Although some locals might be upset that there won’t be any fireworks in St. Paul and Minneapolis this year, other suburbs like Roseville, Maplewood, Stillwater, and Eagan will go forward with their plans despite supply chain issues and financial issues resulting from inflation.
The city of Stillwater intends to have one of its largest festivities ever along the St. Croix River’s banks. Due to COVID-19 two years ago, the fireworks were postponed, while supply chain concerns prevented a fireworks display last year. The city’s Independence Day celebration will take place on Monday evening and into the night, with a few alterations from previous year.
Ted Kozlowski, the mayor of Stillwater, remarked, “It’s going to be a pretty great concert.” However, since the large fireworks were so expensive, we had to be a little more resourceful in what we could buy. It’s also still not the same.
Usually, the city of Stillwater in Wisconsin sets off fireworks from a little plot of property that belongs to them across the river. The fireworks will be discharged from a barge on the St. Croix this year. The Stillwater Lift Bridge in downtown Stillwater will provide a better view of the fireworks show for onlookers. The fireworks will also be staged to music.
Many cities don’t do that, according to Councilman Mike Polehna. The fireworks being timed to the music “makes it more magical.”
Before the fireworks go off, Civil War-era cannons will be fired, concerts will be place, and there will be a community sing-along in Pioneer and Lowell Parks.
According to Stillwater City Administrator Joe Kohlmann, “We believe it will continue as normal.” “We believe that the program will really be better,”
Other east metro communities including Roseville, Maplewood, and Eagan want to celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks in accordance with tradition. On Monday, from 1 to 2 p.m., Afton will conduct its annual parade.
After two years of postponed celebrations, Roseville made preparations in order to host fireworks.
Director of Roseville Parks & Recreation Matthew Johnson stated, “We went out to suppliers really early, actually beginning last year, and so we’ve had a pretty nice experience as far as that goes.
Given the estimated cost of $100,000 or more, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter decided against hosting fireworks immediately after entering office in 2018.
At an anti-poverty gathering on Wednesday in downtown St. Paul, Carter told attendees that when he heard the price tag, “I said absolutely not, no thanks.” We were able to raise $100,000 to start a legal defense fund for immigrants and refugees in our neighborhood who were being persecuted by the Trump administration a few weeks later.
2018 and subsequent years had no fireworks displays in St. Paul. City officials stated at the time that the cost was greater than what the city wished to absorb due to the loss of the Taste of Minnesota, a private event, and the lack of a large contributor. Carter turned down donations for fireworks because he had other priorities, like setting up college savings accounts for his children, it was subsequently discovered.
Instead of cutting expenses, Minneapolis opted to skip the annual Red, White, and Boom celebration this year owing to Father Hennepin Park construction and personnel shortages.
In its place, the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board has provided connections to other cities that will celebrate the Fourth of July this year, such as Maplewood, which will stage the “Light It Up” family event in Hazelwood Park, 1663 County Road C, from 4 to 10 p.m. At 10:00 p.m., Maplewood’s fireworks display will start.
At the same time, Roseville, Minnesota, will light off fireworks above Bennett Lake in Central Park, located at 2540 Lexington Avenue North.
