Fourth of July festivities will finish with Mt. CB fireworks

Expect a half hour of big bang, new Adventure Park

The biggest fireworks display ever held at the north end of the valley will take place this Saturday, July 4, from Mt. Crested Butte. The Fourth of July festivities will culminate with a $10,000 fireworks show that for the first time in 10 years will be launched from the mountain.
The Crested Butte Fire Protection District decided on Monday to go ahead and launch the fireworks from Warming House Hill. That request came from the Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce with the idea to share the benefits of a big Fourth of July weekend between both Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte. The parade, street games and a patriotic concert will be held in Crested Butte, while the fireworks, an evening concert and grand opening of the new Adventure Park will be held in Mt. Crested Butte.
There was concern that launching fireworks so close to national forest property could be dangerous. But Crested Butte Fire Protection District chief Ric Ems said the plethora of early summer rains have reduced the threat of fire danger.
“All the rain we had early in the summer and with the cooperation of Crested Butte Mountain Resort charging their snowmaking system, I feel comfortable setting them off up there,” Ems said. “I think we are good and the fuels won’t lose their moisture between now and then.”
Chamber of Commerce executive director Richard Bond credits Fat Tire Bike Week as taking one for the team. “With all the rain we experienced with the bikers, I am sure it will be dry for the Fourth,” he said. “We’ve paid the price for a dry Fourth of July.”
Bond said the chamber has received a good call volume from people asking about the Fourth of July weekend. “We have received a lot of calls about shifting the fireworks to the mountain,” he said. “Most of them have been positive. As far as what to expect this weekend, I don’t have a good feel yet but we are receiving calls from people asking about hotels and camping.”
Ems said this year’s fireworks show should last anywhere between 25 and 35 minutes. He and eight volunteers from the fire district along with other volunteers from CBMR and the Rotary Club will help launch and control the fireworks. The largest shells they are allowed to set off measure eight-inches and Ems said they have plenty. “A normal show spends about $7,500 on the fireworks display. I think last year we spent $8,500. This year, the two towns have contributed a total of $10,000.”
The fireworks should start about 9:30 p.m. “We are looking forward to a great show and a great day,” said Bond.

July 4 adventure and activity

Construction crews are working fast to put the finishing touches on the new Adventure Park at the base area of Crested Butte Mountain Resort. CBMR vice president of sales and marketing Daren Cole says the resort is still on track for a Saturday, July 4 grand opening. “I can say with confidence it will be open,” he says.
CBMR’s new Adventure Park will feature year-round skating on Super-Glide synthetic ice, a free-standing climbing wall with auto-belay stations, and a European “bungee trampoline.” The synthetic ice rink will be the first of its kind in Colorado. There will also be an inflated kids’ bounce house set up for the Fourth of July festivities. In the winter, the Adventure Park will also feature an improved tubing hill.
On Tuesday, June 30 Cole said the synthetic ice rink and tent covering had been installed, the siding and landscaping around the rink was being completed, and the climbing wall was being assembled with the help of a scissor lift. The bungee trampoline was scheduled to be assembled on Wednesday, July 1.
Cole says CBMR is excited to host some of the Fourth of July activities this year. “It has been a great community collaboration,” he says of the efforts between the Chamber of Commerce and the towns of Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte in organizing the Fourth of July festivities.
Chamber of Commerce events manager Scott Still says there will not be many changes to the usual line-up of Fourth of July activities. The annual Run, Walk or Crawl Gothic Marathon and Fireman’s Pancake Breakfast will kick off the morning of the Fourth.
The always exciting Fourth of July parade will begin heading down Elk Avenue in downtown Crested Butte at 11 a.m. Still says there are currently a dozen floats signed up for the parade and he expects that number to double by Saturday.
Food and beverage vendors, live music, and several fun contests will also be set up long Elk Avenue during the parade.
For visitors to town, Still recommends finding a parking spot and a place to watch the parade as early as possible. The parking lots fill up fast, and Elk Avenue can get pretty crowded during the parade.
There are public parking lots located by the Four-way Stop, at First and Elk, and on Maroon and Third.
Following the parade (and maybe a power nap) is the Crested Butte Music Festival’s Patriotic Band Concert at the Center for the Art’s outdoor stage to start the evening.
After the Patriotic Band Concert, head up to Mt. Crested Butte to catch the remainder of the day’s activity. Still says, “The new twist this year is going to be the fireworks and concert on the mountain.”
CBMR will have a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Adventure Park at 5 p.m.
The Casey James Prestwood band will begin playing at the Red Lady stage (next to the Red Lady chairlift) at 7 p.m. and will continue until the fireworks start.
The ice rink and climbing wall will close by 8 p.m., but the bungee trampoline and bounce house will stay open until the fireworks start.
Still says the fireworks should be visible from the town of Crested Butte, “but we’re hoping to see a lot of people up there.”