Happy Independence Day!

Rick Van Wieren — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 14:51:14 +0000

Yes, I know the 4th of July was yesterday. But if I was a day late wishing you a Happy Birthday, you’d still take it it, wouldn’t you?
The 4th has always been special to me here in Colorado Springs. When we first moved here 19 years ago, we were so impressed with how the city went ‘all out’ to make it a real event. The symphony concert at Memorial Park was so good, the fireworks amazing, and the howitzers they brought in from Ft Carson for the 1812 Overture just were over the top.
I say were, because once again this year, budget problems caused the city to cancel one of our best traditions. Don’t get me wrong, there were fireworks at 6 different venues. And 4th of July fireworks at the US Air Force Academy is pretty cool too. But I’m looking forward to the time when we can plan on the City of Colorado Springs to continue with one of the best 4th of July celebrations I’ve ever seen.
As it turned out, there was enough rain, hail thunder and lightening going on at dusk last night, that we stayed home anyway. Appropriately, we watched the Ken Burns documentary on the life of Thomas Jefferson, so our patriotic spirit was still fed
I hope your 4th was a good holiday. It kind of marks the 1/2 way point of the summer (even though it is really only about 1/3). Here in Colorado Springs the weather has been superb (other than one of our first rains in a while hitting at fireworks time ) We are looking at 70′s and 80′s and lots of morning sunshine this week, how can you beat that?

4th of July in the Springs Is GREAT!

Rick Van Wieren — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:16:00 +0000

Independence Day, 4th of July, whichever you want to call it, it is a great holiday in Colorado Springs. Some of the surrounding small communities still have little parades with kids on bikes and toddlers in wagons. The “big show” in Colorado Springs proper is the Memorial Park celebration, complete with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra free concert, and a fireworks display that opens with a battery of howitzers from Fort Carson, as part of the 1812 Overture. Other area fireworks displays are at the Air Force Academy, Fort Carson, Palmer Lake, and Manitou Springs (though I heard they were cutting our fireworks for fire danger reasons this year). We will be spending the 4th with a large group of old friends.
Part of the reason this is such a big holiday here, is the number of active duty and former military personnel. One study puts that number at close to 21% of the adult population. Certainly with 5 military bases (Air Force Academy, Peterson Air Force Base, Shriever Air Force Base, Fort Carson, and NORAD), Colorado Springs has a strong patriotic feel to it.
With the oil crisis, continued problems in Iraq, a housing and automotive recession, rising unemployment, the stock market tanking, fires burning all over the West (especially California), floods in the Midwest, and on and on, it is easy to forget how great life really is, especially for us in the United States, and even more especially for us in Colorado Springs. I’m hoping to make this 4th of July Thanksgiving Day, in addition to Independence Day.
Today’s photo is from late last June at Independence Pass, just east of Aspen. I tend to associate it with the 4th of July weekend, because we spent the 4th up in Snowmass with our son a few years ago, and really enjoyed the scenic beauty of this magnificent pass over Highway 82. It is closed for 1/2 the year because of snow, and when it opens, takes an hour off the drive from the Springs to Aspen / Snowmass.

Living Colorado Springs » 4th of July

Happy Independence Day!

4th of July in the Springs Is GREAT!