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Celebrate our freedom downtown

There is no better place to be for the Fourth of July than in Durango. The Durango Business Improvement District has put together a full day of family-friendly events with something for everyone.

The day will start with a Pancake Breakfast by the Rotary Club of Durango and a 5-kilometer fun run/walk by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, both held at Rotary Park. The Pancake Breakfast will start at 7:30 a.m. and will end at 11 a.m. The 5K Fun Run/Walk will take off from the Animas River Trail at 9 a.m., with registration from 8:15 to 8:45 a.m. There’s no fee to participate, and all ages and abilities are welcome.

Next up is Family Fun in the Park, downtown at Buckley Park. Events will begin at 11 a.m. with readings of our nation’s founding documents. Limited seating will be available for this reminder of what the Fourth of July is all about. At noon, the Kids to Kids Flea Market will get underway and will feature kids selling their gently used clothing, toys, games and sporting gear to other kids. Sponsored by Durango Toy Depot, the Kids to Kids Flea Market is open until 3 p.m.

Three bands are set to play during Family Fun in the Park: Patrick Decker, Magi Nation and Mountaintop Pocket Pickers. Additionally, Mysto the Magi will bring his famous magic show to Buckley Park, and Michael the Catch It Quick juggler will also perform.

Macho’s Restaurant will offer food for purchase, and treats will be available from the Purple Ice Cream Truck and the Durango Lions Club. A bouncy house, face-painting and a henna tattoo artist are also planned.

The Durango Elks Lodge is getting in the spirit, as well, hosting a family barbecue at 901 E. Second Ave. from noon to 4 p.m.

In the early evening, the action shifts to the heart of downtown. The Street Dance will take place on the 800 block of Main Avenue. The beer garden will feature brews from Carver Brewing Co., and Big Brothers Big Sisters will have sodas and water for sale. The Street Dance will start at 5 p.m.

At 6 p.m., the Street Dance will take a break for the Stars and Stripes Parade, which will include nearly 50 entries. The parade will end at about 6:45 p.m., at which time the Street Dance will start again, continuing until the fireworks show shortly after 9 p.m.

From just above Greenmount Cemetery, a Durango Fire Protection District crew will shoot fireworks, with 638 shells ready to go.

All city public transit is free on the Fourth thanks to a sponsorship provided by the Durango Business Improvement District. A special shuttle running from 32nd Street to the Transit Center will be included, picking up passengers at all stops on Main, plus at the Fairgrounds (where there’s plenty of parking!). These shuttles will start at 5 p.m., and the last one will depart downtown at 10:30 p.m.

For a full schedule, visit www.DowntownDurango.org. The day’s activities are generously sponsored by Bank of Colorado and the city of Durango.

timw@downtowndurango.org. Tim Walsworth is the executive director of the Durango Business Improvement District.



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