Ahhhhh it’s midsummer in Boulder. Bring on the sunshine, fireworks and festivals! Check out these 26 events happening in and around Boulder in the month of July. You’ll find everything from comedy shows, theater performances, concerts, festivals, markets, activities for the kids, and a variety of fun fitness opportunities. Boulder has it all!
Boulder Art & Jazz Fest
Photo Courtesy Boulder Jazz Fest Facebook Page, Art by Kurt Stauder
When: July 1, 2 & 3
Where: Boulder Central Park Bandshell at Canyon and 13th
Time: Saturday 12PM – 9PM, Sunday 11AM – 9PM, Monday 11AM – 6PM
Cost: FREE
Boulder Art & Jazz Festival is presenting its annual 4th of July Arts and Jazz Festival at Boulder Central Park Bandshell at Canyon and 13th! The festival features over 100 of the finest artisans from Colorado, beer garden, food, live music, as well as a kids play area with jumpy castle and face painting!
Lineup:
Saturday:
12-2 Academy Jazz Ensemble
2:30-3:30 Paranoid Image with Sara Geller
3:30-4:30 Scifidelic
6-9 Hindsight Classic Rock
Sunday:
11-1 Franny & the Jets
2-5 The Mighty Twisters
6-9 Max Wagner Jazz Quartet
Monday:
11-1 Robert Johnson and the Mark Diamond Trio
1:30-3:30 Blue 88s
4-6 Los Bohemios, Latin Jazz
Learn to Mountain Bike at Valmont Bike Park
Photo Courtesy Lee Likes Bikes
When: Throughout July, see schedule here.
Where: Valmont Bike Park, 3160 Airport Rd, Boulder, CO 80301
Time: See schedule here.
Cost: $75
Lee Likes Bikes is holding mountain biking courses this summer at Valmont Bike Park for bikers who want to ride safer, more confidently and faster on a greater variety of terrain. If you are a beginner, this course will give you a solid foundation. Skip all the trial and error (and fear, and bad habits). If you’re an intermediate rider, the course will show you an even more effective—and way more fun—way to ride your bike. Go faster with less effort. Ride more safely. Shred new terrain. Every advanced thing you want to do is built on the core skills we teach. If you’re an expert or want to learn more in a four-hour class check out the Level 2 clinic.For details, read more about the courses here.Questions or concerns? Email Lee at lee@leelikesbikes.com.
Wolfpack Ninja Tour
Photo Courtesy Wolfpack Ninjas
When: July 1, 2 & 3
Where: Village at the Peaks, 1250 S Hover Rd, Longmont, CO 80501
Time: Saturday, July 1st – 12 PM to 6 PM, Sunday, July 2nd – 10 AM to 5 PM, Monday 10AM to 8PM
Cost: FREE
Experience a day with Wolfpack Ninjas, including Meagan Martin, Dr. Noah Kaufman, Ian Dory, and Brian Arnold. Test out your athleticism alongside the ninjas on multiple courses….the best part….it’s absolutely free. July 3, check out the Ninja Invitational Competition! Come see the pros compete for prizes and test your own skills during the days on an AMAZING FULL Ninja obstacle course.
Additional activities include the Wyatt’s Thunder at the Peaks car show on Saturday, July 1st from 10 AM to 2 PM. Meet members of the Wolfpack throughout the day and try Ninja-led workouts and obstacles. The Ninja-style course will have 3 different skill levels; Kid, Intermediate and advanced.
Community Yoga Class in the Park with Elena Brower + Ally Bogard
When: July 3
Where: North Boulder Park, 2848 9th St, Boulder, CO 80304
Time: 5:30 – 8:30PM
Cost: Free
Check out this FREE community yoga class in North Boulder Park with Elena Brower and Ally Bogard. Pangea Organics is sponsoring this family friendly event bringing together communities of local yoga studios and join in a unifying evening of asana. There are no tickets for this event but you can RSVP to the Facebook event page to let the hosts know you will be joining. Yoga starts at 6PM. Bring a yoga mat, water, sunscreen, and a picnic to enjoy afterwards!
