Keep Up With Things to Do in Boulder

Boulder Theatre, CO

Photo of the Boulder Theatre courtesy of Pam Morris on Flickr.

Boulder and the surrounding areas offer an endless array of things to do from shopping and dining to outdoor adventure and live entertainment, so how do you keep up with everything that is going on? Below are some of our favorite sites to check out when looking for a day/night on the town.

Downtown Boulder: Downtown Boulder offers a filterable list for easy searches and clean format for easy browsing

Boulder Convention & Visitors BureauRobust descriptions and easy search tools allow you to quickly zero in on plans for your day

Boulder Weekly: Boulder’s popular news source offers a more visual way to break down local events with 13 categories to select from.

PollstarLooking primarily for live music? Pollstar compiles data for concerts across the nation and offers the latest in music news. A great resource for those who don’t want to miss the next big thing.

What are some of your favorite local and not so local activities? Join us on Facebook to discuss!

2015 4th of July Celebrations

Boulder 4th of July Celebration

There are many ways to celebrate the 4th of July weekend in the Denver Metro and Front Range areas. From festivals, to sporting events and of course fireworks- there is something for everyone!

112TH ANNUAL COWBOY’S ROUNDUP DAYS & 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION

WHEN: July 1 – 5, 2015
WHERE: Steamboat Springs
COST: Free

For over 100 years Steamboat Springs, Colorado has celebrated Independence Day in true western fashion. Events like the 4th of July Parade and the Ranch Rodeo where local ranches compete against one another are proof Steamboat’s western roots are alive and well.

Take a float down the Yampa River then head over to one of the biggest nights of the summer Pro Rodeo Series. After the rodeo, keep your seat and watch the sky fill up with the beautiful colors of one of the biggest firework shows in Colorado.

CHERRY CREEK ARTS FESTIVAL

WHEN: July 3-5, 2015
WHERE: Cherry Creek North, from 2nd to 3rd Avenues, on the seven streets between Columbine and Steele Sts.
COST: Free
This free, outdoor extravaganza — the city’s signature cultural celebration of the visual, performing and culinary arts – gives more than 350,0000 annual visitors the chance to meet and talk with international visual artists, enjoy a wide range of family friendly fun and  sample fine cuisine. At the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, experience Artivity Avenue, a full block of interactive activities perfect for youngsters. Visit the Cultural Pavilion, where music, dance and theater from around the globe will be presented. Culinary Avenue features tasty treats and live cooking demonstrations from some of Denver’s most popular eateries.

CITY OF BOULDER 4TH OF JULY – STAR SPANGLED SPLASH

WHEN: July 4, 2015 8am – 6pm (gates open at 6am)
WHERE: Boulder Reservoir
COST: Free / Check Site for Volleyball tourney costs
Celebrate the 4th of July with BBSC at the REZ!
This year’s Independence Day at the Boulder Reservoir will be bigger and better than ever! Register for the 5K and 10K to start off the celebration the healthy way, and then enjoy beer, food, live music and more at the Rez!

CITY OF LOUISVILLE 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS

WHEN: July 4, 2015 6pm – 10:30pm
WHERE: Coal Creek Golf Course: 585 West Dillon Road Louisville, Colorado 80027
COST: Free
Live music, food trucks/concessions, free activities for kids of all ages in celebration of the 4th of July. There is no parking at the Golf Course but rather shuttles will run from 6-11pm from the Louisville Recreation Center and Home Depot parking lots.

CITY PARK JAZZ

WHEN: July 5, 2015, 6 p.m.
WHERE: City Park Bandstand, 17th Ave. and Colorado Blvd.
COST: FREE
There’s no better way to end the long weekend than with a free concert in City Park. City Park Jazz takes place every Sunday evening in June and July.

CONCERTS AT RED ROCKS

WHEN: July 3 & 6, 2015
WHERE: Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Pkwy., Morrison
COST: Varies
Celebrate Independence Day Weekend at Red Rocks! July 3 sees the improvisatory genius of Umphrey’s McGee arrive at this one-of-a-kind venue. Blues Traveler, along with Guster and Hanson, will return to Red Rocks on July 4 for their 21st year at the historic venue. On July 5, things get loud with the the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, which features Slayer as headliner, plus five more heavy metal bands. July 6 brings rockers Steely Dan with special guest Elvis Costello & The Imposters.

FIREWORKS AT ELITCH GARDENS THEME & WATER PARK

WHEN: July 4, 2015
WHERE: Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park, 2000 Elitch Cir.
ONLINE COST: Tickets start at $34.99
Spend the day riding the roller coasters and the water slides at Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park, Denver’s downtown amusement park, and then watch a brilliant fireworks display light up the night sky, starting at dusk.

FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK

WHEN: July 3, 2015
WHERE: Denver’s Art Districts
COST: Free
Visit with Denver’s vibrant creative community at The Mile High City’s art districts for the 4th, including Art District On Santa FeRiNo (River North Art District) and the Tennyson Street Cultural District. Galleries stay open late as art lovers enjoy live music, food and drink, and of course, plenty of great art.

FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION

WHEN: July 2 – 5, 2015
WHERE: Pagosa Springs
ONLINE COST: Free
4th of July in Pagosa Springs is an incredible week long celebration! The town hosts a huge carnival in Town Park, the annual Red Ryder Rodeo, the Park to Park Arts & Crafts festival along the downtown Riverwalk and a lively parade.

THE GREELEY STAMPEDE

WHEN: June 25 – July 5, 2015
WHERE: Island Grove Regional Park 600 North 14th Avenue Greeley, Colorado 80631
COST: 6-12($2), 13-60($5), 61($2)
The Greeley Stampede spans two weekends and features pro-rodeo, bull-riding and kids rodeos, country and classic rock concerts, demolition derby, streamed online 4th of July parade, Carnival Midway, Western Art Show, free stage entertainment, and loads of festival grounds activities, mixed with food and fun galore.

INDEPENDENCE EVE PRESENTED BY ANADARKO

WHEN: July 3, 2015, 8 p.m.
WHERE: Civic Center Park, Broadway and Colfax
COST: Free
The annual Independence Eve Celebration in Civic Center Park will feature a free patriotic concert, an innovative light show on the Denver City and County Building and a stunning fireworks finale. Lawn seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis; blankets or low-rise concert/beach chairs are encouraged. Attendees are welcome to bring their own picnics; concessions will also be present on-site. Civic Center is easily accessible by light rail, bus, bicycle or the 16th Street Free MallRide and use of public transportation is encouraged. Information on nearby Denver B-cycle bike-sharing locations is available. Parking is available at nearby surface lots and parking garages as well.

LIBERTY RUN 4 MILE RUN AND FIRECRACKER KIDS FUN RUN

WHEN: July 4, 2015
WHERE: Washington Park, bordered by Virginia Ave. on the north, Downing St. on the west, Louisiana Ave. on the south, and Franklin St. on the east
COST: Adult registration is $35, kids are free
Work off all the BBQ and cake by running in the Liberty 4-Mile Run. Wear your red, white and blue proud and enjoy the celebration. Prizes will be given to kids and adults with the best patriotic flair. After the run enjoy food and beverages.

THE OUTLAWS – AND FIREWORKS!

WHEN: July 4, 2015
WHERE: Sports Authority Field at Mile High, 1701 Bryant St.
COST: Tickets start at $26
Denver’s professional lacrosse team the Denver Outlaws are battling it out with the Boston Cannons. After the game, enjoy fireworks within the bowl at Sports Authority Field at Mile High — pyrotechnics paired with visuals on a 220-foot wide, hi-definition screen. You’ll never forget this kind of fireworks show!

PARK HILL 4TH OF JULY PARADE

WHEN: July 4, 2015, 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: Park Hill, on 23rd Ave. from Dexter St. to Krameria St.
COST: Free
The Park Hill 4th of July Parade is back! This community-friendly event will again be marching along 23rd Avenue on Independence Day. This year’s parade promises to be bigger than ever before, with marching bands, acrobats and festive floats.

RALPHIE’S INDEPENDENCE DAY BLAST 2015

WHEN: July 4, 2015, 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Folsom Field, 2085 Colorado Avenue, Boulder 80309
COST: Free

8:00 PM – Gates Open

8:30 PM – The Mighty Twisters, Mad Hops jump rope team, and everybody’s favorite, Ralphie!

We will also have the Boy Scouts Color Guard to present the colors for the National Anthem, to help us remember the real reason for this celebration.

The fireworks will begin as soon as it’s dark, approximately 9:40 PM.

THE RAPIDS – AND FIREWORKS!

WHEN: July 4, 2015
WHERE: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, 6000 Victory Way, Commerce City
COST: Tickets start at $31
Denver’s hometown heroes the Colorado Rapids are taking on the Vancouver Whitecaps FC on July 4 — stick around for the fireworks display after the game!

TOWN OF ERIE 3RD OF JULY EXTRAVAGANZA!

