Happy 4th of July! Don’t forget to take a moment to consider the lost ideal behind the holiday. OK. Just a moment, though. You’ve got a lot to do today, so you want to get an early start.
ANIMALS & FAMILY
For the Bears
Grab some breakfast and head over to the Como Park Zoo to watch polar bears Neil and Buzz celebrate their independence (ha!) by devouring edible flags and cake. Yes, eat those flags! Doesn’t that kind of go against the grain of the holiday? Anyway, it’s certainly an unusual way to start your day, and you can stick around for Sparky the Sea Lion’s show at 11:30.
10:30 a.m., Como Park Zoo, 1225 Estabrook Dr., Saint Paul; 651-487-8200; free.
If you have kids (1-9) with you, you’re in luck. Make their day with a short jump to Como Town for their own celebration. It just opened a couple of months ago, and this is the perfect day to treat the young ones. If they’re dressed in red, white, and blue they’ll have double the fun (and probably come back doused from the water balloon war).
Make it a full day if you like. Heck, you’re already here. Get some grub and have yourself a little picnic by the Como Lakeside Pavilion. Rest your feet a while as you settle in to the music of the Como “Pops” Ensemble at 3 p.m., and United We Sing at 7 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
Haven’t We Seen This Before?
If you’ve got a hankering for a more traditional way to start this great 4th of July, then head over to — that’s right — Edina for their Fourth of July Parade. This’ll be your typical white middle-(to upper)-class American fare, with marching youth, a police pipe band, aqua jesters, and cheerleaders. Woo-hoo! The parade departs from City Hall at 10 a.m., and proceeds about a mile east to 50th & France. The evening’s fireworks display will take place further south, at Rosland Park.
Of course, there are a number of these typical Midwest celebrations around town today. See below for more.
HISTORY
What’s It All About?
If you’re more of a history buff — maybe this holiday actually means something to you other than BBQ, beer, and pretty, bright lights — then our Historic Fort Snelling provides the perfect setting to start the day. Celebrate Independence Day military style with cannon salutes, patriotic speeches, theatrical presentations, a military dress parade, patriotic and military fife and drum music, period games, and dancing with the residents of the frontier fort.
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Historic Fort Snelling, Hwys 5 & 55 near the airport, St. Paul; 612-726-171; $8 (seniors/college students $6, youth $4, children and MHS members free.
For a non-military, old-school celebration with a little bit of history, join the Farmer’s Fourth of July celebration at the Kelley Farm. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the farm while animals and costumed staffers dance around the lawn. There’ll be 19th-century games (including Townball, a precursor to baseball) and oratory, as well.
10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Hwy 10, Elk River; 763-441-6896; $7 (seniors/students $6, youth $4, children free).
FIREWORKS
Cut to the Chase
Fireworks. Fireworks. Fireworks. Obviously, it’s all about the fireworks tonight. And considering the crowds at some of these events, you might want to consider getting some place nice and early and staking your claim as in the old frontier. Lay down the blankets and belongings and linger in the area, enjoying the great outdoors as you wait for the sun to fall and be replaced by gunpowder — “The bombs bursting in air.” Now you’re feeling patriotic, aren’t you? (Not so much?)
For a metro area fireworks display map see here.
Meanwhile, here are some of the places you can consider:
Minneapolis Red, White, and Boom!
Meet me down by the river sometime after 3 p.m. I’ll be celebrating this year’s Fourth of July on the Minneapolis Riverfront with music at St. Anthony Main and fireworks at 10 p.m.
A Taste of Minnesota
Celebrate on Harriet Island with great food and three stages of ongoing entertainment for both kids and adults from 1 to 10 p.m. Tonight’s the last night of ATaste of Minnesota, so the energy is bound to soar. And while they’ve had fireworks every evening, tonight will be the end all.
Lake Minnetonka
Stick by the water, where the fireworks are bolder. The all-day celebration in Excelsior Commons Park (8 a.m. – 10 p.m.) features a 10K race, a kids’ parade and concert, fishing and sandcastle contests, teen bands, and music from the Minnesota Orchestra, topped off by fireworks.
Powderhorn Park
Enjoy music, food, and fireworks from 4 p.m. to nightfall.
Woodbury
Ojibway Park will feature a little Duke Ellington-style swing by the Red Rock Swing Band from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., followed by fireworks.
St. Louis Park
Aquila Park will host some good old rock-n-roll by Stevie and the Table Rockers, with fireworks around 10 p.m.
Roseville
Central Park (2540 Lexington Ave.) will have entertainment by the Splatter Sisters, the HeBeGB’s, the Roseville Big Band, and the Roseville Community Band, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., followed by fireworks.
Eagan
Central Park will have carnival rides, food, bingo, a car show, and music after a 10 a.m. community parade down Yankee Doodle Road (so appropriate!). The evening’s fireworks display will come immediately after a Tim Mahoney concert.
Chanhassen
The City Center Park celebration begins with an adult fishing contest at 7:30 a.m. (which you’ve probably already missed), and continues with numerous activities all around the area. Enjoy a treasure hunt, a car show, food, performances, music, rides, and fireworks.
Valleyfair
Of course, if you really want rides, then celebrate the day at the amusement park. You can spend the entire day or just make an evening of it. For half the price, you can go after 5 p.m., enjoy the rides, and end the affair with fireworks. I guarantee the line for the ferris wheel is going to be long just before 10 p.m., so get there early and watch it all from the sky.
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