HRCA Independence Day Parade and 5K
Highlands Ranch keeps its July 4 morning traditions: the Independence Day 5K at 7:30 a.m. from Dorchester Street, a Pet and Bike Parade at 8:45, and the main parade at 9 a.m. along Highlands Ranch Parkway between Hepburn and Ridgeline.
- Sat, July 4, 2026
- 7:30 AM to 10:00 AM
- Town Center, Highlands Ranch
- Free (5K registration required)
Highlands Ranch may have lost its fireworks for 2026, but the morning of the Fourth still belongs to the neighborhood. The HRCA traditions run as usual, and they are some of the best-attended community events of the year.
The schedule
- 7:30 a.m. Independence Day 5K, starting and finishing on Dorchester Street
- 8:45 a.m. Pet and Bike Parade, the kids-and-dogs warm-up
- 9:00 a.m. Main Independence Day Parade
The main parade runs along Highlands Ranch Parkway between Hepburn Street and Ridgeline Boulevard. Stake out a curb spot a little early on the parkway, because the shaded stretches go first.
The 5K
The 5K is a real race but a friendly one, looping from Dorchester Street out toward Town Center and back. Registration is required, so sign up in advance. After you finish, the parade route is a short walk away, which makes for an easy back-to-back morning.
The rest of the day
With no community fireworks this year, many families pair the morning here with an evening show in Lone Tree or Castle Rock. HRCA's own evening event is the Star-Spangled Birthday Bash concert on July 2.
See the full Fourth of July guide for every town.