The Fourth of July is the quintessential summer celebration, a genuine American birthday party filled to the brim with family gatherings, community events and patriotic traditions that all include the promise of a spectacular ending to the day when the night sky comes alive with brilliant fireworks. 

In Minnesota, local Fourth of July celebrations truly offer something for everyone. 

How about an old-fashioned hometown parade with antique cars, horses, festive floats and drum corps? Or maybe a visit to a country fai r, with a spin on the Ferris wheel and an ice-cold cherry snow cone to quench your thirst on a hot July day, followed by a nostalgic street dance under the stars. P erhaps it's a relaxing day at th e cabin, surrounded by family, friends, fresh lemonade and plenty of summ er grilling favorites. Wherever you spend the day, you can be certain that from rural communities to the cities and from the lakes to the river bluffs, there will always be breathtaking displays of fireworks, some choreographed to majestic music and others simply accompanied by the enthusiastic "oohs and aahs" of the appreciative crowd below.  Here's a sampling of some of the best Fourth of July events happening around the Twin Cities and beyond.  Check below for the community websites, listing up-to-the-minute activities and schedules.

Afton's Fourth of July Parade - Afton

The town of Afton practically doubles in size during its annual Fourth of July parade.  Afton's population is about 2,800, and close to 4,000 community members and visiting spectators line St. Croix Trail, the town's main street, for this proud tradition.  The Afton parade originally started in the late 1800s, but was eventually discontinued. In 1975, the parade was resurrected to serve as a rehearsal of sorts for the nation's Bicentennial and a parade that would be taking place the following year.  The grand marshal of Afton's Bicentennial Fourth of July parade was then vicepresidential Candidate Walter Mondale, who was joined on the parade route by Lucy McAllister's Afton Schooner Band. The parade has been going strong ever year since, and Lucy McAllister and her musicians haven't missed a one.  One of the most unique features of the Afton parade is its route - parade watchers can literally see the parade coming AND going. The parade units - including horses, old-fashioned cars, homemade floats and walking groups - line up on the north end of town, march the half mile to the south end, then turn around and follow the same route back to the beginning.

Brainerd/Baxter Fourth of July American Celebration - Brainerd

Calling itself "Minnesota's Fourth of July Capital," the Brainerd Lakes area celebrates the summer holiday in a big way. "We have about 125,000 people here watching the parade every year," says Nancy Cross, executive director of Brainerd Community Action and coordinator for the annual festivities.  The Brainerd/Baxter event has its own unique history. "In the early 70s, the celebration was known as Johnny Inslinger Days, named for Paul Bunyan's best friend," notes Cross. A few years later, city officials decided to add a parade - one that has grown more popular every year.  The parade, featuring 120 units and traveling along River Road in downtown Brainerd, begins at 4 p.m., so as not to conflict with earlier parades in nearby Crosby and Pequot Lakes. "Our Brainerd High School marching band is a favorite. We also have popular drum lines, community princesses, and politicians," says Cross, adding that many community businesses and non-profits work together to create special parade floats. 

Following the parade, the crowd moves behind the high school for live music - past performances have featured Steppenwolf and the Johnny Holm Band. "Our entertainment is top-notch, and always good for the entire family," says Cross. And then at 10:15 p.m., immediately following a group sing-along of the national anthem, the fireworks spectacular takes center stage. "You will never see a more professional, gorgeous display of fireworks than you'll see in Brainerd," Cross says. The annual display, which Cross believes rivals fireworks displays she has seen in Washington, D.C., is set to music that is broadcast over several radio stations in the region.  For Cross, the Brainerd/Baxter Fourth of July Celebration is truly about making memories at the lake.  "I'll never forget the year I heard a little girl, about 5 years old, turn to her grandmother at the parade and say ‘this has been the best day of my entire vacation'," Cross recalls.

