Highlands Ranch cancels July 4 fireworks, adds birthday bash concert

Highlands Ranch will skip its July 4 fireworks again, but residents still have a concert, a 5K and the town parade to anchor the holiday weekend. The fireworks at Highland Heritage Regional Park were canceled and replaced with a Star-Spangled Birthday Bash, a move officials said was driven by wildfire risk, not a change in community spirit.

The Highlands Ranch Community Association, Highlands Ranch Metro District and Douglas County jointly announced the cancellation on June 11, citing Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, extreme drought and elevated fire danger across the region. Mike Bailey said public safety had to come first, and Highlands Ranch Metro District Chair Renee Anderson said the community should model responsible behavior during drought and fire restrictions. The decision came even after the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said there were no current fire restrictions in the county as of June 2. Stage 1 restrictions still prohibit fireworks, and Stage 2 rules would prohibit professional displays as well.

Instead of the fireworks show, Highlands Ranch will host the Star-Spangled Birthday Bash on Thursday, July 2, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Highland Heritage Regional Park. The lineup includes Ragged Union from 6 to 7 p.m. and Jeff Goodwin and the Front Range Cowboys from 7:30 to 9 p.m., with UCHealth as title sponsor. Officials framed the event around America’s 250th anniversary, and Douglas County Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle said generations of families have gathered in Highlands Ranch to celebrate Independence Day.

The rest of the holiday schedule in Highlands Ranch is still on. The Independence Day 5K starts at 7:30 a.m. in Town Center on July 4, and the Fourth of July Parade begins at 9 a.m. after a bike and pet parade at 8:45 a.m. The parade starts in front of the Kaiser Permanente building at 9285 Hepburn Street.

The mixed approach reflects how Douglas County is managing holiday fire risk community by community. While Highlands Ranch has chosen to leave fireworks out of its celebration, Castle Rock and Parker are still planning July 4 fireworks displays, underscoring how local leaders are balancing tradition against drought conditions and the threat of fast-moving flames.