Ralphie’s Independence Day Blast
When: July 4
Where: CU’s Folsom Field, 2400 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO 80302
Time: Gates open at 8PM
Cost: FREE
Ralphie’s Independence Day Blast has been a Boulder tradition since 1941. Crowds of thousands gather each year at CU’s Folsom Field to enjoy Boulder’s largest fireworks display and local entertainment such as Open Space and Mountain Parks Rangers, the Mad Hops skip rope team, the Monarch High School Marching Band, School of Rock, and of course, Ralphie. This event is hosted by the associates of WK Real Estate, the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU) and the City of Boulder. Media Sponsors include the Daily Camera, KBCO and Boulder Channel 8. Enter WK Real Estate’s 4th of July Photo Contest! Take a patriotic 4th of July photo and post it to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and tag #Boulder4thofJuly to your post to be entered to win. Winner for best photo will receive a CU Football Game Day Experience.
Looking for fireworks displays outside of Boulder? WK Real Estate published this amazing interactive guide to 4th of July celebrations throughout the area.
4th of July Star Spangled Run & Post-Race Party
Photo Courtesy Star Spangled Run
When: July 4
Where: Boulder Reservoir, 5565 N 51st St., Boulder, CO 80301
Time: 8AM – 10AM
Cost: $40 – $50 to race
Spend your 4th of July at the Boulder Reservoir and participate in the Star Splangled Splash 5K & 10K. This race will feature a huge post-race party presented by Boulder Beer. All participants will receive free beer after the race (must be 21+). The City of Boulder will have games, DJs, vendors, and activities on the beach! Plus, volleyball courts will be set-up during the day. You don’t want to miss Boulder’s biggest 4th of July party at the Rez.
Chautauqua Summer Concert Series
Photo Courtesy Colorado Chautauqua Summer Concert Series
When: June 1 – Sept 21
Where: Chautauqua Auditorium, 900 Baseline Rd, Boulder, Colorado 80302
Time: Times vary, see schedule here.
Cost: Ticket prices vary, see schedule here.
Bring a picnic basket and head over to beautiful Chautauqua Park for the Chautauqua 2017 Summer Concert series. Concerts will be happening all summer long. See the July schedule below.
2017 Summer Concert Series July Line Up:
July 24: Mary Chapin Carpenter
July 31: Lucinda Williams
We Are Stars at Fiske Planetarium
Photo Courtesy Fiske Planetarium
When: Throughout the Summer
Where: Fiske Planetarium, 2414 Regent Dr, Boulder, CO 80309
Time: Times vary, see schedule here.
Cost: Adults, $10, Kids $7 Tickets available here.
Head over to Fiske Planetarium to view “We Are Stars” narrated by Andy Serkis seeks to answer some of the biggest questions of all time. What are we made of? Where did it all come from? Explore the secrets of our cosmic chemistry, our explosive origins and connect life on Earth to the evolution of the Universe. A family-friendly film full of fun, adventure, and enlightenment in amazing 8K resolution!
Young People’s Concert
Photo Courtesy Colorado Music Festival
When: July 8
Where: Chautauqua Auditorium, 900 Baseline Rd, Boulder, Colorado 80302
Time: 10AM
Cost: $5-$10, tickets available here.
Introduce young children (ages 4+) to the excitement of live orchestral music with a program that engages audience members young and old. Presented by Colorado Music Festival and Center for Musical Arts, kids will love the concert and afterwards, a Music Fair where kids meet costumed characters, try the instrument petting zoo, enjoy face painting and more.
RIDE THE FREE PARK TO PARK TO THIS CONCERT! Leave the hassle of parking behind and catch a stress-free Park to Park shuttle that runs Sat & Sun from 7-7. Details and map can be found at parktopark.org.
Colorado Shakespeare Festival
Photo Courtesy Colorado Shakespeare Festival
When: June 11 – August 13
Where: Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre, University Theatre
Time: Times vary, check schedule here.
Cost: Starts at $20
The Colorado Shakespeare Festival was founded in 1958 and is still going strong. Held every summer at the picturesque Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre and the indoor University Theatre on the University of Colorado Boulder campus, this festival is consistently among the most critically acclaimed of its kind in the nation. CSF’s award-winning education program also presents classes, workshops and camps for all ages throughout the year. This summer’s performances include The Taming of the Shrew, Julius Caesar, Hamlet, Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead & Henry VI.
