Area fireworks displays to light up the skies

The Free Press, Mankato, Minn.
·3 min read

Jul. 1—The Free Press

Night skies will light up with fireworks throughout the area this holiday weekend.

Many displays are part of town festivals. Communities celebrating Independence Day with pyrotechnics include:

—Mankato-North Mankato. Viewers from both sides of the Minnesota River may enjoy music along with the sounds of whistling and exploding fireworks during Red, Hot & Boom Monday evening.

Good spots to see the show include Riverfront Park, 309 W. Rock St., and Veterans Memorial Bridge. The bridge will close to traffic at 9 p.m. and fireworks will begin at about 10 p.m.

To hear the choreographed music over the radio during the fireworks, tune in FM stations 93.1 (KATO), 94.1 (KXLP) and 96.7 (KDOG).

—Arlington. A 20- to 25-minute show will start shortly after winning cars clear Arlington Raceway's Victory Lane Saturday night. Fireworks Spectacular will be best viewed from the raceway's stands. Races begin 7 p.m. There is an admission fee of $12 for adults, $5 for youths.

—Butterfield. Dazzling colors above Butterfield Lake in Watonwan County will be reflected in its waters beginning at 10 p.m. Saturday as part of the town's Summer Sizzler activities in Voss Park slated Friday through Sunday.

—Cambria. The community's 151st Fourth of July celebration — the state's longest consecutive observance of the nation's independence — includes a fireworks show at dusk Saturday from the grounds of Cambria Town Hall.

—Elysian. Rockets and other fireworks will be shot off from Tuskin Park around sunset Saturday. Elysian's 2022 July Fourth celebration kicked off Thursday and concludes with a parade 2 p.m. Monday.

—Hanska. Halin Field is the launch site for a 10 p.m. pyrotechnics show. Donations will be accepted to cover the cost of the event.

—St. James. Organizers suggest spectators bring blankets or lawn chairs to Memorial Park Saturday evening. The park will be a great spot to watch the town's fireworks show at dusk over St. James Lake.

—St. Peter. The town's all-day Old-fashioned Fourth of July celebration Monday starts with a 10 a.m. parade along Washington Avenue and concludes with a 10 p.m. fireworks show from Nicollet County Fairgrounds. Live music, as well as games and activities for children are planned noon to 4 p.m. in Minnesota Square Park. Vendors will be selling food and beer.

—Waseca. Lakefest activities include fireworks over Clear Lake at dusk Monday. The free one-hour show will be best viewed from Clear Lake Park, 1000 N.E. Eighth Ave.

Lakefest's slate of live music begins at 3 p.m. and includes performances by Pete Klug, Miller Denn, Los Tequileros, Luke LeBlanc and Erik Koskinen.

—New Ulm. Live music and a beer garden are slated at Turner Hall 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday; however, the town is opting for a fireworks display during Hermannfest Sept. 10.

Some communities — including the city of Minneapolis as well as Lonsdale in southern Minnesota — cited lack of volunteers as the reason why they have no fireworks shows slated this year.