39th annual Salute to USA welcomes Lettuce followed by fireworks and more

The Town of Avon recently issued the following press release on its annual Salute to the USA celebration on July 3:

The 39^th annual Salute to the USA on Thursday, July 3 in Harry A. Nottingham Park proudly welcomes Grammy® Award-nominated, genre-defying musical collective, Lettuce, headlining Avon’s signature event. 

“Salute to the USA is the community’s most anticipated tradition of the year. We enthusiastically welcome Lettuce to the Avon Pavilion,” said Avon Chief Cultural Officer, Danita Dempsey. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. for this free annual Independence Day celebration, with live music kicking off at 6:00 p.m. followed by epic scale fireworks at 9:45 p.m.

“We have reimagined the venue to create more space for guests, including an expanded picnic area and enhancements to the Family Zone. We aim to ensure that guests have a memorable time at the event, and we encourage them to review the prohibited items list before arriving to facilitate smooth entry,” Dempsey continued.

Additionally, Avon has developed a digital Salute to the USA Event Guide to assist guests in navigating the event. This guide is available on our website and is mobile-friendly. We recommend using public transit to and from the event and offer multiple free event shuttle options starting at 4:00 p.m. on July 3. For those who prefer cycling, there is limited bicycle-specific parking available, which is provided at the owner’s risk.

LETTUCE is (a) the prime ingredient in a salad, (b) a slang for cash, (c) a green herb that can be smoked, (d) a genre-busting six-member musical collective formed in 1992 by four alumni of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, or (e) all of the above. If you answered “e,” then you’re in on the sheer magic of a band that both feeds the rich history of funk music and combines it with strains of hip-hop, rock, psychedelia, jazz, soul, jam, go-go, and the avant-garde.  

The GRAMMY® Award-nominated six-piece is comprised of Adam Deitch [drums, percussion], Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff [guitar], Erick “Jesus” Coomes [bass], Ryan Zoidis [alto, baritone, tenor sax, Korg X-911], Eric “Benny” Bloom [trumpet, horns], and Nigel Hall [vocals, Hammond B-3, Rhodes, clavinet, keyboards].

Performing at 6:00 p.m. and opening for Lettuce is multicultural five-piece from Los Angeles, CA, The Main Squeeze. For a group of men with completely different backgrounds, tastes, and religions, there’s already a spirit shared amongst them when they sit down to play together and the first chord strikes.

The Main Squeeze are coming off their sixth album “To Be Determined” a body of work showcasing the unique chemistry the Los Angeles, CA based band have developed together over the years. The album is a stunning showcase into why they have become a touring phenomenon in the US and around the world, which has led to a passionate fan base – with some fans traveling the US and having seen up to 30 shows.

Salute to the USA is Avon’s longest standing and most anticipated event of the year. Come one, come all to enjoy the tradition of this celebration with the most exhilarating firework display in the Colorado Rockies, award-winning musicians, family fun zone, festival-style foods, refreshing beverages at the Hahnewald bar, and so much more.

For questions about Salute to the USA, please visit Discoveraavon.org.