Day Out With Thomas at Colorado Railroad Museum
Photo Courtesy Colorado Railroad Museum
When: July 1, July 2, July 7 & July 8
Where: Colorado Railroad Museum, 17155 W 44th Ave, Golden, CO 80403
Time: Museum is open from 8AM – 6PM
Cost: Off-Peak Ride Times ($20 per ticket): 8:30 — 9:15AM, 1:45 — 4:45PM, Peak Ride Times ($25 per ticket): 10:00AM — 1:00PM, Tickets available here.
Colorado Railroad Museum celebrates friendship this summer by bringing everyone’s #1 engine, Thomas the Tank Engine™ for a Day Out With Thomas™. Day Out With Thomas offers an opportunity for children and their families to experience a train ride with Thomas the Tank Engine™ and to meet Sir Topham Hatt™, the Controller of the Railway. Admission includes access to Museum exhibits and model trains, and special Day Out With Thomas activities, including a petting zoo, temporary tattoos, Imagination Station (train table play area), sing-a-longs, bean bag toss, hula hoops, bubbles, ladder golf & a magic show!the event is sure to provide a day of memorable, family fun!
Firefly Handmade Summer Market
Photo Courtesy Firefly Handmade
When: July 15 & 16
Where: Twenty Ninth Street Shopping District, 29th St. between Canyon and Walnut
Time: 10AM – 4PM
Cost: FREE
Firefly Handmade Market, presents favorite and emerging artisans with home goods & décor; jewelry & accessories; adult & children’s fashion; skin care; ceramics; art; artisanal food; paper goods; and more. Featuring 100+ indie artisans, artisan demos by Open Studios Artists, kids’ art activities by Tinker Art Studio, NoBo Art District community art tent, live music with Banshee Tree, food trucks, the Shutter Bus VW Photo Booth, and Junior & Teen Firefly presented by Tinker Art Studio. Dogs are welcome!
Trails & Tacos
When: Thursdays, starting July 6
Where: Patagonia, 1212 Pearl St, Boulder, Colorado 80302
Time: 6:30 – 9:30PM
Cost: FREE
Calling all trail runners, starting July 6th, every Thursday night at 6:30 pm Patagonia will be hosting Trails & Tacos community-run series. Explore Boulder’s local trail systems on 3 mile and 6 mile routes (alternating each week) and sample Patagonia Provisions fruit & nut bars as pre-run fuel. The run will conclude at T/aco (located at 1175 Walnut St. Boulder, CO) for post-run beverages and tacos! The first 11 participants to RSVP via Facebook, in store, Instagram DM, or to the Email announcement will receive one free beverage from T/aco! Each week there will be an optional $5 donation to our Environmental Grants recipients. Runners of all skill levels are encouraged to join.
How to Eat Like a Child, Comedy Skits at Dairy Center for the Arts
When: July 9 – 16
Where: Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St, Boulder, CO 80302
Time: Times vary, see schedule for details.
Cost: $10 – $24
How to Eat Like a Child – And Other Lessons in Not Being a Grown-up is being presented by CenterStage’s Tapestry Theatre Co, Boulder County’s premier all-abilities theatre group. Be entertained and inspired as Tapestry presents How to Eat Like a Child, a series of comedy skits and songs that lampoons the adult world through the eyes of children.
Open Water Swim at the Boulder Reservoir
When: Every Tuesday & Thursday throughout July
Where: Dream Cove area @ the Boulder Reservoir, 5565 N 51st St., Boulder, CO 80301
Time: 6:10 AM – 7:40 AM
Cost: Drop-in fee: $15 (cash or check only), Punch Pass: $60 for 5 swims (NOT transferable), Summer Pass: $270 (before May 20th) – $300 thereafter. The Drop-in, Punch and Summer Pass include the entry fee into the Reservoir.
Boulder Aquatic Masters hosts bi-weekly Open Water Swims at the Boulder Reservoir throughout the summer. These events are safe, casual, and open to everyone over the age of 18. Perfect for open water enthusiasts, triathletes and swimmers of all abilities.
