Friday July 4
Rocket’s Red Flare
WHAT: Red, White, and Boom Celebration
WHERE: Father Hennepin Park and riverfront
WHEN: 6 p.m.
Celebrate Independence Day in style at this all-American, all-fun festivity. There will be a marathon through Northeast Minneapolis, free live music, and plenty of family activities. Fireworks start at 10 p.m., so get a good spot early and don’t forget the bug spray. Learn more at minneapolisparks.org.
History Lesson
WHAT: Independence Day Celebration
WHERE: Fort Snelling
WHEN: 10 a.m.
Fireworks are a blast, but why not celebrate the Fourth the old-fashioned way? Take a trip back in time to see how Americans paid tribute to their country in the 1800s. Check out the excitement of mock battles, fife and drum performances, cannon salutes, and infantry parades (and don’t forget dancing—old-school style). Find out more at historicfortsnelling.org.
Saturday July 5
Promising Promenade
WHAT: Shriners Walk for Love and Family Festival
WHERE: Loring Park
WHEN: 9 a.m.
This 1.5-mile walk will benefit the Shriners Hospital for Children—Twin Cities and will feature a guest appearance from actor RJ Mitte from Breaking Bad, who was treated for cerebral palsy at Shriners. There will also be food vendors and family-friendly activities, making the event lots of fun for watchers and walkers alike. Find out the details at cbslocal.com.
H(u)mong(ous) Talent
WHAT: CHAT Freedom Fest: 11th Annual Hmong Arts & Music Festival
WHERE: Como Park
WHEN: All day
Artists, musicians, and food vendors will come together to put on this fusion of contemporary and traditional Hmong culture. There will be a singer/songwriter competition, community art, and a Madden video game competition with a weighty cash prize. Find out more at chatfreedomfest.com.
Sunday July 6
The Chow Must Go On
WHAT: Taste of Minnesota
WHERE: Carver County Fairgrounds, Waconia
WHEN: 11 a.m.
Even the flooding of the mighty Mississippi can’t keep Minnesotans from their good eats. The annual Taste of Minnesota will still take place this year at the Carver County Fairgrounds, with all the Minnesota dishes we know and love from Tom Thumb, Kemps, and more. Find out what’s cooking at atasteofmn.com.
Lake Wobegon Days
WHAT: A Prairie Home Companion 40th Anniversary Celebration
WHERE: Macalester College, St. Paul
WHEN: 10 a.m.
The last day of this anniversary celebration marking 40 years of Garrison Keillor’s classic, deeply Minnesotan radio show includes a community sing-along in the Leonard Center Fieldhouse, as well as various other events around campus. Get the details at prairiehome.publicradio.org.
