Tag Archives: holiday

9 Ways to Take in the Last Bit of Summer

Sigh. So its Labor Day and you may be asking yourself where has the summer gone? Rather than mourn the loss of sunny days out on the lake and ice cold drinks on rooftop bars, why not enjoy the times we have had.

Below are 9 ways for you to enjoys yourself this Labor Day and take in the last bit of summer. Find the full article here.

1). Head out to the Farmers Market and grab fresh produce (specifically tomatoes) while you can. Try making this awesome salsa recipe that will knock your socks off.

2). Eat watermelon. And lots of it. Bonus points if you have a seed spitting competition with your friends.

3). Get outside and garden. Yes summer may be winding down, but your plants still need a little TLC. While you are at it,  check out our earlier post on landscaping tips for homeowners.

4). Go for a long run or walk around the lake and feel the breeze in your hair.

5). Grill out with your family and friends and use this awesome BBQ sauce recipe from Down Home With the Neely’s.

6). Enjoy a frozen treat. Yes you can enjoy them all year round, but when the temps are high a frozen treat tastes oh so much better. If you are stuck on where to go, check out our earlier blog on the Best Ice Cream in the Twin Cities.

7). Stargazing and try to point out constellations. But if the only one you know is the Big Dipper, download this handy app to help you out.

8) Have a campfire and make s’mores. If you want your campfire to get crazy check out 39 Life Changing Ways to Make S’mores Better.

9) Take advantage of the weather and participate in watersports. Whether it be tubing, swimming, waterskiing or paddle boarding- go do it!

50 Places in Minnesota to Celebrate 4th of July, 2014

Fireworks @ Taste of Minnesota, Saint Paul
“Photo Credit: “Fireworks @ Taste of Minnesota, Saint Paul” © 2007 by Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)

Can you believe America is turning 238 years old in 2014? We’d swear she doesn’t look a day over 237. Well, anyway, as the good old US of A gets ready to celebrate Independence Day once again, you’re probably preparing your picnic baskets and poppers for the holiday. Minnesota is bursting with events over the next couple of days, and if you have yet to make 4th of July plans, look no further than at the information below. First, find your nearest city in the table (scroll past the map) and click on an event name to see the parades, concerts, festivals and dazzling fireworks displays happening in that area. Then, click on the corresponding event name in the map for specific location details.

Near the Twin Cities

#

Event

Location
1 Red, White & Boom Minneapolis
2 4th of July Celebration Powderhorn Park
3 Freedom Days Apple Valley
4 Blaine Festival & Fireworks Extravaganza Blaine
5 Summer Fete Bloomington
6 4th of July Celebration Chanhassen
7 July 4th Funfest Eagan
8 4th of July Hometown Celebration Eden Prairie
9 Independence Day Parade & Fireworks Edina
10 4th of July Celebration Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka
11 Independence Day Celebration Fort Snelling
12 Pan-O-Prog Lakeville
13 4th of July Richfield
14 July 4th Fireworks Celebration St. Louis Park
15 Manitou Days White Bear Lake

Greater Minnesota

16 Delano 4th of July Celebration Delano
17 Fireworks on Garrison Bay Garrison
18 4th of July Fireworks Sleepy Eye
19 4th of July Celebration Albert Lea
20 67th Annual 4th of July Fireworks St. Cloud
21 Detroit Lakes Fireworks Display Detroit Lakes
22 4th of July Celebration Elysian
23 MSUM 4th of July Celebration Moorhead
24 4th of July Celebration Keewatin
25 4th of July Celebration Erhard
26 Hometown 4th of July Park Rapids
27 4th of July Fireworks Over Lake Waconia Lake Waconia
28 4th of July Celebration Hill City
29 Stars and Stripes Day Fourth of July Celebration Pequot Lakes
30 Old-fashioned Fourth of July Worthington
31 4th of July Parade Grand Marais
32 Lakefest 4th of July Festival Waseca
33 4th of July Celebration Moose Lake
34 Fourth Fest 2014 Duluth
35 Fourth of July Celebration Eveleth
36 Crosslake Celebrates America – 44th Annual Fireworks Crosslake
37 4th of July American Celebration Brainerd
38 Spectacular Fireworks Fairmont
39 Harmony’s 4th of July Celebration Harmony
40 Fourth of July Celebration Stillwater
41 Old-fashioned 4th of July Celebration St. Peter
42 4th of July Veterans’ Celebration Cloquet
43 Old-fashioned 4th of July Celebration Baudette
44 4th of July Fireworks on Pokegama Lake Grand Rapids
45 4th of July Celebration Biwabik
46 Patriotic 4th of July Celebration New Ulm
47 4th of July Parade & Fireworks Crane Lake
48 4th of July Parade Afton
49 Annandale 4th of July Annandale
50 Walker 4th of July Walker

 
 
 

Plan on attending any of these celebrations? Did we miss the event happening near you? Let us know in the comments!

Arlington, VA

Arlington National Cemetery. Photo Credit: "Graves with flags" © 2012 by Alan Kotok (CC BY 2.0)

Arlington National Cemetery. Photo Credit: “Graves with flags” © 2012 by Alan Kotok (CC BY 2.0)

People love Memorial Day because it usually grants them a day off from work or school, offers steep discounts at retailers, and kicks off the summer season with barbecues, picnics, and trips to the beach. However, with all this excitement, people might forget the purpose of the holiday, which is to remember the numerous brave soldiers who have died in military service to the United States.

One place where it is hard to forget the true meaning of the holiday is Arlington, Virginia, home to the Arlington National Cemetery. According to the cemetery’s official website:

The primary mission of Arlington National Cemetery is to function as the nation’s premier military cemetery and shrine honoring those men and women who served in the Armed Forces. The cemetery conducts an average of 27 funerals each weekday … [and] hosts more than 3 million visitors a year. More than 3,000 ceremonies take place at the cemetery each year as well. Dignitaries from around the world come to Arlington National Cemetery to pay their respects to the nation’s fallen heroes. In addition, organizations also host remembrance ceremonies and events at Arlington.

This year actually marks the cemetery’s 150th anniversary. The first soldiers were laid to rest there in May 1864, and now it is the final resting place of about 400,000 soldiers (nearly double the population of Arlington itself). Various events will be held over the course of a month at the cemetery to commemorate the momentous occasion.

If you aren’t able to make it to Arlington for the Memorial Day weekend or the cemetery’s 150th anniversary celebrations, don’t worry because Arlington still has a lot to offer throughout the rest of the year. Warm summers, good schools, outstanding lifestyle amenities, and its tie to the government make it an attractive place to settle for families and individuals alike, not to mention its relatively high home values.

The county’s proximity to Washington, D.C. and extensive public transportation system means it has easy access to the nation’s Capitol without being directly located in the city. It is also home to many federal organizations such as the Department of Defense, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Transportation Security Administration, making it a great place for those with aspirations to work in the government.

The Pentagon Memorial. Photo Credit: "Memorial at night" © 2009 by Mike Myers (CC BY 2.0)

The Pentagon Memorial. Photo Credit: “Memorial at night” © 2009 by Mike Myers (CC BY 2.0)

In addition to the Arlington National Cemetery, the county is also the location of the Pentagon Memorial, the Marine Corps War Memorial, and the United States Air Force Memorial.