. Experience Artivity Avenue, a full block of interactive activities perfect for youngsters. Visit the Cultural Pavilion, where music, dance and theater from around the globe will be presented. Culinary Avenue features tasty treats and live cooking demonstrations from some of Denver’s most popular eateries. 
More Info: www.cherryarts.org


Old-Fashioned 4th of July Celebration
July 4, Four Mile Park, Denver
Go historic this Independence Day and bring the entire family for a day of fun at Four Mile Historic Park's Old-Fashioned 4th of July Celebration! Festivities will include visits from Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and Uncle Sam; the reading of the Declaration of Independence and musical performances. Tour Denver's oldest standing structure, the Four Mile House museum and see how early settlers celebrated the Fourth and dealt with the summer heat. Traditional summertime food and refreshments will be available.
More Info: www.fourmilepark.org

Olde Town Arvada Spirit of America 4th of July Festival
July 4, Arvada
Join close to 30,000 other revelers at Arvada’s spectacular annual celebration of the spirit of America. Free family-friendly events throughout the afternoon and evening include a Kids’ Park featuring an obstacle course, bungee run, big slide, face tattoos and more fun activities, a classic Car Show and plenty of food and drinks concession stands and carts. The star of the show, Arvada’s spectacular fireworks display, is one of the best (and safest) fireworks programs in the metro area.
More Info: www.arvadafestivals.com

Shriners Parade
July 4, Downtown Denver
The Shriners, the famed fraternal fellowship, are hosting their Imperial Session in Denver from July 3-7. On Independence Day, expect dozens of miniature vehicles, brass bands, and other exciting sights parading through the streets of downtown.
More Info: www.shrinershq.org

Music

Concerts at Red Rocks
July 2-4, Red Rocks Amphitheatre and State Park, Morrison
Celebrate Independence Day Weekend at Red Rocks. On Saturday, July 2, catch the Glitch Mob and Lotus for a night of highly danceable grooves. Umphrey's McGee, the "monsters of improvised rock," return to Red Rocks for two unpredictable sets of music on Sunday, July 3.  Jam the night away with the astounding triple bill of Blues Traveler, Matisyahu and Toad the Wet Sprocket on Monday, July 4.
More Info: www.redrocksonline.com 

CBS4 Independence Day Eve Celebration in Civic Center Park 
July 3, Civic Center Park (Broadway and Colfax), Denver
The second-annual Independence Eve Celebration will feature a free patriotic concert by The Colorado Symphony, an innovative light show on the Denver City and County Building and a stunning fireworks finale. Lawn seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis; blankets or low-rise concert/beach chairs are encouraged. Attendees are welcome to bring their own picnics; concessions will also be present on-site. Civic Center is easily accessible by light rail, bus, bicycle or the 16th Street FREE MallRide and use of public transportation is encouraged. Information on nearby Denver B-cycle bike-sharing locations is available at www.denver.bcycle.com. Parking is available at nearby surface lots and parking garages as well.
More Info: www.civiccenterconservancy.org


Sports

The Rockies, The Rapids, The Outlaws -- and FIREWORKS!
July 1-3, Various Locations
Denver’s hometown heroes the Colorado Rockies take on the Kansas City Royals, July 1-3 at Coors Field. Fireworks will be shot off after the July 1 and July 2 games. Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids are taking on the Houston Dynamo at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on July 3 – stick around for the fireworks display after the game! Over at INVESCO Field at Mile High on July 3, Denver's professional lacrosse team the Outlaws are battling it out with the Boston Cannons. After the game, enjoy fireworks within the bowl at INVESCO Field -- pyrotechnics paired with a show on the 97 foot wide THUNDERVISION screen. You'll never forget this kind of fireworks show!
More Info: rockies.mlb.com, www.coloradorapids.com, www.denveroutlaws.com 

Summer of Adventure Events

REAL PIRATES at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Experience the classical age of piracy come to life in the exhibition Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship. You'll discover the perils and privileges of pirate life as you explore more than 200 artifacts recovered from the wreck of the Whydah -- the first fully authenticated pirate ship ever to be discovered in U.S. waters. Denver is one of only 10 cities the exhibition will visit. Don't miss some great VIP Real Pirates hotel packages at some of the city's best hotels.
More Info: www.visitdenver.com/pirates

Marvelous Mud at the Denver Art Museum
The Denver Art Museum (DAM) takes a closer look at the medium of clay in its summer exhibition Marvelous Mud: Clay Through the Ages. Celebrating the prolific and diverse material, Marvelous Mud reveals how clay has shaped culture, creativity, science and industry over time and around the globe. The museum-wide exhibition explores one major medium and illustrates its diversity and history through fascinating stories that span time and geographic location.
More Info: www.denverartmuseum.org

Native Roots | Modern Form at the Denver Botanic Gardens
The Denver Botanic Gardens’ outdoor sculpture exhibit, Native Roots | Modern Form: Plants, Peoples and the Art of Allan Houser, features more than 20 bronze works created by American modernist Allan Houser (Warm Springs Chiricahua Apache, 1914–1994). This pioneering personality opened doors for future generations of Native artists, and is one of the most important American artists of the 20th Century. Don't miss this opportunity to see Houser's works in the unparalleled setting of the Denver Botanic Gardens.
More Info: www.botanicgardens.org