Grand County residents and visitors are ready to raise flags high and look to the skies for fireworks, a drone show and a military flyover for Independence Day. Festivities include rodeos, 5K races, live music and more.

Winter Park

Lions Club Pancake Breakfast

Enjoy a hearty pancake breakfast from 8-11 a.m. at Hideaway Park in the Rendevous Event Center. The community can also enjoy the breakfast on July 5 and 6, at the same time.

Rendezvous Run for Independence

Get a running start to Independence Day with this 5K run/walk at 9 a.m. Participants start from the Gondola Plaza at Winter Park Resort to the Rendezvous Event Center in the Town of Winter Park via the scenic Fraser River Trail. The 5K ends at noon; an after party at the event center will include refreshments, awards and prize giveaways. Register online for a $40 fee at PlayWinterPark.com before the event.

Winter Park 4th of July Celebration and Concert

Live music, lawn games and inflatable activity centers await families at the Rendezvous Event Center from 6-10 p.m. The band Buckstein will play beginning at 7 p.m., then DJ Jen G will provide the tunes. Once it gets dark, the crowd can look to the skies for the Brightflight Drone Show, which will replace fireworks.

Fraser

Music on the Hill

Enjoy a free summer concert series presented by Grand Park and held at Colorado Adventure Park at 6 p.m. Denver’s Tiny Pockets will play, with food trucks and lawn games. Limited seating is available — please bring blankets and lawn chairs.

Granby

Rodeo and fireworks (July 3-5)

The Flying Heels Arena will wow crowds with patriotic rodeos and fireworks shows, from July 3-5. The rodeos start at 1 p.m. with the bigger broncs and bulls bucking in the arena at 7 p.m.

At night, fireworks will light over the grandstands for these three days, one of the rodeo’s most popular traditions. Independence Day will also feature the Westernaires, a group of nine to 19-year-olds who show off impressive choreography and acrobatic skill on horseback.

4th of July Parade and Party in the Park

Granby’s annual parade is arguably the county’s biggest summer attraction. Viewers line the streets to watch an array of floats, horseback riders and community members head down Main Street. Arrive early to stake out a viewing spot before the parade kicks off at 11 a.m. Please note the street closes at 10:30 a.m. to traffic. A military flyover will grace the parade this year.

After the event, head to Polhamus Park after for live music, food, a bounce house, foam party and market vendors.

4th of July Book Sale

The Friends of Grand County Library will have thousands of items — books, CDs, DVDs, puzzles and more — for sale at the Granby Library to benefit the nonprofit. The sale lasts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Granby Fly-in & Pancake Breakfast (July 5)

Visit the Granby Airport for pancakes, sausages, coffee and orange juice on the tarmac, from 7-10:30 a.m. Proceeds help send young people to the EAA Air Academy’s summer camps and provide scholarships to local graduates pursuing careers in the aviation field.

Gut Buster 5K Color Run (July 5)

Bring the entire family out for the 37th Annual Gut Buster 5k. This fun color run/walk is open to all ages and abilities. Start time is 10:30 a.m. on July 5. Start and finish areas will be at Destination Granby, 516 East Agate Ave. There will be lots of color, music and even a foam party at the finish. Registration is open now at the Granby Recreation website.

Grand Lake

Pancake Breakfast

Enjoy a hearty pancake breakfast from 7-11 a.m. at Louie Heckert Pavilion in the Grand Lake Town Park. The cost $5 for children and $10 for adults, with all proceeds benefitting the town.

According to rotary member Dana Gordon, the group sells over 1,200 tickets, flips 3,000 pancakes and sausages, and pours over 70 gallons of milk, orange juice and syrup each year.

“We have people who come back every year since their childhood just to participate — it’s become a family tradition for people from all parts of the U.S,” said Gordon.

She added that three generations of the Appelhans family have kept on this tradition, which started 50 years ago. The Appelhans family are still flipping pancakes today. She estimates that 60,000 tickets have been sold for 150,000 pancakes over 50 years.

Fireworks over the lake

Grand Lake’s 30-minute fireworks show will start after dark July 4, at approximately 10 p.m. The lights burst and simmer over the lake. Attendees gather to get a viewing spot along the shore of Lakefront Park. The Headwaters Marina also has a few seats on docked pontoon boats that can be reserved for the fireworks. Boating in the lake is another great way to watch the show.

Kremmling

Party in the Park and fireworks

Kremmling’s Independence Day celebrations bring in people from around the state. The event kicks off at 5 p.m. in the town square with food, a block party, live music and beer garden. Its Fire up the Cliffs fireworks show will shoot off the iconic cliffs outside of town. Town square offers a great viewing spot for the show, expected to begin around 9:45 p.m.