It’s time to make some new, sober traditions for the holidays. The fourth of July can be hard, but keeping busy is sure to make the day go by smoothly. If you don’t have plans yet, here is a good list of things you can do to keep your fourth eventful, exciting, and sober.
1. Spend the day at the beach.
Bring food, friends, and sunscreen. Soak in the vitamin D. Get a group together to play beach volleyball, or throw a frisbee with a friend. As of right now, the weather report for
July 4th is sunny and 85 degrees; a perfect beach day. Some beaches in the areas have rentals, so renting a kayak or paddleboat could be really fun. Some beaches in the area include Lake Calhoun North Beach, Cedar Lake East Beach, and Lake Nokomis Main Beach; if you type them in on Google Maps it will give you an address.
2. Try a more adventurous water activity.
Going to the beach is a very calming activity, but if you’ve had a few energy drinks and you feel like driving a little further, you could do something more entertaining. Get a group of friends and go to the quarries in St. Cloud; a place with cliffs and a lake where you can safely go cliff jumping.
3. Red, White, and Boom.
Red, White and Boom is a celebration hosted by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. It is free and open to the public. There is live music, family activities, and food from 6pm-10pm. There’s three different places where there will be live music; Mill Ruins Park, Boom Island Park, and Father Hennepin Bluff Park. For those of you who don’t know, these are all on either side of the Stone Arch Bridge. Each year the celebration ends with fireworks at 10pm, which will be very visible from the Stone Arch.
4. 4th in The Park.
4th in The Park is the only Fourth of July parade in St. Paul and one of the longest running parades in Minnesota. Enjoy the colorful parade and stake out a patch of grass to enjoy an afternoon of music and games. Most of the events are at Luther Place or the Langford Park Recreation Center. If you’re interested, check out the schedule for the day and more information about the event.
5. Attend a parade in the suburbs.
If you will be out of Minneapolis, or want to get out of Minneapolis this fourth, there is a long list of suburbs that have events going on as well. Cities all around the twin cities are having their own firework display, parade, and festivals. A twin cities website has a list of cities, information, and times for the events.
6. Check out the MNYPAA event this Saturday, July 2nd.
MNYPAA is hosting a summer cookout for young people in recovery this weekend! If you are busy on the 4th, this event could possibly make up for it. There will be food and games; volleyball, basketball, frisbee, giant jenga, bean bags, and more! There will also be a meeting at 7:30 along with a raffle and prizes. The event is from 5pm-9pm at Riverside Park (2700 S 8th St).
7. Go to Valleyfair!
Open 10am-11pm this
Fourth of July. You can get coupons on admission tickets at Cub or Taco Bell; and the prices are also discounted after 4pm. I hadn’t been to Valleyfair in years until recently; I went with a group of sober friends and had a super fun time walking around and being terrified of all the rides. If you go, make sure you bring an even number so no one has to ride the rides alone. Also, they aregoing to end the night with fireworks this July 4th, starting at 9:50pm.
8. Stop by Como Zoo.
Como Zoo is free and open everyday of the year from 10am – 6pm. It’s not too far from campus and I know as a college student I love to do things that are free. They have a lot of animals and also some rides. If you have a younger sibling or cousin or something like that, you could take them. It always makes me smile to see kids enjoying their time, and they would love it! You might, too.
9. Have a bonfire.
Music, friends, s’mores… A bonfire is the perfect end to your fourth of July. Since you can’t have a fire on campus, having a friend in the area would be the perfect amenity in this instant. I’ve looked long and hard online to find public bonfire pits in Minneapolis with very little results. It looks light there might be some at Minnehaha Falls, but that is not for sure. I found a ton in St. Paul, though, which isn’t too far. Como Regional Park, Crosby Farm Regional Park, Hidden Falls Regional Park, Highland Park, Newell Park, and Phalen Regional Park are some of the ones I came up with. Just bring your own firewood and chairs!
10. FIREWORKS.
Is it really July 4th if you don’t
watch a fireworks show? The “Red, White, and Boom” festival that I mentioned earlier is having a fireworks show at 10pm. They are getting shot off from Water Power Park, and will be visible all along the Mississippi River. Popular places to view this show are from the Stone Arch Bridge, Boom Island Park, Gold Medal Park, The Guthrie, Powderhorn Park, Lake Calhoun or any place along the river. St. Paul will have a display following the Saints Game, which will be visible from the CHS Field.
I hope I gave you a few ideas that could help make your fourth of July fun and sober. If you’re starting to feel a little uneasy, you know you can always find a meeting pretty much any time of day on the intergroup website. Have a happy fourth everyone!
-Connie K.