StoryCommunity celebration and parade participationJuly 4, 2025

Edina Celebrates 29th Annual Fourth of July Parade

Meeting date: Jul 4, 2025
Published Aug 5, 2025

Edina hosted its 29th annual Fourth of July parade Friday, featuring dozens of community groups, local businesses, veterans, and youth organizations celebrating Independence Day along the traditional parade route.

The parade, organized by the Edina Community Foundation and presented by Explore Edina, showcased the city's diverse community with participants ranging from the Edina Fire Department and Hennepin County Sheriff's Office to local sports associations, marching bands, and cultural organizations. Mayor Jim Hovland rode in a vintage 1962 Cadillac El Dorado alongside Rotary Global Scholars representing the Edina Asian-American Alliance.

Veterans from all military branches and conflicts including World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and operations in Iraq and Afghanistan were honored during the parade. The Red Bull Bulls, an affiliate of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association, displayed vintage military vehicles while the Minnesota Pipes and Drums provided traditional Celtic music.

Local youth organizations prominently featured in the parade included the Edina Football Association, Basketball Association, Hockey Association, and Swim Club. The Edina Middle School and Alumni Marching Band and Lakeville North High School marching band provided musical entertainment throughout the route.

The day's festivities continued with evening events at Rosland Park, sponsored by Crown Bank, featuring food trucks, a performance by the First John Phillips Sousa Memorial Band at 8:30 p.m., and fireworks to conclude the Independence Day celebration.

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[0:01] [Music]

[0:28] Welcome to Edina's 29th annual Fourth of July parade organized by the Adina

[0:33] Community Foundation and presented by Explore Dina. I'm Dietrich Nissen and I'm Shelley Loberg of Explore Dina and

[0:40] the Adina Chamber of Commerce, proud sponsors of this broadcast. Well, Shel, it is a perfect day to be

[0:48] out here at the parade. It is a quintessential Fourth of July day. Absolutely. And you know, right behind

[0:53] us, kicking off the start of this parade, you'll see Officer Jerry Zack, who's riding a 2017 Harley-Davidson

[1:01] Electric Glide Police Edition motorcycle. And then right behind them are members of the Dina Fire Department

[1:08] participating in the parade with their families. You're going to spot fire chief Andrew Slama, his wife Hillary,

[1:14] and their children. The fire department's equipment in this parade include tower 90, engine 83, rescue 91,

[1:23] medic 4, and utility 1, and let's see.

[1:29] Oh, there he is. [Music]

[1:36] And one of the great things about Edina is that our fire department are also our first responders in emergency

[1:43] situations. So super fortunate for that. Yep. Every one of them firefighter

[1:49] paramedics. If you spot the boat there, there's some fun history on that. The boat is named

[1:56] the Ruth Anne. It's named after the longest serving member of Edina Fire,

[2:01] Ruth Schmall. If you ever stopped by Fire Station 1, she was always a friendly face that you could say hi to.

[2:07] Have a conversation with. Love that.

[2:34] Right there is Minnesota Task Force One. That is a group that helps with uh

[2:40] building collapses, uh trench rescue, all kinds of different things. Really? Yeah. Interesting. Really cool group of

[2:47] guys. And they're pulled from all over the state. So if there's ever a serious situation in Minnesota, those are the

[2:52] folks who respond to it. Wow. [Music]

[3:01] [Applause]

[3:06] [Applause]

[3:16] We've got a lot of vehicles here today. We do. Yeah.

[3:22] [Music] [Applause]

[3:30] [Music]

[3:39] I think we have a nice healthy crowd here today. Yeah, it's great. Yep. Tons of fun showing up. The Minnesota

[3:45] Equestrian is a women's precision drill team that you're going to see here coming up next. And they're made up of

[3:51] members of all ages, teens through seniors. They perform at local parades and county fairs all throughout the

[3:57] summer and proceeds from their appearances go toward breast cancer prevention which I think is really

[4:03] special. Um this is actually the drill team's 18th year appearing in the Adino

[4:08] Fourth of July parade. Wow. Yeah. Pretty cool. Of course, a lot goes into preparing for

[4:14] the parade because there's sensory training, practicing maneuvers, bathing the horses, cleaning the tack, and then

[4:20] getting here. And then the real work begins with braiding manes, tails, applying glitter to the hooves. I didn't

[4:26] know they put glitter on the hooves. And um just making everything perfect for all of our spectators here.