This year BAM will utilize two different courses (see maps here). The “Traditional Course” of approx. 1000 meters with a shorter option available. The “Right Angle Course” of approx. 950 meters. Lifeguards are positioned throughout the courses to assist swimmers. Shore course available for tentative swimmers (approximately 300 yards). For more info, click here.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Photo Courtesy Boulder Dinner Theater
When: Weekly, Wednesday – Sunday
Where: Boulder Dinner Theater, 5501 Arapahoe Ave, Boulder, CO 80303
Time: See schedule here.
Cost: $41 – $54, Tickets available here.
One of the most enduring shows of all time, Boulder Dinner Theater presents Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, the irresistible family musical about the trials and triumphs of Joseph, Israel’s favorite son. The first collaboration of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (Jesus Christ Superstar, Phantom of the Opera, Cats) and lyricist Tim Rice (Jesus Christ Superstar, The Lion King), Joseph blends pop, country, and rock into an uplifting story of biblical proportions! Retelling the parable of Joseph, his eleven brothers and the coat of many colors, this magical musical is full of unforgettable songs including Those Canaan Days, Any Dream Will Do and Close Every Door.
Photo Courtesy Bands on the Bricks
When: June 7 – August 9, 2017 (Rain Date: August 16)
Where: Pearl Street, Downtown Boulder
Time: Beer Garden opens at 5:30 PM, Opening Act starts at 6:00 PM, Headlining Act starts at 7:00 PM
Cost: Free
From oldies to alternative and everything in between, Bands on the Bricks is Boulder County’s premier outdoor summer concert series taking place in the heart of the city on the bricks of the one-and-only Pearl Street Mall. A not-to-be-missed summer tradition with 10 weeks of free concerts. Enjoy performances from the best local musicians along the front range while dancing under the stars.
Featuring an outdoor beer/wine/margarita garden starting at 5:30 p.m. every Wednesday night, featuring Rio Margaritas and a local brewery. This summer’s brewery line-up includes: West Flanders (June 7 – July 5) and Avery Brewing Company (July 12 – August 9).
Bands on the Bricks July Schedule
July 5 – The Goonies
July 12 – The Tyler Walker Band
July 19 – Quemando Salsa Band
July 26 – Selasee & the Fafa Family
Boulder Farmers Market
Photo Courtesy Boulder County Farmers Market
When: Saturdays, April 1-November 18, 2017 & Wednesdays, May 3-October 4, 2017
Where: 13th Street next to Central Park, Boulder, CO 80308
Time: 10AM – 2PM
Cost: FREE
Offering fresh fruit, flowers, veggies and delicious edibles, the Boulder Farmers’ Market provides a place for locals to sell their products in a friendly, fun environment. Twice a week, residents and visitors can fill their bags with goodies.
Twenty Ninth Street LIVE! Concerts
Photo Courtesy Twenty Ninth Street Summer Concert Series
When: Saturdays, June 3-Aug. 26, 2017
Where: Twenty Ninth Street, Central Plaza next to West Elm
Time: 6:30-8:30pm
Cost: FREE
Once again, Twenty Ninth Street is going to rock, swing and jive with the summer concert series all summer long! Join the fun at Twenty Ninth Street’s Central Plaza next to West Elm, where The Barrel is located for food, drinks and dancing under the stars.
July Music Line-Up
July 1 – Lee & Co.
July 8 – The Nacho Men
July 15 – Soul Crusher
July 22 – Thumpin
July 29 – American West w/Matia
Dinosaur Discoveries – Ancient Fossils, New Ideas
When: Daily through July
Where: Longmont Museum and Cultural Center, 400 Quail Rd, Longmont, CO
Time: Monday – Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm and Sundays 1 – 5 pm
Cost: $8 Adults, $5 Students/Seniors, Children 3 and under FREE, Museum members FREE
Opening this summer at the Longmont Museum, Dinosaur Discoveries: Ancient Fossils, New Ideas, is an engaging exhibition that will reveal a vivid picture of what living, breathing dinosaurs were really like! Visitors will also get to see real bones from a T-Rex found in Littleton, authentic dinosaur tracks, and a soil sample of the K-T boundary, which shows the point in time 65 million years ago when many scientists believe the asteroid that caused mass extinction of the dinosaurs hit the Earth.
