Firework shows have been canceled in much of Colorado this year, and the state is filling some of that sky with aircraft instead. On Saturday, the Air Force Reserve’s 302d Airlift Wing will conduct flyovers over multiple Colorado communities, with Monument expected to see one around 10 a.m.
The timing matters because people are looking for holiday events that are still happening this weekend, and the flyovers are one of the few Independence Day displays planned across Colorado. The times are only estimates, though, and organizers say they can change, so the Monument pass may not arrive exactly on schedule.
What is known is that the flyovers are set to cover more than one community, even if the full list has not been released here. That makes the event broader than a single-town show and turns it into a moving holiday display for people across Colorado who might otherwise have had a fireworks show nearby.
The shift away from fireworks is also part of the story. With many shows canceled, organizers are leaning on alternatives that still light up the weekend without the same setup or crowd risks. The Air Force Reserve flight is one of those substitutes, and it gives families a daytime spectacle before Sunday’s next planned display.
That next event comes from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, which is planning a drone show at 9:15 p.m. Sunday. Tickets and reservations are not required, the parking lot opens at 7:15 p.m., and the zoo says parking is limited. The drones will fly at a particularly high altitude so they can be seen more widely, and the show is expected to last about 15 minutes if the weather cooperates.
The zoo is also drawing a firmer line on what will not be allowed: alcohol, pets and personal fireworks are barred. Put together, the weekend gives Colorado two different ways to mark Independence Day without relying on traditional fireworks, and the clearest moment on the calendar is still Saturday morning, when Monument is expected to be in view around 10 a.m.