[4:36] Yeah, those are some welltaken care of horses. Yes, they are. Yes, they are.

[4:44] They look amazing. They really do.

[4:53] Well, coming up behind our four-legged friends, we have the Patriotic Heritage Allegian Honor Guard. The Guard has been

[5:00] training young women since 2014 and has had the tremendous honor of performing

[5:06] in a variety of ceremonies from the Minnesota Peace Officers Memorial to the

[5:11] 911 Tribute Memorial Concert. Wow. The city of Adina honors US veterans during

[5:18] each and every Fourth of July parade and here they are marching. Uh please stand,

[5:24] wave or salute our veterans as they pass by you today. We are honored to have

[5:29] veterans from all branches of the military and we salute these men and women who served in conflicts in World

[5:36] War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Operation Freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[5:51] [Music]

[6:11] Coming up behind them are the Red Bull Bulls, an affiliate of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association. The

[6:18] group has approximately 150 members primarily in Minnesota and western Wisconsin with additional members in 11

[6:25] states and overseas. The Red Bulls members range in age from 19 to 93. And

[6:31] the vehicles range from military mules to HMBBS. Fun fact, the group's interests vary.

[6:37] They'll conduct World War II reenactments, have static vehicle displays at the World Wheels, and then

[6:43] they'll also have convoys to honor our country's veterans. Let's take a listen. It's pretty loud.

[6:49] That is a cool bike. Yes, it is. I didn't know about the reenactments.

[6:58] Love the vintage feel of the vehicles. Absolutely. They don't make them like they used to,

[7:04] right? Exactly.

[7:23] kind of want to hop in one and take a ride. I was going to say I just can't imagine how much work and how much

[7:28] knowledge you have to have to to keep those up to date and running. And good point. Yeah. Given their age now too.

[7:37] Exactly. Beautiful.

[7:54] [Music]

[8:09] [Music]

[8:15] [Music]

[8:21] Look at the kids getting ready for candy with their bags. Poised and ready. I love all the bags. They're prepared.

[8:29] You know, do you think the kids get more candy uh in this parade or on Halloween? Shel, what do you think? What's your Oh,

[8:35] I'm going to guess Halloween. Yeah,

[8:42] I've been in this parade a couple of times. Uh once with the Rotary Club and once as a Grand Marshall. And I know

[8:49] when we were with the Rotary Club, we ran out of candy like halfway through the parade. And I kept telling him, I'm

[8:54] like, "Listen, next year you got to buy buy more candy.

[9:04] Thelma is the name of this one of these jeeps coming up here. Oh,

[9:12] the Navy League of the United States Minnesota Council serves all Navy and

[9:17] Coast Guard servicemen and women, their families and veterans. The June Lin Lacy

[9:23] Foundation serves vulnerable adults and children, seniors, disabled, and our veteran community.

[9:30] [Music] Well, I know you can hear them coming. Uh, it's the Minnesota Pipes and Drums

[9:38] lending a sense of tradition and formality to the start of this year's parade. Since 1963, Minnesota Pipes and

[9:44] Drums have been delighting audiences all around the Upper Midwest with their traditional Celtic music. They're a

[9:50] nationally recognized competition and performance bagpipe and drum corp based in Minneapolis. And they perform

[9:56] throughout the year at parades, concerts, and global competitions. Fun fact, they offer lessons to piping and

[10:02] drumming students of all ages and backgrounds. And the group's mission is to carry on the rich history and heritage of Scottish music by performing

[10:09] for the community and making lessons available to all free of charge. Let's take a listen.

[10:21] [Music]

[10:28] [Music]

[10:37] All right. And right behind them, Edina's Fourth of July festivities would not be possible without the generosity

[10:42] of many sponsors. Explore Edina is the presenting sponsor of today's parade and is also sponsoring this special

[10:49] broadcast. Explore Edina is the proud visitors bureau for our community, generating positive brand awareness for

[10:54] Edina as a regional travel destination in the vibrant Twin Cities metro area. Thank you, Shel, for everything you and

[11:01] Explore Edina do for the Edina community. Absolutely. It's my pleasure and this is an amazing community to work

[11:08] in, honestly. Well, we're on to Braar City of Blakes's

[11:14] Figure Skating Club. Founded in 1966, the club calls Braar Ice Arena its home.