Kids can get their hands dirty excavating bones in our dinosaur dig pit, pretend they are part of the Jurassic Period in creative costumes, design their own dinosaur, assemble 3-D puzzles and more. In our courtyard, visitors can feed our brood of chickens – the feathered, living descendants of dinosaurs!
Meadow Music with Jeff and Paige
Photo Courtesy Jeff and Paige
When: Mondays, July 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31
Where: Chautauqua Green, Baseline Rd & 9th Street, Boulder, CO 80302
Time: 5:30 – 7PM
Cost: FREE
A kid favorite. Join the musical duo Jeff and Paige for evenings of children’s music and nature education. The evening consists of a short hike, followed by 45 minutes of nature music at the foot of the Flatirons. Sponsored by City of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks Division Meadow Music is an award-winning environmental education program at Chautauqua Green in Boulder, Colorado.! The event begins at 5:30 with a short hike that’s friendly to all ages (please arrive early to find a place to put your picnic blanket before the hike). After the hike, the group returns to Chautauqua Green for a concert full of original nature and science-based music by Jeff and Paige. The concert starts around 6:00pm and ends by about 7:00. Bring a blanket to sit on, a picnic and some silliness!
Concerts in the Park
Photo Courtesy Boulder Concert Band
When: Mondays, June 26 – July 31
Where: Various parks throughout Boulder, view schedule here.
Time: 7PM
Cost: FREE
The Boulder Parks and Recreation Department partners with the Boulder Concert Band to provide music in the parks. The Boulder Concert Band is composed of volunteer musicians from Boulder and surrounding communities. The BCB provides our community with outstanding performances of traditional and modern concert literature and enriches the cultural experience of the audience and the musicians. Bring a picnic dinner and enjoy the parks with your family! (Please no glass or alcohol.)
Hike & Create Adventure in Boulder
Photo Courtesy Drawing from Nature
When: Thursday, July 20
Where: Shanahan Ridge Trailhead, 1915 Lehigh St, Boulder, CO 80305
Time: 5:30 PM – 8 PM
Cost: FREE
Join Colorado landscape artists Heidi Annalise (@heidi.annalise.art) & Andrea Slusarski (@drawingfromnature) this summer for a Hike & Create Adventure! Create in the outdoors and enjoy a fun evening of light hiking and creative thoughts. All types of creating are welcome – painting, journaling, meditating. Demonstrations, drawing & painting tips/tricks, and creative conversations are what is in store, followed by some complimentary parking lot beverages & Rumpl Blanket raffle! For details and to RSVP for the event, visit the facebook event page.
Bugs and Beer at Butterfly Pavilion
When: Thursday, July 20
Where: Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W 104th Ave, Westminster, CO 80020
Time: 6 – 8:30PM
Cost: $35/person
Join Butterfly Pavilion on July 20th from 6:00 – 8:30 pm for an interactive, adults only glimpse of the Pavilion! At Bugs and Beer, enjoy delectable food, beer and edible insects from local chefs and breweries while holding Rosie, our resident tarantula, and experiencing butterflies in flight throughout the rainforest. This event is open to 21+ and is a unique way to experience our amazing animals!
Boulder Star Party
When: Friday, July 21
Where: Mackintosh Academy Boulder, 6717 South Boulder Road, Boulder, Colorado 80303
Time: 8 – 11PM
Cost: $8 – $10, tickets available here.
Join Maker Bolder and science Educator Bryan Costanza for this amazing night of stargazing. Intended for all ages and backgrounds, we will see planets, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. Discussion throughout the night about the objects we will see, stargazing planning, astronomy in general, how to use telescopes, and spotting satellites passing overhead. For details, visit the facebook event page.
Boulder County Fair
When: July 28 – August 5
Where: Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Rd, Longmont, CO 80501
Time: 10AM – 10PM (For carnival hours, click here.)
Cost: FREE (Parking is also FREE.)
Celebrating its 148th year, the Boulder County Fair, located at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont, is the longest running county fair in Colorado. The Boulder County Fair offers an entertaining and educational experience for the whole family with fun-filled events and activities like carnival rides and games, yummy food, music, demo derby and rodeos. For more information and complete schedule, click here.
