VOICES Start July o with a bang

famous Lions Club

Avenue Flashes

Ra e. at ra e has tons of prizes donated from local Golden merchants so your chances of winning something are pretty good, as far as ra es go. You can also get some food and drinks at the Golden American Legion Post located a few blocks away at 500 9th Street. Basically, it’s a town party and celebration that goes on all day and into the night. at being said, there is one pretty big thing you need to take into consideration and that’s parking. is event attracts thousands of people every year and that means you have to allow some extra time to nd a place to park and walk over to the park, especially if you are arriving later just to see the reworks. You don’t want to be the parent that every kid in the family jokes about as the one who made them miss the reworks back in 2023 because they were driving all over the place looking for a spot to park the SUV.

ere are a lot of, let’s say “unusual,” parking details you need to be aware of. First of all, if you park along 10th Street, the rst two hours are free, and each additional hour is $2 to a maximum of $8/ day. You must register your vehicle on the Park Mobile app or at a nearby pay station, even if you are planning to stay less than two hours. ird, the Kayak Drop-O Lot on 10th Street is reserved for parking for Handicapped individuals, along with Lion’s Club event volunteers. No public parking will be available in that lot on that day.

Second, there is free parking available in the Clear Creek Parking Lot, located at 304 10th St. Other parking is available in the parking garages located on Jackson Street, between 11th and 13th Streets.

And last, be aware that if 10th Street becomes too crowded near Lion’s Park, there is a chance that it will become closed to tra c. So, get there early if you can.

You can nd out everything you need to know about the event, schedule and parking by going to www.4thofjuly. goldenlionsclub.org/4th-of-july-festival. All the details are posted there.

Now, one more thing I want to mention. For years, whenever I thought about the Fourth of July, the rst thing that always popped into my mind was the sound of an ambulance siren. at’s because when I was a kid there were always a lot of accidents of one kind or another and that’s what you would hear behind the sound of reworks going o all day. So, this year be safe out there, OK? Don’t drink and drive and remember that the City of Golden takes the issue of illegal reworks very seriously. In case you haven’t seen the signs lighting up on the major roads leading into town, all reworks are illegal in Golden and violations can cost you $2,650. at’s a ticket that will de nitely ruin your day. So, leave the pyrotechnics to the professionals.

With all that in mind, cue up the Stars and Stripes Forever, nd something red, white and blue to wear and have a safe and very happy Fourth of July! Oh, and keep the dogs in a safe place. Trust me on that one.

John Akal is a well-known jazz artist/ drummer and leader of the 20-piece Ultraphonic Jazz Orchestra. He also is president of John Akal Imaging, professional commercial photography and multimedia production. He can be reached at jaimaging@aol.com.