[11:19] And the goal of the skating club is to promote and encourage the sport of figure skating in accordance with the

[11:24] guidelines set by the national organization United States Figure Skating. So whether on the ice or

[11:29] dazzling here for you in the parade, the skaters love to perform for a crowd. Love that. Next, we have Platinum Dance,

[11:36] and they have been providing quality dance education to children for over 15 years in the community. Their mission is

[11:43] to share a passion for dance to enrich lives. From a dancer's first steps to their graduating performance, they focus

[11:50] on making a difference, building a future, and training for more. Today's dancers are a group from Platinum Summer

[11:56] Classes, and they're excited to share their fireworks with you. And next is one of my favorite places to

[12:02] grab a drink and meal. Chick-fil-A, home of the original chicken sandwich and serving smile since 2013. They sponsored

[12:09] last night's veterans dinner. And in fact, they've also sponsored many events for youth in our community and continue

[12:15] to be an organization that gives back. Love that.

[12:24] Ambrosia

[12:33] [Music] Coffee is passionate about brewing, serving, and creating quality beverages

[12:38] for their customers. Located in the Centennial Lakes Medical Building, Ambrosia Coffee is another generous

[12:44] sponsor of today's July 4th events. And this morning, they provided coffee and donuts for our veterans and the parade

[12:50] planning committee, which is really nice. Oh, yeah.

[13:05] I don't if I don't know if you've uh sat outside there. They're located their uh first location was right at Centennial

[13:11] Lake, so you could kind of sit and have a coffee and soak it in. It's really nice. Well, before they get to us, the

[13:16] Ridgefield Marching Spartans are coming up. You can hear that banging of the drum. They're led under the direction of

[13:22] Chad Armbruster. The Spartans compete in area marching bands festivals through

[13:27] the summer and they're recognized for their color guard and drum kn drum line, excuse me.

[14:11] They have got to be hot. Shelly, I assume so. Oh my goodness. Absolutely.

[14:17] Here we go. Here we

[14:35] Henipin County Sheriff's Office, coming up next, led by Sheriff Dana Wit, works

[14:40] to provide the best possible public safety services to everyone who lives, works in, or visits Henipin County. More

[14:47] than 800 employees in the sheriff's office do this by patrolling townships, managing county the county jail and

[14:54] district court. Um, keeping our waterways safe, working to respond to and prevent crime, as well as providing

[15:00] education on public safety topics. Sheriff Wit is riding in a boat escorted

[15:06] by members of the Henipin County Outreach and Public Affairs Office. And I don't know if you've ever had the

[15:12] pleasure of hearing Dana speak public um publicly, but she's just an amazing

[15:18] person. Um super engaging. I think we're really really lucky to have her in the Twin Cities area. I agree completely.

[15:25] Yeah. A dynamic speaker. If you get the chance to go see her her speak and are watching this, please do take that

[15:31] opportunity.

[15:36] And while we have a second, uh, one of the sponsors of today's parade, kind of went by, Crown Bank, the sponsor of

[15:42] tonight's fireworks at Rosland Park, uh, there's going to be a couple food trucks there and, uh, starting around 7:00 p.m.

[15:48] And then the first John Phillips Soua Memorial Band will perform at 8:30 before the fireworks light up our sky.

[15:54] Um, they are going to be held rain or shine, might be delayed if there's some uh, strong weather, but uh, otherwise

[16:00] head out to Ros. How's our forecast looking? Yeah, I think it's going to be sunny. Okay, good.

[16:14] All right. And behind the Henipe County Sheriff's Office is Jerry's Food. So, in 1947 at Grand View Market in Dina, there

[16:22] was a man named Jerry Pollson who was the neighborhood butcher. Jerry was the kind of business owner who knew all his

[16:27] customers by name and could cut their steaks and chops to order. Well, his legacy has continued. When you go to

[16:32] Jerry's, you get full service and you always get more than you wanted. Uh, and so today, each Jerry's food store is an

[16:40] integral part of each store's neighborhood. From specialty foods that reflect their locations to hiring

[16:46] practices and services, Jerry's Foods has remained committed to sustaining Jerry Pollson's dedication to

[16:51] personalized service, his passion for food, and the importance of a family work environment. Absolutely. And great

[16:58] donuts. Great donuts. Great donuts. Edina Magazine is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, featuring rich

[17:05] and stylish. Um, emphasizing the best our community has to offer with insider

