With July 4 fast approaching, the South Lake communities are gearing up for the tradition of celebrating the birth of the nation.
The Lake Minnetonka 4th of July Celebration, sponsored and hosted by the South Lake-Excelsior Chamber of Commerce, has taken plact at the Commons in Excelsior for more than 100 years.
For 2011, there's said to be no shortage of festivities for the nation's 235 birthday.
Beginning the day's events is the two-mile and 10K Firecracker run 8 a.m. at the Commons.
"That's the lynchpin of the whole event other than the fireworks," said executive director of the South Lake-Excelsior Chamber of Commerce Linda Murrell.
Following the run, there will be a sand sculpture contest with prizes sponsored by the Excelsior Rotary, a kid's patriotic parade, popsicle social, kids fishing contest and live music throughout the day.
Murrell says since the event is fully funded through donations and city contributions, it has been a challenge trying to produce the event in the struggling economy. The fireworks, which have a price tag of $23,000, are funded all through private donations. The contributions the five South Lake cities make are to cover the cost of added police services, trash and the logistics of putting an event that draws around 10,000 people.
"It's an expensive event," she said. "But it's totally worth it."
This year, former WCCO-TV anchor Don Shelby will be the honorary host for the special salute to veterans.
"He's so elegant in front of a microphone," Murrell said. "He has a passion for veterans, and he has a passion for this country so we're excited to have him."
Weather permitting, the salute to veterans will begin with a flyover by a World War II T-6 flight team, the presentation of the colors by the Minnesota National Guard Honor Guard before the Minnesota Orchestra takes stage.
"It's spine-tingling if you've never seen it," Murrell said. "You don't find anybody sitting or talking ... it's a beautiful thing."
When the orchestra was brought on as part of the events in 2000, Murrell says it really added a new element to the celebration.
"We brought on a new dimension to the 4th of July when we hired the orchestra," she said. "The orchestra has become such an important part of the tradition. It's so much fun to see all the children get the feel of the music."
Following all the day's events, the grand finale is the fireworks, which are under the direction of RES Specialty Pyrotechnics in Belle Plaine, Minn. The company, which does all the fireworks for the Minnesota Twins and Vikings, recently was hired by the Thailand monarchy to produce its New Year's Day 2011 fireworks show.
"We like them because they hire Minnesota people, and the money we pay for this stays in Minnesota," Murrell said. "And I think that's important."
The fireworks are shot from two barges on the Lake that are donated by Minnetonka Portable Dredging.
"The fireworks could not happen without their help," Murrell said.
The tradition of shooting off fireworks has been a long-standing one, yet how it's done has changed. Using a computer, Erv Haman with RES Specialty Pyrotechnics says they are able to time when shells are fired and at the desired height for maximum entertainment.
"You use different effects throughout the show if you want to create scenes for instance," Haman said. "We go through hundreds of shells to pick, and it works just with experience you have to know what people like.
"It's entertainment so you have to make a lot of different effects so the public doesn't get bored," he said.
Despite the economy, people appreciate fireworks more than ever, Haman says.
"It's an American thing," he said. "Even in the tough times people are doing more fireworks because it's kind of our identity."
And finding the right balance to keep people entertained is key."
"It's not just fireworks for us," he said. "It's entertainment, you have to keep people entertained with effects and colors that keep people's attention."
By controlling the show electronically, the team can be a part of the crowd and get a feel for what people appreciate most.
"You work as a team, each show that we do we learn from it and know what people like sitting right with the crowd," Haman said. "You hear the ooh's and ahh's and that's what you keep putting in the show."
Murrell says it's great to see the community come together to support a tradition like the Lake Minnetonka 4th of July Celebration.
"All five cities we represent that are on the south end of the lake come together to make this happen," she said. "This community supports the 4th of July like no other, and it makes me proud to be apart of the community."
All while building a tradition for generations to come.
"The sounds and the visuals get ingrained in people's mind and it sets the bar pretty high for what a Fourth of July should be," Murrell said. "To me, all it brings together the meaning of Fourth of July ... people paid a price to make this country happen, and we should honor that."
If the weather doesn't cooperate, the fireworks will be postponed to Tuesday, July 5. Murrell says they have a little more than 50 percent of the funds for the fireworks raised. To make a donation, contact the South Lake-Excelsior Chamber of Commerce at 952-474-6461 or visit southlake-excelsiorchamber.com.
If You Go
Monday, July 4, at the Excelsior Commons
- 8 a.m. -- 2-mile Firecracker Run
- 8:30 a.m. 10K Firecracker Run
- 8:30 a.m. -- San Sculpture Competition
- 10:15 a.m. -- Firecracker Race Awards Presentation
- 11 a.m. -- Kids' Patriotic Parade
- 11:30 a.m. -- Kids' Patriotic Popsicle Social
- Noon to 2 p.m. -- Kids' Fishing Contest
- 2-3:30 p.m. -- Band: Golden Classics
- 4-5:30 p.m. -- Band: Hak
- 6-7:30 p.m. -- Band: Silent Agency
- 8:15 p.m. -- Salute to Veterans with host and Emcee -- Don Shelby -- Flyover by WWII T-6 Flight Team (weather-permitting)
- 8:25 p.m. -- Presentation of Colors by the Minnesota National Guard Honor Guard
- 8:30 p.m. -- Minnesota Orchestra
- 9:40 p.m. -- Thanks to sponsors and contributors
- 10 p.m. -- Fireworks
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