Hannah Perkins has been working at the Black Cat fireworks stand in Parker for five years. Recent dry weather has certain areas of the state, including Aurora, wary of the fire possibilities from careless fireworks use. Photo by Philip B. Poston/The Sentinel

AURORA | Aurorans can celebrate Independence Day with a flyover from Buckley Space Force Base and a fireworks display from city hall, or they can set off their own sparklers to mark the occasion — with some conditions.

While the city will not host its full Independence Day celebration due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it will have a public fireworks display Sunday beginning at 9:30 p.m. from Bicentennial Park. Viewers are invited to congregate at the Aurora Municipal Center’s lawn starting at 6 p.m.

According to the National Weather Service, skies over the city are predicted to be clear overnight, with a low temperature of 63 degrees. It could rain during the day however, with a 30% chance of showers predicted after noon.

A flyover of F-16 Fighting Falcons from Buckley Space Force Base is also scheduled to take place beginning at 10 a.m. in honor of the holiday. The flyover serves as extra training for pilots and demonstrates “the readiness and modernization of our force,” a release from the Colorado Air National Guard said.

The anticipated schedule is:

  • Lake City – 10:24 a.m.
  • Silverton – 10:27 a.m.
  • Telluride – 10:30 a.m.  
  • Redstone -10:40 a.m.
  • New Castle – 10:44 a.m.
  • Eagle – 10:57 a.m.
  • Vail – 11:01 a.m.
  • Grand Lake – 11:08 a.m.
  • Windsor – 11:21 a.m.
  • Westminster – 11:29 a.m.

Times and locations may change due to weather and safety concerns.

For those who want to celebrate on their own, fireworks that do not explode or leave the ground are legal to set off in the city through July 4. These include fountains, wheels, sparklers, snakes and ground spinners. 

Illegal fireworks include firecrackers, bottle rockets, lady fingers, mortars, and roman candles. Violations can come with a fine of up to $2,650 and up to one year in jail.

The city of Aurora has established a non-emergency dispatch phone line to report fireworks complaints through July 5. Residents can call 303-627-5678 to report illegal fireworks use or make reports online 24/7 at AuroraGov.org/ContactUs. 

Aurora Police Department and Aurora Fire Rescue are partnering to do firework enforcement patrols July 1 through July 5, APD spokesperson Agent Matthew Longshore told the Sentinel.

One reply on “Independence Day to bring fireworks, flyover to Aurora”

  1. Illegal (fun) fireworks everywhere.
    So why not publishow to be most safe setting them off?
    FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON EACH FIREWORK!
    1. Keep gardehoses charged and athe ready.
    2. Wet down pine trees and other easily-ignited bushes and plants.
    3. Have a bucket of water into which to drop used sparkler wires.
    4. Teach everyone STOP, DROP, ROLL if clothes catch fire. (Humanature is to run away from the flames. That fans the flames.)
    5.Cold water on burns as quickly as possible.
    6. No frilly easily-ignited clothing.
    7. Ignite fireworks with a glowing punk to thend of the fuse.(A lighter flame may ignite the fuse close to the firework.)
    8. Ignite fireworks on the ground.
    If you hold a firework to throw it and the fuse burns in.stantly, you may be injured. (People have lost fingers this way.)
    9. Find errant rockets to preventhem from causing fires.

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