[17:10] information and engaging articles about local dining, shopping, and leisure activities. This monthly publication

[17:17] highlights local residents that have great stories to tell. And the magazine's coverage is fresh and

[17:23] friendly with a commitment to living in and enjoying the Adina community. Um, at

[17:28] Explore Edina, we work with Adena magazine a lot to help elevate some of the stories of the business community

[17:34] and our tourism partners. Froze does a great job. Yes, she does. Yep. And

[17:40] behind them, Mayor Jim Hland is Edina's longest serving mayor. Here he is riding

[17:45] in Tom Olsen's vintage Cadillac. It's a 1962 El Dorado Barretts originally

[17:51] purchased by the city of Oklahoma City as a parade car. So, it's it's serving its purpose. Tom likes to wear a polo

[17:57] shirt matching his lilac Cadillac. And joining Mayor Hublin today are a few of Edina's Rotary Global Scholars. The

[18:04] scholars are Aditi Jaha, Daniel Martinez, and Aeli Bardam. All student

[18:10] leaders who are also representing the Adina Asian-American Alliance. Awesome.

[18:25] can hear. Our next band coming up is the Adino Middle School and Alumni Marching Band. The Adina Middle School and Alumni

[18:33] Marching Band is proud to represent Adina bands all throughout the years. The directors are Geneva Fitz Simmons

[18:39] and Melody Snider.

[19:00] [Music]

[19:07] She is talented to be able to walk backwards and conduct. That's I'm pretty sure I would fall over backwards.

[19:13] [Music]

[19:44] And following them is Dr. Daniel Bitman, the new interim superintendent of Edina

[19:49] public schools. Dr. Bitman is a nationally recognized leader with over three decades of experience as a

[19:55] superintendent and educational administrator. He is joined today by assistant superintendent Nate Swenson in

[20:03] that Edina school bus. The bus is being driven by longtime bus driver Jeff Fitz

[20:08] Simmons. Looks great. Yeah, we really have a great team at the

[20:14] Udino public schools. We're really lucky. Absolutely. Fun fact, I went to college with Dan

[20:21] Bman. You are a kid. Yes, we were bulldogs together up in Duth and literally one of the nicest people you

[20:28] can ever meet. So, he'll be an amazing leader for the school district over the next year.

[20:50] Looks like we've got a tiny little gap here. The kids are all coming out into the street checking out where the next

[20:57] uh candy throwing is coming from. That's right. Yeah. Poised and ready.

[21:05] I know. I wonder, you know, if if you look at who has what kind of candy. Like

[21:10] when you were buying candy, did you try to find candy that was like a certain vibe that won't melt? That won't melt.

[21:17] That's the key, right? Don't buy chocolate. Unfortunately, leaks into the bag, makes

[21:23] a super chocolate bar. Right. Here we've got the Adina Football Association coming up. Um, and they represent youth

[21:30] football and part of its vision is to instill core values of respect, sportsmanship, work ethic, and football

[21:37] excellence by empowering young athletes to become positive role models in the community. Got to love that. The Dina

[21:44] Football Association offers tackle football for grades 4 through 8, flag football for kindergarten through um,

[21:50] grade 7, and for the first time, a dedicated girls flag football league for kindergarten through grade three.

[21:57] I'll have to get my girls involved. Maybe they'll like that. Yeah, why not? I say let them try lots of different

[22:03] things. That's right. [Applause]

[22:09] Oh, there they go. Tossing out the good stuff. Yep. I see some suckers. Oh, I

[22:14] just saw some chocolate. Uh-oh. Well, good thing those kids are in the shade, though, right? Smart.

[22:23] Maybe their parents brought a cooler, too. Yeah. No, now that is a pro tip, Shel. It is cooler. Got to do that next

[22:30] time. I really like that float the goalpost. That is really cool. Do they ever, you know, and I I haven't seen it,

[22:36] but they ever stop to do a field goal like try try for it in the middle of the street. I think that would be good

[22:42] entertainment. Yeah, we'll have to make that suggestion. We'll have to we'll

[22:55] Well, behind them is one of my favorite groups that participates each year. The Minnesota Forest is a Star Wars club for

[23:02] the Renaissance Star Wars fan. They have a book club, a gaming group, collectors, artists, social events, and costumemers.

[23:08] Check out that BB-8 car. I mean, that is amazing. Rotating head. Awesome.

