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Rockin’ the Fourth: Red, White and Boom
By Chris Michlewicz
As pink clouds slowly fade to a deep purple, dusk falls over Castle Rock’s horizon.
A tiny blue light snakes its way upward toward the coming night sky.
All of a sudden, the small light bursts into a shower of reds, yellows and oranges. Sparks cascade downward, only to disappear before falling to the ground. The sight is enough to elicit a chorus of “ooooo’s” from the crowd gathered below. It is a 233-year-old American tradition that has not lost any of its appeal.
The Fourth of July signifies the time of year when summer is in full swing. Family vacation plans are set. Children are wondering where the first six weeks of their summer break went.
Castle Rock has long been known to celebrate the occasion with style, and this year’s “Rockin’ the Fourth: Red, White and Boom” will be no different. The event is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. at Metzler Ranch Community Park, with fireworks starting around 9 p.m.
Family friendly festivities abound, including bounce houses, the Radio Disney Street Team and water slides for the children, and live music and an apple pie bakeoff for adults. Demonstrations by the Castle Rock n’ Rollers roller derby team, BMX bikers, and the Castle Rock Police Department K9 team are expected to large draw crowds. And “Rockin’ the Fourth” would not be complete without a stirring rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner” and a flyover by U.S. Air Force fighter jets, both of which will occur shortly after 6 p.m.
Parking areas at Metzler will be closed off and attendees are being encouraged to park at nearby businesses or the Robert A. Christensen Justice Center, where a shuttle bus will carry passengers to the festival. Parking is available at Wal-Mart, Kohl’s, Target and the former Pier One lot. Trail Boss Drive will be closed all day to ensure pedestrian safety; police officers will direct foot traffic. Planners expect approximately 8,000 people to attend the event.
Following a fireworks snafu that resulted in a small brush fire last year, organizers have moved the display launch point from Rhyolite Park on the south end of town to the Meadows Town Center, where there is less danger to homes, said Kristen Trbovich, Castle Rock’s parks and recreation business analyst.
Although there have been concerns among some residents about the distance between Metzler and the Meadows Town Center, Trbovich is confident that spectators will get a perfect view from the high vantage point of the park.
“We’ve got large [fireworks] shells that go high and explode big,” she said.
Revelers are being reminded to drink alcohol responsibly because of heavy DUI patrols throughout Douglas County. Local police agencies are using Law Enforcement Assistance Funds for DUI saturation from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. July 2 through July 6.
For more information about “Rockin’ the Fourth,” visit www.crgov.com.
What to bring:
Lawn chairs
Blankets
Coolers
Sunscreen
What NOT to bring:
Personal fireworks
Glass
Weapons
Illegal Substances
Open-flame grills
A tiny blue light snakes its way upward toward the coming night sky.
All of a sudden, the small light bursts into a shower of reds, yellows and oranges. Sparks cascade downward, only to disappear before falling to the ground. The sight is enough to elicit a chorus of “ooooo’s” from the crowd gathered below. It is a 233-year-old American tradition that has not lost any of its appeal.
The Fourth of July signifies the time of year when summer is in full swing. Family vacation plans are set. Children are wondering where the first six weeks of their summer break went.
Castle Rock has long been known to celebrate the occasion with style, and this year’s “Rockin’ the Fourth: Red, White and Boom” will be no different. The event is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. at Metzler Ranch Community Park, with fireworks starting around 9 p.m.
Family friendly festivities abound, including bounce houses, the Radio Disney Street Team and water slides for the children, and live music and an apple pie bakeoff for adults. Demonstrations by the Castle Rock n’ Rollers roller derby team, BMX bikers, and the Castle Rock Police Department K9 team are expected to large draw crowds. And “Rockin’ the Fourth” would not be complete without a stirring rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner” and a flyover by U.S. Air Force fighter jets, both of which will occur shortly after 6 p.m.
Parking areas at Metzler will be closed off and attendees are being encouraged to park at nearby businesses or the Robert A. Christensen Justice Center, where a shuttle bus will carry passengers to the festival. Parking is available at Wal-Mart, Kohl’s, Target and the former Pier One lot. Trail Boss Drive will be closed all day to ensure pedestrian safety; police officers will direct foot traffic. Planners expect approximately 8,000 people to attend the event.
Following a fireworks snafu that resulted in a small brush fire last year, organizers have moved the display launch point from Rhyolite Park on the south end of town to the Meadows Town Center, where there is less danger to homes, said Kristen Trbovich, Castle Rock’s parks and recreation business analyst.
Although there have been concerns among some residents about the distance between Metzler and the Meadows Town Center, Trbovich is confident that spectators will get a perfect view from the high vantage point of the park.
“We’ve got large [fireworks] shells that go high and explode big,” she said.
Revelers are being reminded to drink alcohol responsibly because of heavy DUI patrols throughout Douglas County. Local police agencies are using Law Enforcement Assistance Funds for DUI saturation from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. July 2 through July 6.
For more information about “Rockin’ the Fourth,” visit www.crgov.com.
What to bring:
Lawn chairs
Blankets
Coolers
Sunscreen
What NOT to bring:
Personal fireworks
Glass
Weapons
Illegal Substances
Open-flame grills
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