4th of July

In celebration of America250, join us for a full day of festivities to kick off our 18th Annual Green Box Arts Festival!  Come for one event, a few, or stay for the whole day — the line up is one you won’t forget.

9AM-8PM: Water Lantern Design Studio – Studio 2 of Green Box Workshop ($10.00 per lantern kit)

Come into our design studio at the Green Box workshop anytime before 8PM to design your own paper lantern and join the hundreds to witness this light-filled expression of calm and serenity. Art supplies provided in Studio 2!

10AM: 4th of July Parade – on the street between Sallie Bush Community Center and Gazebo Lake (FREE)

In partnership with the Historic Green Mountain Falls Foundation, join us as we celebrate America’s 250^th Anniversary through this old-fashioned Independence Day parade.  Over two dozen elements, led by the Southern Ute Veterans Association, will be featured, including horses, classic vehicles, community organizations and musical groups.  Bring your own chair and line the street beginning at 9AM.

Want to be part of the parade?  We welcome all to join in at the end of the parade as part of our Red, White & Blue Brigade.   Dress yourself (and your pooches) in your finest red, white and blue garb, grab an American Flag from any of our pick-up locations, and be part of the celebration with us!

11AM: Community Performance Hour – Lakeview Terrace Amphitheatre (FREE)

Free performances from some of our favorite community partners.  Don’t miss Ute Pass Elementary School’s Fife & Drum Corps and Choir along with astounding performances from Ormao Dance Company along with some special surprises.

NOON: Community Hot Dog Lunch – Green Box Farm Stand (FREE)

Free Hot Dogs with all the fixin’s!  Other concessions will be available for purchase!

1PM: 4th of July Pie Contest – Green Box Farm Stand (FREE to enter a pie in the contest, $10.00 to sample pies!)

Whether you are an experienced pie baker, just learned how to make pies, or simply love to taste a variety of pies, join us under the Farm Stand for slices of Americana as we bestow prizes on the ‘celebrity’ judges’ favorites.

Entering a pie in the contest?  Preregistration is required, and we must receive your registration before midnight on Friday, July 3^rd.  To register, fill out the form at greenboxarts.org/piecontest/

Want to sample the pies?  Tickets will be available until they run out at the Farm Stand.

2PM: Opera Cowgirls – Lakeview Terrace Amphitheatre (FREE)

The Opera Cowgirls are an alt-country band where grand opera meets the grand ole opry. By blending the greatest operatic hits with some country flavor, the Cowgirls have proven that they can truly cover Puccini to Parton.

5-9PM: 4th of July Block Party – Green Box Farm Stand & Lake Street (FREE)

Enjoy new and old friends with your own picnic or grab food & grog from the vendors on hand.  Lawn games will be available while three different bands bring the party:

Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light (5:30-6:30PM)
Fresh off their 2025 win at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival band competition, Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light have been captivating audiences. With songs as sweet and biting as the nectar and venom in her voice, Sumner’s lyric-forward writing and penchant for snaking chord progressions demand something far beyond folk conventions, highlighting the acrobatic range of her brilliant bandmates Kat Wallace (fiddle) and Mike Siegel (upright bass).

Cary Morin &  Ghost Dog (6:45-7:45PM)
Colorado musicians Cary Morin & Ghost Dog unite to form a high-energy roots rock band with hints of blues, Americana, and world groove, intent on getting folks up and out of their seats! Named one of NPR Music’s Best Live Sessions of 2020 and described as “one of the best acoustic pickers on the scene today,” Cary Morin brings together the great musical traditions of America like no other. With deft fingerstyle guitar and vocals that alternately convey melodic elation and gritty world-weariness, Morin crafts an inimitable style often characterized as roots-infused Native Americana with hints of bluegrass, folk, blues, and rock. He has performed at renowned venues across the globe, including the Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center, and is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades.

Jeremy Mohney & His Orchestra (8-9PM)
For over a decade, Jeremy Mohney has led one of Colorado’s most popular Swing Bands. His Spirited renditions of Jazz classics as well as original compositions in the swing style give him a unique and authentic dimension. Whether playing for a jam-packed ballroom for dancers, or playing for lovers of music in an intimate club, Mohney’s charm is sure to capture the attention of Green Box’s audience.

9-9:30PM: 4th of July Water Lantern Launch – Gazebo Lake (FREE to attend; $10.00 to decorate a water lantern kit, available in the Box Office)

Our beloved tradition continues for our 5^th annual Water Lantern Launch, the perfect way to end your 4^th of July Green Box activities.  Come into our design studio at the Green Box workshop anytime before 8PM to design your own paper lantern and join the hundreds who make a ring around Gazebo Lake to witness this light-filled expression of calm and serenity.  An ideal way to commemorate America’s semiquincentennial and a fitting end to this massive day of celebration.