[23:15] [Applause] May the force be with you, Dietri. Yeah. And with you. Thank you. Let's see who

[23:22] they have. That was a scout trooper. I'm nerdy enough to to kind of recognize him. Some Jedi doing force moves and the

[23:28] Millennium Falcon. All right. Yeah, look at that. Slave One on the back. Shout out to Boba Fett. Best bounty hunter in

[23:34] the galaxy. Yes, I'm a nerd. Got to love it. And Count Dooku. There we go. The

[23:41] very first movie that I ever saw in a theater when I was about seven was the

[23:47] the first Star Wars. Oh, you're kidding. Oh, man.

[23:52] Right behind uh the force, we've got the Adina Swim Club is a youth swim club with over over 300 members from ages 6

[24:00] to 18, plus a master's program for those between the ages of 18 to 99. Wow, it's

[24:06] never too late. Never too late. These swimmers participate in competitions all over the country as well as locally.

[24:17] Behind

[24:25] them, the Dina Basketball Association is walking. They coordinate programs for

[24:30] over 1,400 youth in Edina annually. The EBA's mission is to create a fun,

[24:36] competitive, and safe basketball environment that's focused on providing skill development as well as fostering

[24:41] respect for others. prides itself on instilling self-confidence, leadership, and teamwork in Edina's student

[24:47] athletes. Hoop dreams. Hoop dreams. That's right.

[24:58] It just goes back to show you you have so many options uh any football to basketball. It's just really nice,

[25:04] right? Oh, and you can spot it coming. Here

[25:10] comes the Zamboni. I love it. We've got the Adina Hockey

[25:16] Association provides programs aimed at creating fun, fair, competitive, safe

[25:21] hockey. The programs are meant to increase participation and provide the opportunity to improve skills while

[25:27] developing respect for others, self-confidence, and teamwork in student athletes. The EHA has more than 12,200

[25:35] boys and girls ages 4 to 18 registered for hockey.

[25:40] Rick Ducharm is driving the Zamboni in today's parade and the walkers are all

[25:46] hockey players in the association. Behind them is Ellingsson and

[25:51] Ellingsson, a local firm of certified public accountants celebrating more than 45 years of service to the Dina

[25:57] community. Ellingsson and Ellingsson is proud to sponsor the next unit, the Tin Cups Steel Drum Band, bringing the

[26:04] vibrant sounds of the Caribbean to our community. Love that. The Tin Cups Steel

[26:09] Drum Ensemble, presented by Chops Incorporated, performs in area parades and events all during the summer months,

[26:17] offering performance opportunities for all interested in area musicians.

[26:28] [Music]

[26:43] very festive. I love how they shaded um all of their players and they are the premier parade steel drum band in the

[26:49] Midwest. You know, when you close your eyes, you can almost see yourself sitting on that beach. That's right. Yep. Behind them

[26:55] are the Girl Scouts bringing their dreams to life and working together to build a better world. Girl Scouts lead

[27:00] the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. My daughter was a

[27:07] Girl Scout for the first time this year. Shel was it was so fun. She made so many good friends throughout her school. It

[27:13] was like half of her grade showed up to be Girl Scouts. So, it was really nice. Love that. Yep.

[27:21] It's great to teach kids young about community involvement. Speaking of community involvement, the League of

[27:26] Women Voters of Adina is coming up. They're a nonpartisan organization working to grow, empower, and protect

[27:33] the vote to make our democracy work for all. Members are walking with their banners and signs.

[27:46] And right behind them is the Edina Garden Council. They help sew the seed for a greener Edina. Members plant for

[27:54] the city greenhouse, hold a yearly plant sale, which is phenomenal, and host a bianial garden tour benefiting the city

[28:00] of Edina's parks. The council's float represents all the group does in local parks. Love the garden council.

[28:08] [Music] We've got a few more generous sponsors

[28:14] coming up um right after the garden council here. [Music]

[28:22] I'm also seeing more encroaching for candy. Yeah. Right.

[28:28] Do you love how they're almost out in the middle of the road? The the parade tunnel slowly gets narrower.

[28:35] It's amazing. Accredited investors. um is coming up

[28:40] and they are another generous sponsor today. You want your money to support your values, not to define them. And

[28:46] accredited investors will help you design the life you imagine for yourself, your family, your future, and

[28:52] your dreams now and for generations to come. Spend your life wisely.

