Many free parking and free shuttle options will be available for Ralphie’s Independence Day Blast on the 4th of July. Here’s your guide to parking and transportation to Boulder’s favorite fireworks display. Remember, gates open at 8:00pm at Folsom Field (2400 Colorado Ave, Boulder) and fireworks begin at 9:35pm!
Road Closures to Note
Please note, regardless of how you choose to get to and from the event, the portion of Colorado Ave west of Folsom Street to the Euclid Parking Garage will be closed starting at 6:00 pm. No motorized traffic will be permitted. Boulder Creek Path will also be closed between Folsom and 19th Street for safety purposes due to the proximity to the fireworks launch area.
CU Campus Parking
While there are very limited parking options on the CU campus during the event, free public parking will be available in the Euclid Parking Garage, Regent Parking Garage (Lot 436), 436 North and parking lots 204, 440, 430, 308, 418, 416, 470, 414, and 402. Disability parking will be available in parking lot 360 and both 359 lots. Please note that the portion of Colorado Ave west of Folsom St to the Euclid Parking Garage will be closed to vehicles for the majority of the evening. While the Folsom parking garage will be available for parking, no entry or exit will be permitted from 6:00pm until after the event. A helpful map can be found here.
Bus Service
The Hop and Buff Bus will be offering free shuttle services from Walnut Street between 28th Street and 30th Street to Folsom Field and will take passengers to the corner of Colorado Ave and Folsom Street. Please refer to the teal-colored route on this map. Keep an eye out - you might see the new, bright orange HOP buses during the evening in addition to the well known green and white designs (learn more about all the upcoming HOP changes here)!
The new HOP buses will be running July 4th in addition to the older style.
Downtown Boulder Parking
Boulder’s downtown city parking garages will have free parking all day. Free transportation to Folsom field will begin at 8:00pm and run through the end of the event via the HOP bus. For a detailed map with the bus route and drop off locations, see here. If you are attending 4th on Pearl before heading over to Folsom Field, buses will run from the event to Ralphie’s Independence Day Blast. After the fireworks, jump back on the Hop at southbound Folsom Street near Colorado Avenue.
Boulder B-Cycle
Interested in biking to the event? Boulder B-Cycle will have an additional corral set up on Colorado Ave and Folsom, next to their existing Boulder B-cycle station to accommodate bikers. You can pick up a bike from one of 45 different stations throughout Boulder, drop it off at the corral and pick up the bike on the way back home again. For a complete list of pick-up stations throughout Boulder and pricing, visit their website.
B-Cycle Station
RideShare
Uber, Lyft or a taxi service is another non-parking option for transportation to and from the event. The nearest drop-off/pick-up location will be at the corner of Colorado Ave and Folsom St near the bus stop.