Fourth of July celebrations are inescapable this weekend, whether one heads north or south of Austin. That’s because Austin, Blooming Prairie and Lyle are all holding their annual summer celebrations during that time.

Children enjoy the festivities at the Blooming Prairie Fourth of July celebration last year. -- Herald file photo

Blooming Prairie’s festival, The 37th Annual Old-Fashioned Fourth of July, happens July 2 through 4, with a big list of events each day. The events kick off at 3 p.m. Saturday, with the first ever rib cookoff, held at US Bank’s parking lot. The Little Miss Firecracker contest returns this year, as well, 3 p.m. Saturday. The end of the first day will be capped off by a street dance hosted by J & H Liquor, one of two street dances in Blooming Prairie this year.

Sunday is packed with plenty of youth events, including a dodge ball tournament, face painting, a puppet show and teen dance. The day will be capped off by the second street dance beginning at 8 p.m. with the band “Bad Monkey,” hosted by Blooming Prairie Cue Company.

Though Blooming Prairie’s celebrations are the same days as some of Austin’s, Paul Fiebiger, one of the organizers, said they usually don’t compete. Blooming Prairie draws people from Owatonna, Ellendale and other surrounding towns, and is always popular.

“We do well, and I think Austin does well,” Fiebiger said.

Because Blooming Prairie’s celebration is on a holiday weekend, it tends to draw more people than other small town celebrations. Fiebiger said one of the biggest draws continues to be the 100-plus unit parade, which will be held 2:30-4 p.m. July 4. Street construction on Third Street NW will move this year’s parade route a block south to Second Street NW.

Rock band Arrows at Down will close out the holiday with a show just before the 10 p.m. fireworks.

Blooming Prairie Schedule of events

Saturday, July 2
•Crowning of the Little Miss Firecracker; Blooming Prairie High School; $2 admission; five and under Free  — 3 p.m.
•First annual rib cook off;  US BankParking Lot — 1 p.m.
—Pre registration is required. Contact: Eric Loftess 251-9951
•J&H Street Dance; $5 cover charge; 21 and older only; Downtown — 8 to 12:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 3
•Dodge Ball Tournament; high school gym — sign up from 12 to 12:30 p.m.
—Contact: Ali Mach 440 1663
•Trading Faces decorative face painting; City Park — 3 to 9 p.m.
•Pedal Tractor Pull; City Park — sign up 3:30 p.m.
•Concessions; variety of food and drink; City Park — 4 to 9 p.m.
•Bounce Zone LLC; victory Field — 4 to 9 p.m.
•Pie and ice cream social; City Park — 4 to 9 p.m.
•BPRA Moonwalk; City Park — 4 to 9 p.m.
•Bingo; City Park — 5 to 9 p.m.
•Live entertainment: The Kittelson Family; City Park — 6 p.m.
•Schiffely Puppets; City Park — 6:30 p.m.
•Magic Show; City Park — 7:15 p.m.
•Teen Dance; servicemen’s club — 8 to 11:45 p.m.
•BP Cue Company Street Dance, featuring Bad Monkey; 21 and older — 8 p.m. to midnight
—Chamber button required for admittance; purchase available at the door

Monday, July 4
•Concessions: variety of food and drink; City Park; open all day
•Bounce Zone LLC; Victory Field — 4 to 9 p.m.
•Trolly rides between City Park and Victory Field; free with chamber button — 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
•BP Lions Club Breakfast; Prairie Manor — 7:30 to 11 a.m.
•Awesome Blossom run;  High School — sign up 8:15 a.m.
—Contact John Bruns 583-7221
•Fire Department open house; fire hall — 9 to 11 a.m.
•Sweet Rides Car Show; Victory Field — 9 a.m. to noon
•Bingo; City Park — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
•Hole in One Miniature Golf; City Park — 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
•Frog Bog Game; City Park — 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
•BPRA Moonwalk; City Park — 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
•Fine Arts Craft Fair; City Park — 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
•Beer Garden — alcohol in permitted areas only — 21 and older; City Park — 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
•Open doubles horseshoe tournament (830 sign up), City Park — 9 a.m. to 4 pm
•Tractor Pull; west of Victory Field — 9 a.m.
—Contact: Denise Krell 438 3862
•BP Boys and Girls Club kids races; Victory Field south of pavillion — 10 a.m.
•Antique Tractor show; high school — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
•Kick Ball Tournament; HS Ball Diamonds 10 to 2, resume after parade
—Contact Scott Archer 4752718
•Just For Kix performance; Judges Stand at City Park — noon
•Alden Conger Supermileage car; Victory Field — noon to 2 p.m.
•Laverns Concertina; Prairie Manor — 1 to 2 p.m.
•Little Miss Firecracker Contestants Perform Dance; Judges Stand City Park — 1 p.m.
•Hog Calling Contest; Judges Stand at City Park — 1:30 p.m.0
•Parade — 2:30 to 4 p.m. (due to construction the parade route will be changing)
•Frozen T-shirt contests; City Park Beer Garden — 4 p.m.
•Lavernes Concertina;  servicemens club — after parade
•Stix of Fury performance; City Park — after parade
•Letterman Club Bean Bag Toss (Dale Hansen Scholarship Fund); Victory Field — 4:30 p.m.
—Pre registration required. Contact: Josh Toquam 475-2130
•Bean Bag Toss Tournament; 21 and older; south end of Beer Garden — 4:30 to 9 p.m.
•Live Entertainment: by Arrows at Dawn; Victory Field — 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.
•Fireworks at Victor Field — 10 p.m.