[28:58] And behind them, we have a banner for another one of our July 4th sponsors, M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital. M

[29:04] Health View M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital is an acute care hospital providing medical care for the southwest

[29:10] suburbs. Fairview South employs more than 2,000 people and it supports the work of many philanthropic and community

[29:17] groups throughout E9. We're lucky to have them. Uh next up, these beats you're hearing are from the RI River

[29:23] City Rhythm, founded to serve the Minneapolis St. Paul metro area by executive director Bo Hansen in the fall

[29:30] of 2009. Originally, um, they functioned solely as an indoor drum line, competing

[29:37] locally in the Minnesota Percussion Association and nationally as part of Winter Guard International World

[29:43] Championships. Let's give a listen. [Applause] [Music]

[29:55] [Applause] [Music]

[30:22] Just makes you want to get up and dance. Absolutely. Oh, behind them, the Dina Arts and Culture Commission strives to

[30:28] build a vibrant community through support of our arts and culture and advises the city council on artistic

[30:34] initiatives in Udina, including the Edina Art Center, Udina Art Grant Program, and utility box art wraps.

[30:42] Commissioners and supporters of the arts are walking with umbrellas with art painted on them. They have one drummer

[30:47] and are chanting their slogan, "Every day, I need art." Love it.

[30:54] The Anti-Racism Collective fosters the unlearning of racism through conversations in order to dismantle our

[31:01] racialized culture and actively oppose discrimination and hate.

[31:06] Really appreciate their work in the community.

[31:14] Next up, Edina resident Dave II is driving one of his vintage vehicles. His

[31:20] vehicles have been a part of the parade for many, many years.

[31:26] What a cool truck, man. That's really awesome. Oh, 19. It's a 1929. Wow.

[31:34] It'll be wild, Shel. When it's 2029, I hope we're here. I hope we're here,

[31:40] too. Oh, wow. That's amazing. And when he just honked the horn, say aa

[31:48] sounds like, you know, like farm. It has that old timey sound. It definitely does. Very vintage. Coming up, we have

[31:54] the first John Phillips Soua Memorial Band. They are a Dina tradition playing

[31:59] together since 1970. The band's Dixie combo is being carried by Premier

[32:05] Machine Farming Carriage driven by Tim and Jess Vernick of Princeton, Minnesota. And now this is the band that

[32:11] will play tonight at Rosland Park, I believe, at 8:30 p.m. Yep. Right before the fireworks.

[32:19] They've been doing it for many years. Just so talented and you know they draw quite a crowd.

[32:25] They do. Yes. Get there early and sit on the hill and

[32:31] let's take a listen. Yep.

[32:36] [Music]

[32:42] And walking behind them is the Edina Asian-American Alliance, an intergenerational multithnic grassroots

[32:48] coalition of parents, students, and community members. At its core, the Edina Asian-American Alliance serves as

[32:54] a vehicle to build relationships, elevate our youth, and support Edina public schools and the city of Edina to

[32:59] fulfill their equity and inclusion goals. EA is proud to welcome its partner organization, the Adina Somali

[33:06] American Community to this year's parade. The Adina Somali American community's goal is to motivate,

[33:12] support, and encourage the Adina Somali American community to succeed and thrive

[33:17] through collaboration and engagement with Adina public schools as well as the wider community. The group aims to

[33:24] bridge gaps in resources and opportunities for the Somali American community and to belie that together we

[33:30] can thrive. Sounds great. Hey, are you ready for some fun? There's the Cracker Jacks

[33:35] gliding our parade spectators like they do every year. These talented drummers will even switch places with spectators

[33:42] as they move throughout the parade. Take a listen.

[34:03] [Music] so talented.

[34:11] We've got the Authentic Beauties Pageant of Minnesota. Um they are a vibrant and

[34:18] empowering pageant program celebrating individuality, confidence, and inner beauty. Based in Minnesota, the pageant

[34:25] provides a welcoming platform for participants of all ages to express themselves, build self-esteem, and

[34:31] develop lifelong skills.

[34:41] I think any opportunity that uh we have to build confidence in young people is

[34:47] really important. Oh yes.

[34:53] Well, it's great because you know when you do that, you're you're creating future leaders and we sure could use a

[34:59] lot more of them. Absolutely. We can always use good leadership that's never out of style. That's right.

