Colorado State University Pueblo will host Let Freedom Howl!, a free Fourth of July celebration open to the entire Pueblo community, on Saturday, July 4, 2026. Festivities begin at 4 p.m. on campus and run through a 9:15 p.m. fireworks and drone finale performed alongside the Pueblo Symphony Orchestra.
The event is free to attend, free to park, and designed for families, alumni, and Pueblo residents looking for a full evening out. CSU Pueblo hosted a similar celebration years ago, revived it last year, and is building on that momentum in 2026. At its core, the event reflects the university’s commitment to serving as a gathering place for the region.
“As a regional comprehensive university, one of our most important roles is showing up for our community. Let Freedom Howl! is a very visible, celebratory way to do that. We want families, alumni, and community members to feel like campus is their space too.” — Megan Lorenz, executive assistant to the president
The evening runs in three parts. Starting at 4 p.m., The Mockingjays take the stage for live music while families enjoy bounce houses from Major Adventures Inflatables, a locally owned veteran-run business, along with face painting, an alumni gathering space, and local food trucks including Kona Ice, Hungry Buffalo, Smash Bros, Coors Tavern, Holy Cow, Ice Cream Sammis, and Double DD’s BBQ. Arch’s Peditaxi will also be on site.
At 7 p.m., the Pueblo Symphony Orchestra takes over with Still Surfin’, a Beach Boys tribute band, for a sunset performance through 9 p.m. The partnership with the Symphony was built around a shared goal: create something that feels special for the community that goes beyond a standard fireworks show.
“The Symphony brings an incredible level of talent and helps create a memorable shared experience, especially leading into the fireworks. The collaboration came from a desire to make the evening feel like more than the sum of its parts.” — Megan Lorenz
At 9:15 p.m., the Symphony transitions to a live patriotic performance as a coordinated fireworks and drone show launches overhead. Admission is free. The only costs are food and drinks purchased from vendors on site.
CSU Pueblo is located at 2200 Bonforte Blvd. in Pueblo. For more information about Let Freedom Howl!, visit www.csupueblo.edu.
