We've been trying to decide how to spend the 4th of July this year. Last the 4th fell on a Wednesday. My husband Jon and I and son Dave went to Duluth. We got a room in one of the fancy new hotels at water's edge in Duluth. Their fireworks are shot off over the harbor. No hassles driving in those crowds after the display; plenty of fun things to do and restaurants nearby for dinner before "the show". Mary and Mike and his mom met us there.
The 4th is on a Friday this year and it won't be easy to get a premium room if you haven't planned well in advance. We have been considering our options.
--Stay home and go downtown Stillwater? We have a huge display of fireworks that claims to be the biggest in Minnesota but lots of people. Gridlock getting out of town afterwards but still fun. We've done that most years.
--Go to Marine on St. Croix (a tiny town upriver about 15 miles). They shoot theirs on the 3rd. We did that a few years ago and it was fun. A true "Norman Rockwell" experience. Bring your lawn chairs and gather by the town gazebo across from the old white wooden general store. The town loves its historical buildings and small town ambiance. It looks like a little New England town probably because it was built in 1840 by loggers from Maine. Money to purchase public fireworks is raised by townspeople donating in the jar at the general store. The general store has a great on-site bakery, deli, rents videos, sells groceries and has an old fashioned meat counter. All this in a 150 yr. old building with squeaky wooden floors.
--Drive to Maiden Rock, WI, an itsy bitsy town on the Mississippi 40 or so miles from here. Small crowds (oops, that's an oxymoron) and small fireworks but beautiful scenery by the great river. Sit on the deck of the local bar or by the town park by the river. Nice.
-- A dozen surrounding towns including the Taste of Minnesota have fireworks.
Fireworks are not just for the 4th anymore. We have an equally big fireworks display in July at our summer celebration of Lumber Jack Days. Our church rents a paddlewheeler riverboat. For a modest price you get a dinner cruise followed by on the water view of the pyrotechnics. Oooh, aaahh.....Watch the following You tube video if you have another minute of the Christmas lighting ceremony in Kansas. http://youtube.com/watch?v=ACoeSkWB3Vo&feature=related
The 4th is on a Friday this year and it won't be easy to get a premium room if you haven't planned well in advance. We have been considering our options.
--Stay home and go downtown Stillwater? We have a huge display of fireworks that claims to be the biggest in Minnesota but lots of people. Gridlock getting out of town afterwards but still fun. We've done that most years.
--Go to Marine on St. Croix (a tiny town upriver about 15 miles). They shoot theirs on the 3rd. We did that a few years ago and it was fun. A true "Norman Rockwell" experience. Bring your lawn chairs and gather by the town gazebo across from the old white wooden general store. The town loves its historical buildings and small town ambiance. It looks like a little New England town probably because it was built in 1840 by loggers from Maine. Money to purchase public fireworks is raised by townspeople donating in the jar at the general store. The general store has a great on-site bakery, deli, rents videos, sells groceries and has an old fashioned meat counter. All this in a 150 yr. old building with squeaky wooden floors.
--Drive to Maiden Rock, WI, an itsy bitsy town on the Mississippi 40 or so miles from here. Small crowds (oops, that's an oxymoron) and small fireworks but beautiful scenery by the great river. Sit on the deck of the local bar or by the town park by the river. Nice.
-- A dozen surrounding towns including the Taste of Minnesota have fireworks.
Fireworks are not just for the 4th anymore. We have an equally big fireworks display in July at our summer celebration of Lumber Jack Days. Our church rents a paddlewheeler riverboat. For a modest price you get a dinner cruise followed by on the water view of the pyrotechnics. Oooh, aaahh.....Watch the following You tube video if you have another minute of the Christmas lighting ceremony in Kansas. http://youtube.com/watch?v=ACoeSkWB3Vo&feature=related
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