[35:06] That's true. All right. And behind them, Job's Daughters International is coming

[35:11] up. Job's Daughter's mission is to create confident young women. Again, back to what we were just talking about,

[35:17] respecting tradition and shaping the future. Their members learn invaluable skills that increase their confidence

[35:23] and prepare them to be leaders. They teach girls to use their voice.

[35:28] Minnesota job's Daughters is part of an international organization created for girls between the ages of 10 and 20 with

[35:34] the Joby 2B program for girls's age ages eight and nine, excuse me. The

[35:40] organization works to build strong leadership confidence and public speaking skills in these girls with a focus on service, community, and

[35:47] sisterhood bonds that will last a lifetime. Awesome. Locallyowned and

[35:52] operated North American Banking Company is a full-ervice community bank serving the Twin Cities in Minnesota. North

[35:59] American Banking Company has a branch at 50th and France and is a sponsor of today's events.

[36:06] [Music] We appreciate their support. They actually do a lot to support the Chamber of Commerce as well. Um, and just our

[36:14] local financial institution that's very involved. It's always great when you know the money is coming back into the

[36:20] community. Absolutely. Next, the Center for Pediatric Movement is a pediatric rehabilitation clinic

[36:27] providing physical therapy, occupational therapy, and orthotic services to the kids of the Dina community. They believe

[36:34] strongly that all kids should be able to do what they want and most importantly just be a kid. Love that.

[36:40] Coming right down the street with energy and excitement and a whole lot of heart is the Lakeville North High School

[36:46] marching band. This band is known for their traditional high-step marching and shoulder swing style and has appeared in

[36:52] major parades all around the country. Get ready to go back in time with driving horns, infectious rhythms, and

[36:59] that unmistakable groove. Love that.

[37:11] [Music] Do you recognize this tune, Dietrich? I

[37:17] don't. I don't either. You know, it I've never been part of band, but I'd love to know how they go

[37:23] about choosing the song. You know, like you want something that gets the crowd going, right? Lifting them up. Yeah.

[37:28] Something that people know. Exactly.

[37:34] [Music]

[37:41] Matthew Wankin directs the band with assistants Matt Nielsen and Melissa Nielsen. The drum majors are William RS,

[37:49] Emma Buzznik, and Charlie Porter.

[37:55] And I'm really enjoying the flags. Yes. [Music]

[38:05] I mean, the coordination you need to spin that rifle around and then walk forward. Oh, I'd nail myself in the

[38:12] face. I was going to say without hitting yourself in the eye. Or someone else. Or someone else. Yeah. Hopefully not a kid

[38:18] trying to grab candy, right? [Music]

[38:24] Heat. Heat. [Music]

[38:31] [Applause] [Music]

[39:00] I love when the drums go by and you can feel it in your chest. Oh yeah. Well, behind that strong beat is Brahma

[39:07] Kamarus, a worldwide spiritual movement led by women dedicated to personal transformation and world renewal through

[39:14] Raja Yoga meditation. Founded in India in 1937, Brahma Kumarus has spread to

[39:20] over 110 countries on all continents and has an extensive impact in many sectors

[39:25] as an international NGO. Have you ever tried Raja yoga

[39:30] meditation? I've never even heard of it. I don't think I have. I am a yoga enthusiast. Yeah. Um but I have not

[39:36] heard of that particularly that particular form. So I'll have to check it out. Absolutely.

[39:43] Well, I know a place. Minneapolis. Do you know where I can try it conveniently? Right behind them, we've

[39:50] got Senate District 50 GOP representing Republicans in most of the Bloomington

[39:56] and Edina communities.

[40:12] [Music] [Applause]

[40:29] I thought she was handing out bags of candy, but no. It's a It's a smart giveaway just for

[40:36] those who weren't as prepared. That's right. with their with their candy bags.

[40:46] Love the big flags in the pickup truck. What a beautiful convertible. Yeah. Is

[40:52] that a BMW? Can you tell?

[41:08] Mercedes. Mercedes. Ah,

[41:14] that's a cool car. It is cool. I'd like to take that for a spin.

[41:19] [Music] [Applause] [Music]

[41:29] [Music] Americanast [Applause]

[41:46] [Music] singing some Lee Greenwood. Absolutely. Well, the man who just shouted out to me

[41:51] is a guy named Dave Peterson. Was really involved with the sended 50 with all the kids there. Got it. All right. Coming up

[41:57] behind them, Luns and Berleys. With 28 locations throughout the Twin Cities,

[42:02] Luns and Berleys is family-owned and committed to providing every customer with a sensational grocery shopping

[42:08] experience. The company's extended family of employees has an unwavering focus on exceeding expectations through

[42:15] extraordinary food, exceptional service, and passionate expertise.