WHEN: July 3, 2015 festivities begin at 5:00pm
WHERE: Colorado National Golf Club: 2700VistaParkway, Erie,CO 80516
COST: Free
Bring your family to celebrate Independence Day on July 3rd and enjoy fireworks, good music and a variety of delicious food and drinks! Children’s activities will include bungee trampolines, inflatable bouncy land, mechanical bull rides, obstacle courses, climbing walls, clowns, games and face-painting!*

TOWN OF SUPERIOR 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION

WHEN: July 4, 2015
WHERE: Parade starts at Rock Creek Parkaway / Community Park
COST: Free
This year’s theme for the July 4th festival and parade is America the Beautiful. The event features the Superior Mile, a community parade with fantastic neighborhood and business floats, a pancake breakfast at Community Park and fun for kids of all ages. The parade starts at 8:30 am on Rock Creek Parkway along Purple Park. The lineup for the floats will begin at 7:30 am – pedestrian line up begins at 8:00 am. The Town will provide a limited supply of red, white and blue steamers and ribbons for those wanting to ride or walk in the parade. The parade will follow Rock Creek Parkway and end at Community Park. The pancake breakfast will begin in Community Park at 9:00 am. Make sure to hang out after breakfast and enjoy the fun. There will be plenty of vendors, interactive games, prizes, inflatables for kids and lots more!

WICKED

WHEN: Through July 5, 2015
WHERE: The Buell Theatre, Speer Blvd. and Arapahoe St.
COST: Tickets start at $35
The wildly popular Broadway hit performs its final weekend in Denver over the 4th of July holiday. Don’t miss Wicked‘s story of how two girls — one born with green skin — became friends in the land of Oz, long before that girl from Kansas arrived.

ZAC BROWN BAND JEKYLL + HYDE 2015 TOUR

WHEN: July 3, 2015
WHERE: Coors Field
Three-time GRAMMY winners and multi-platinum artists Zac Brown Band have become one of music’s most heralded acts and will be in The Mile High City this summer. The Zac Brown Band will continue their national JEKYLL + HYDE tour with a July 3rd concert at Coors Field.

*Photo courtesy of: Theodore Chen/Flickr 

Going at it Alone vs Having Realtor Representation

With the hot market these days some of you might be thinking of taking care of your real estate needs on your own. I want to share why having a realtor representation is a benefit to you whether you are thinking of buying or selling and let me tell you why.
In a market with short supply and many buyers needing housing it takes a knowledgeable expert to navigate you through it. When selling, you may receive multiple offers, which is great but knowing which of these offers to accept is the key. Buyers can blow a lot smoke up your *#*# to make themselves appear better than the others even when they aren’t really capable of buying. Knowing the right questions to ask to make sure you have a bonafide buyer who can go the distance and close is key. For example, if you are planning on buying a new home and it’s important that your current one closes so you can buy your next home  otherwise the sellers are going to sell it to someone else who is in line right behind you who is just hoping your deal falls through. What if the offers are coming in way higher than recent sales. How is the appraisal condition handled and so forth. There are a lot of details that go into the process of  bringing the transaction to completion. Knowing the right nuances to look for that make a difference in a transaction is important.
When you’re the buyer the same thing goes. Having an expert guide you in knowing what to include in your offer to make it stand out above the rest will help your odds at being the offer that gets accepted. There are a lot of factors besides price that go into getting your offer accepted.  During the process it’s beneficial to have a realtor to assist with handling expectations throughout the transaction and keeping it moving forward. Also buying and selling real estate can get emotional and it can be a relief to have a Realtor as a go between that has the experience to keep the focus off the emotions and just on the transaction to navigate you through to a successful sale.
Scenario of FSBO- ing your home/property and having Realtor’s bring you a buyer where you’re Co-oping to pay the fee for a Buyers Agent to bring you a ready, willing & able buyer. Unless you’re skilled and knowledgeable in real estate transactions you might really put yourself at a disadvantage. This can be the result of many factors that come up in a property sale.
Another scenario as far as being a Buyer is “I found the property I want to buy on the internet and instead of using a Buyer’s Agent I’m going to see if I can get a “deal” by going direct to the Listing Agent or Seller.” The listing agent represents the Seller and not you so as a direct Buyer, unless you know what you are doing, you don’t have anyone to advise you. Also as far as getting a “Deal” whatever terms that have been decided upon as far as the Fee goes for a direct Buyer or paying a Buyer’s agent to bring a Buyer have already been negotiated in the Listing Contract.

Real Estate Trends in Boulder County

2014 has seen a continued increase in demand for Boulder County real estate. With low interest rates, local companies continuing to hire, and the influx of out of state buyers, condominiums, town homes and single family homes have been in high demand. Subsequently there is a low supply of properties for sale which is benefiting sellers with an increase in their sales price from previous years. If a home is properly priced a seller has a good chance of getting full asking price and in some cases even more when there are multiple offers and a bidding war ensues. We’re at a fascinating cross roads for buyers having great purchasing power by having access to historically low interest rates, and for sellers taking advantage of the strong demand. It will be interesting to follow this trend and see how it tracks into the future.

For more information on market statistics from the Boulder Area Realtors Association:
November 2014 Boulder County Statistics