Boulder's July 4th Pow Wow parade in early 1930s marched down Pearl Street for the holiday. Photos courtesy Carnegie Branch Library for Local History, Boulder Historical Society Collection.
BOULDER – Continuing the
celebration of Boulder’s 150th birthday, Boulder residents, families
and friends are invited to participate in a historic Sesquicentennial Stroll on
July 4.
Organized by the Boulder 150 Sesquicentennial Celebration Committee, the Stroll is a daylong series of celebratory events inviting people to stroll through the city, visiting many of Boulder’s historic landmarks. Maps will be available at all of the Stroll stops.
The day kicks off at 11 a.m. with an official welcome ceremony in the historic Chautauqua auditorium and concludes with Boulder 150 tie-ins that evening at Boulder’s July 4 fireworks at Folsom Field – a city tradition since 1941.
Parking at Chautauqua is very limited so participants are urged to park cars at the Twenty Ninth Street retail mall and use free HOP buses running every 15 minutes from there to Chautauqua, Baseline Road, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Buses also return to Twenty Ninth Street after fireworks at Folsom Field. Bike riders are encouraged to participate.
Food will be sold along the Stroll. The Chautauqua Dining Hall will be open for service with barbeque on its patio following auditorium program. Some Farmers’ Market vendors will remain open during the afternoon. The Millennium Harvest House is offering reservation-only July 4 barbeque, and the St. Julien Hotel is hosting a special July 4, 5-7 p.m. happy hour and live music from 7-9 p.m. on its outside terrace.
Participants who complete the full Stroll route, with maps stamped at each stop, will receive a commemorative award in recognition of the Sesquicentennial (limit one per family).
A full schedule of all Sesquicentennial events, as well as links to stories and interesting facts about Boulder’s history are online at www.boulder150.com.
Schedule for the July 4 Sesquicentennial Stroll is:
11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Welcome Ceremony presented by the Chautauqua Association. Rocky Mountain National Park Superintendent Vaughn Baker will present National Historic Landmark plaque. Welcome by U.S. Rep. Jared Polis. Special performances will celebrate the history of arts past and present in Boulder.
12:15-1:30 p.m. Colorado Music Festival Brass Band will perform under tent on the Green, barbeque available from Chautauqua Dining Hall. Event will be zero-waste, with Eco-Cycle assisting.
Visit Sesquicentennial Quilt display in Chautauqua Dining Hall June through July. Quilt program, 7 p.m., Wednesday, July 1 in Community House.
1:30–4:30 p.m. Stroll to these sites:
Columbia Cemetery, “Stroll with the Spirits” presented by Historic Boulder, Inc.
Boulder History Museum serves “Happy Birthday Boulder” cake and hosts the opening of “Only in Boulder” exhibit. Activities for children include gold panning and arts and crafts.
CU Heritage Center presents “Boulder and CU Through the Years.” Since 1876 Boulder’s growth and development have been closely tied to that of the University of Colorado. Learn about CU’s colorful history.
2-5:30 p.m. Bluegrass Concert at Central Park Band Shell featuring Boulder Acoustic Society and Blue Canyon Boys. Some Farmers’ Market food vendors will remain open. Welcome by U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet.
2:30-3:30 p.m. 4th of July Children’s Bike Parade in Central Park organized by Parenting Place; come early to decorate.
2-5:30 p.m. Stroll “globally” and celebrate ties with Boulder’s Sister City communities in Africa, Asia and Central America at Municipal Building Plaza. Learn about projects and exchanges in this people-to-people program.
8-10 p.m. Ralphie’s Independence Day Blast at Folsom Field featuring a Boulder 150 birthday party.
Following the July 4 celebration, the next major event for Boulder’s Sesquicentennial will be a “Coming Back Home” gathering, extending the city’s friendship with the Northern Arapaho tribe, Aug. 7-8, on the Pearl Street Mall.
For more information on the Boulder Sesquicentennial and 150 banner sales, go to the Boulder 150 Web site at www.boulder150.com.
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