July 4th at Colorado State University – Pueblo offers concerts, fireworks, veterans tribute

Pueblo- The July 4th Extravaganza at Colorado State University – Pueblo will celebrate our country’s independence as well as honor veterans. The July 4th Extravaganza is a highlight of Colorado Music Fest XII, a summer-long series of music camps and concerts.

Independence Day festivities begin at 5 p.m. with a free concert for children in Hoag Hall Auditorium. In her 12 years performing for children, Denver-based entertainer Bonnie Phipps has developed a diverse repertoire of songs and stories from all over the world, plus original and contemporary material. She uses her hot pink and turquoise Autoharp to accompany her songs and to heighten the action in her stories, which might feature a dinosaur, girls with ten foot long names, a lovesick cat, or a monster who is afraid of children. Phipps has received several awards for her recordings for children and has been written up in Entertainment Weekly, Parent magazine, and Child magazine. Recently, Phipps received a “Best Children’s Entertainer” award by Colorado Parent magazine’s readers poll.

Food and beverage vendors also will open their booths at 5 p.m.. The following food vendors will be on hand to keep the crowd well fed: Kriegers Sports Bar (hamburgers, cheeseburgers, BBQ pork sandwiches, pizza), Tasty Treats (pork chops on a stick, sno cones, slushies), Passkey Restaurant (world famous specials), Celina's Tamale house (Mexican specialties), Hillside Dairy (ice cream treats, dairy specials), Pueblo Chili Co (soft serve, funnel cakes, fire roasted corn, turkey legs, chili sausage sandwich), and Sodexho. Budweiser, Pepsi products, and bottled water also will be available.

The U.S. Army 101st Band will perform a variety of music featuring a Dixie band from 7-7:30 p.m., rock band from 7:45-8:15 p.m., and a full concert band playing 30 minutes of patriotic music from 8:30-9 p.m., including an Armed Forces Salute, which includes recognition of all branches of military service. Stars and Stripes Forever will conclude the program and bring on an hour-long fireworks display by the Sertoma Club at about 9:15 p.m. A Color Guard presentation by the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Department will precede the concert.

Admission to the concerts is free, but a $5 per carload parking fee will be returned to the community in the form of donations by the Sertoma Club.

Major sponsors of the July 4th event include the Pueblo Chieftain, Colorado Council on the Arts, The City of Pueblo, Pueblo County, and the Sertoma Club.


Colorado State University - Pueblo is a regional, comprehensive university emphasizing professional, career-oriented, and applied programs. Displaying excellence in teaching, celebrating diversity, and engaging in service and outreach, CSU-Pueblo is distinguished by access, opportunity, and the overall quality of services provided to its students.