The Fourth of July is the party of the summer. The warm nights have everyone out and about, looking for action. Fireworks and flags, baseball and beer: It makes you proud to be an American.
As usual, Denver’s bars and clubs will be welcoming the happy hordes all weekend long. Here are a few ideas for places to go and things to do on America’s birthday.
What’s more all-American than a big, dumb, loud summer blockbuster? Tonight, Oak Tavern (1416 Market St.) throws a party for “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” the third installment in director Michael Bay’s “Transformers” series.
The movie opened on Wednesday, but it’s bound to be a big weekend for the box office. Transforming-robot fans can stop into Oak Tavern to pick up movie swag and enter to win prizes, including free tickets to race go-karts at Speed Raceway.
Drink specials will be flowing, of course: $3 shots and $3 Coors Light drafts. The party starts at 8 tonight; there’s no cover charge.
On Saturday, the “Fire and Ice” party takes over Sutra (1109 Lincoln St.).
Presented by Young Nightlife, the elemental happening features a fire-dancing competition, ice sculptures, a body-painting contest and lots of live music. Check out performances by hip-hop artists like Hypnautic and King Tef, plus sets by DJ Bedz and DJ Slavik.
Tickets are $10 at . The fun begins at 9 p.m. Saturday.
City Hall (1144 Broadway) hosts a patriotic picnic on Sunday. Part of the club’s “Rockers, Rollers, Riders” series, the rockabilly-themed shindig features two smokin’ acts in the hall’s outdoor amphitheater.
Jonny Barber and the Living Deads bust out raw, old-school rock with a heaping helping of Elvis attitude, while Cora Vette and the Vinyl Tops blend rockabilly swagger and sexy burlesque. Bring along a picnic, hit the bar and prepare for a wild afternoon.
Doors open at 1 p.m. Sunday; the show starts at 3 p.m. Admission is free.
Fireworks displays will be popping off all weekend, of course. Why not grab a cool drink or two before heading out to watch the show?
If you’re going to the big “Independence Eve” blowout at Civic Center on Sunday, a few options stand out.
Pint’s Pub (221 W. 13th Ave.) is just a couple of blocks away from the fun. The bar’s United Kingdom theme might feel a little traitorous on the Fourth, but it’s a friendly place to have a glass of cold, homebrewed beer and freshen up.
A few steps from Pint’s, the Cap City Tavern (1247 Bannock St.) offers straight-up American sports-bar ambience. One block down from there, Chances Grill (1135 Bannock St.) serves up a full menu of food and drinks, plus plenty of fun games to pass the time.
Keep an eye on that watch, though — arrive too late at Civic Center and you’ll miss out on great vantage points.
The post-game Coors Field fireworks are always a hit. Don’t have tickets? Don’t fret.
Scoring a seat at one of the nearby rooftop bars is ideal — the Tavern Downtown (1949 Market St.) and LoDo’s (1946 Market St.) will have prime real estate.
Getting a rooftop table at one of those places can be hard even without fireworks, however. Instead, watch the final innings from Blake Street Tavern (2301 Blake St.), Breckenridge Brewery (2220 Blake St.) or Whiskeybar (2203 Larimer St.), then head out to the street.
It’s not as comfortable as sitting inside Coors Field, and the music is faint-to-inaudible, but it’s still a pretty sweet— and loud — view.
The Coors Field fireworks shows blast off tonight and Saturday after the Rockies games.