Lake Minnetonka Fourth of July Celebration - Excelsior

This popular hometown event, hosted by the South Lake-Excelsior Chamber of Commerce, hits the ground running at 8:00 a.m. on July 4 with the starting gun for the Firecracker 2-Mile Race, followed at 8:30 a.m. by the Firecracker 10K. Both races begin at Excelsior Commons. 

Once again this year, there will be a kids' parade, which launches from Exelcycle at 540 Lake Street, and travels to the band shell at Excelsior Commons. In the afternoon, there is a kids' fishing contest from noon-2:00 p.m. and a Teen Bands showcase from 1:00-4:00 p.m. Evening entertainment is featured between 7:00-10:00 p.m. (past performers have included the Minnesota Orchestra and the Minnesota Police Pipe Band). After the live music ends, the fireworks begin over Excelsior Bay.  The Lake Minnetonka Fourth of July Celebration has been part of the Excelsior community since the late 1880s, with events always taking place in the Commons.  Linda Murrell, executive director of the South Lake-Excelsior Chamber of Commerce calls the day "the best Fourth of July event in the Twin Cities."

Chanhassen Fourth of July Community Celebration - Chanhassen

Every July 3 and 4, the city of Chanhassen puts on what officials refer to as "the premier community event of the year," drawing city residents of all ages and interests. Pony rides, "water wars," sand sculpture contests, a quilt show, a Kiddie Parade, the Taste of Chanhassen and a classic car show are just a few of the many special events jam-packed into those two summer days.  During the evening of July 3, there's the popular Street Dance on Market Boulevard, featuring the music of the Casablanca Orchestra, while July 4 is celebrated with a huge parade, marching through downtown, beginning at 2:30 p.m. The patriotic celebration is capped off at 10:00 p.m. with fireworks at Lake Ann Park.

Delano Fourth of July Celebration - Delano

This is billed as "Minnesota 's oldest and largest" Fourth of July celebration. B eginning on June 30 and lasting through July 4, the city of Delano offers activities for all ages.  There are American Legion baseball tournaments and modified pitch softball games, as well as the popular carnival featuring the Zipper, Tilt-A-Whirl, Ferris wheel and other thrill-seeking favorites.  Delano also hosts a parade, complete with marching bands, horses, clowns and floats, that follows a two-mile route through the city; a prize is awarded each year to the float with "the best patriotic display in the parade." At night, it's Music Under the Big Top, with live performances from a variety of popular local bands at the Central Park Band Shell, followed by fireworks every evening at 10:30 p.m.

Taste of Minnesota - Saint Paul

The Taste celebrates its 25th anniversary this year from June 29-July 4, where Harriet Island will once again be the most popular place in Saint Paul. S everal stages, featuring major local and national music acts, provide the free entertainment and local food vendors offer a wide range of "tastes" to suit all palates. There's also a Market Place and the Kid Zone, with family activities for even the youngest members of the family. E very night during the Taste of Minnesota, beautiful fireworks - visible for miles - will light up the sky over the Mississippi River, beginning at 10:00 p.m.

Minneapolis Riverfront Fourth of July - Minneapolis

Another wonderful downtown fireworks display, this one on the other side of the Mississippi in Minneapolis. (There are actually several places between Saint Paul and Minneapolis where you can view both city spectaculars at the same time.) The Stone Arch Bridge and West River Parkway provide prime viewing spots for the Minneapolis Riverfront show. Prior to the fireworks at 10:00 p.m. there is live music at St. Anthony Main.

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism."

Humorist, Erma Bombeck

For More Information

Afton's Fourth of July Parade
Afton Area Business Association

Brainerd/Baxter Fourth of July American Celebration
Brainerd Community Action
(218) 829-5278

Lake Minnetonka Fourth of July Celebration
South Lake-Excelsior Chamber of Commerce
(952) 474-6461

Chanhassen Fourth of July Community Celebration
Chanhassen Parks and Recreation

Delano Area Chamber of Commerce

Taste of Minnesota

Minneapolis Riverfront Fourth of July
Meet Minneapolis
(612) 767-8000

By Julie Pfitzinger