Castle Rock's Fourth of July 2026: The Party Is Still On, the Fireworks Are Not

Update, July 3: the fireworks are cancelled. The party is not. Douglas County entered Stage 2 fire restrictions on Thursday, which prohibits all fireworks displays, professional shows included. Castle Rock's response was the right one: keep the celebration, lose the pyrotechnics, and look at rescheduling the show later this year when conditions allow. Here is the updated plan for Saturday.

The celebration still runs 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on July 4 at Festival Park (302 Second Street) in downtown Castle Rock, free to walk in. The Denver Dolls open at 5:30, the Castle Rock Band takes over at 6:45, and Thunder Roads closes it out at 8. The annual Pie Bake-Off runs 5:30 to 6:30 on Perry Street, with food trucks and family programming filling the gaps. It is still the classic small-town Fourth, it just ends with a last encore instead of a last shell.

And Castle Rock kept one thing in the sky: two Colorado Air National Guard F-16 flyovers pass over the Rock and downtown between 10:40 and 10:50 a.m. That is the only aerial show happening anywhere in Douglas County this year, and it is free from any sidewalk in town.

Parking advice stands. Downtown fills fast on the Fourth, the Perry Street garage is your best structured option, and arriving 30 to 60 minutes early buys you a good spot in the park and a reasonable walk back. Early risers can still start the day with the sixth annual Rock-It Run, a 5K that goes off at 7 a.m. at the fairgrounds.

One rule change to take seriously: under Stage 2 restrictions, every consumer firework is banned, sparklers and fountains included, with fines up to $1,000 and extra Sheriff's Office patrols all weekend. The Town says it will explore bringing the professional show back later in the year; updates land at CRgov.com/Fireworks.

Even without the finale, Castle Rock is still the most complete evening in the county this Fourth.

More Douglas County Fourth of July: Parker, Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch, or see what's still on across the county.