Editor’s note: This story has been edited to correct the name of the brewery pouring in the beer garden.
Each year the Broomfield County Commons Park transforms into an Independence Day extravaganza, full of inflatables, face painting, activities, fireworks and a beer garden.
One of the staples of the event is the two beer garden locations, sponsored by the Broomfield Area Chamber.
Patrick Monacelli, the chamber’s president and CEO, said the beer will be on tap from 5-9 p.m.
“We have Satire Brewing pouring on both sides of the park,” Monacelli said.
Proceeds from the gardens will benefit the chamber’s future projects and events, including its next big event on July 25, Bites & Brews (Taste of Broomfield), where local restaurants will plate up bite-sized dishes that attendees can wash down with drinks from local breweries and distilleries.
The beer garden was added to the Great American Picnic in 2018, a welcome attraction for festival-goers.
“It’s grown a little bit every year since then,” Monacelli said.
Other activities at the event will include face painting from Fantastic Facepainting.
“We’re gonna have five face painters out there and two balloon twisters,” Sherry MacLean, Fantastic Facepainting’s owner said. “We’re offering half-face designs … that’s really our niche.”
MacLean said that by offering half-face and smaller designs, she and her professional face painters can keep the lines moving and paint as many faces as possible. More information about the offerings and other events is available at fantastic-facepainting.com.
In addition to the inflatables and other fun activities for kids, the event will also have a one-of-a-kind mobile Nerf arena.
“You’ve seen a paintball field, imagine that, and substitute the paintball with Nerf blasters and the adults with kids, and you pretty much got it,” Peter Szog said.
Szog is with Nurf Terf, which travels across the Front Range with its 8-foot-tall setup enclosure to bring fun to events and parties like the Great American Picnic.
As always, the picnic will also include a fireworks display. Residents are encouraged to attend instead of putting on their own show — most fireworks are prohibited in Broomfield. Any device that explodes or leaves the ground on its own power is illegal. Violators that use, possess or sell prohibited fireworks could face a minimum fine of $100 up to $1,000.
Festivities begin at 5 p.m. in the Broomfield County Commons Park, 13200 Sheridan Blvd. The festive and costumed bike parade will wheel through the park at 5:45 p.m.
Vocal band The 17th Avenue Allstars will kick off the live music at 6 p.m. and funky cover band Thumpin will bring the energy at 7:15 p.m. The fireworks display is slated to begin around 9:15 p.m. A free shuttle will be available to and from Legacy High School from 5-11 p.m.
More information is available at broomfield.org/611/Great-American-Picnic-July-4th.
