A good time guaranteed.

Last year’s Fourth was a scorcher; we picnicked in the Mauerpark with no shade. Afterwards, I went to a birthday party. It was one of those rare Berlin evenings when it stayed warm well past dark…and then a thunderstorm rolled in. Little did we know, but it was to be the beginning of weeks of hot weather—the kind of weather that makes a person feel like they’ve gotten their money’s worth out of summer.

During other Berlin summers, I’ve waited patiently for summer to arrive, only to realize that it is September and it’s not going to happen. Is that what is happening this year? Because it is 59°/15° degrees and stormy today and it doesn’t feel like July 4. So here’s to picnics and parades, summer whites, bologna eating contests, boats, grand fireworks displays, and summer.

Picnic crowd. St. Croix River, 1912.
Fourth of July parade, Minneota, 1910.
Fourth of July party at Albert Munson residence, 770 York Street, St. Paul, 1908.
Fourth of July gathering at the Seng home at White Bear Lake, 1900.
Fergus Co-op Creamery Company Fourth of July float, 1900.
Fourth of July picnic for Minnesota Valley Lutheran Church, Lac qui Parle County, 1893.