[42:21] Always been a Lensley stand. Yeah, we're really lucky. We have a lot

[42:27] of great stores, grocery stores here in Adina. Yes. Yeah. And all I mean, a lot

[42:33] of them familyowned operations. Yes. If you ever want to soak in a beautiful

[42:39] view of our city and take in some of Adina's best dining and shopping options, book a room at the Weston Adina

[42:45] Galleria, one of two hotels in Adina. The Weston is another of today's event

[42:51] sponsor bringing us Jack Brass and its jazzy sounds of New Orleans.

[42:57] [Music]

[43:09] What's fun about the Jack Brass Band? They were found formed in 1999. They're the only New Orleans style brass band in

[43:15] Minneapolis, which I think is pretty cool. That is cool. And right behind them, we've got Hajin Stilts, founded in

[43:20] 1989 through a research and development grant from Forecast. And then right after

[43:28] that, we've got Mom's Demand Action, an organization dedicated to raising awareness of gun violence and supporting

[43:34] common sense gun laws.

[43:43] I think the uh the Hajin stilts ladies,

[43:48] they um walk at a lot of the local art fairs and festivals in town. Really,

[43:53] which is really cool. Chang Young in martial arts is a taekwond do school on

[43:59] Cahill Road with the goal of being a black belt leader. Practicing taekwond

[44:05] do engages both the mind and body in a spirit of respect and cooperation. Definitely love the values that are

[44:12] instilled in that. Um mentally practicing taekwondo develops focus, concentration, mental strength and

[44:19] confidence. Another confidence builder. Can't get enough of me. Right. Right.

[44:24] You know it's funny, Shel. I don't know if you know this about me. I'm a black belt in taekwondo. I'm a second degree

[44:29] black belt in taekwondo. I uh I Yeah, I did it until I was about 17 years old

[44:34] that it was awesome. You learn a lot of different things. And you just saw there they were doing some of the board

[44:40] breaking things. Were they? Yep. Could you break a board? I have broken

[44:45] bricks, Shel. I'm that strong. What? I can't do it now. I don't drink enough milk. So, is any of this captured on

[44:51] video? [Applause] I would like to see that. That's all I'm

[44:58] saying.

[45:08] And coming up behind him, Grand View Ty and Auto has two Edina locations on Vernon Avenue across from Jerry's Foods

[45:15] and on 70th Street about a half mile west of Minnesota Highway 100. Grand View Ty and Auto have been a proud Edina

[45:23] community partner for nearly 50 years with staff actively involved in the Rotary Club of Edina, the Edina Chamber

[45:29] of Commerce, and they support Edina public schools, the ECF, Edina Crime Prevention Fund, Edina Giving and Go,

[45:36] Edina Federated Women's Club, Youth Frontiers, and more. Grand View Tire and Auto will care for your car and help

[45:42] make our Edina community better together. Just another amazing local familyowned company that really does a

[45:49] lot to support the community. [Music] [Applause]

[46:09] I got to see one of those boards break. That was impressive. Here

[46:27] comes Grand View. Mhm. You know, one of the great things that

[46:33] Grand View does is put those inspirational sayings on their boards outside their buildings. That's right. Creates good conversation. Fox Realy is

[46:40] coming up behind Grand View. They can help you buy, sell, design, remodel, or build the home of your dreams.

[46:51] [Music] I heard candy. Candy. C in that massive

[46:58] dump of candy. Wow.

[47:08] Got to love that. Oh yeah.

[47:13] It's quite the branded truck they've got. I was going to say

[47:27] I'm seeing more chocolate. Yes. Let's hope it doesn't melt before the kids can actually eat it.

[47:34] Part of me thinks, you know, you collect as much candy as possible and it's like, well, right. How many pieces do you want your

[47:41] kid actually to have? All right, here comes the DFL party made up of local organizing districts 46 and 50. They

[47:48] proudly serve Edina, Bloomington, St. Louis Park, and Hopkins. Democrats are here today to celebrate our nation's

[47:54] Independence Day and spread a message of community, unity, and hope for a brighter future for all.

[48:16] How are you?

[48:23] [Applause]

[48:35] Got a lot of four-legged friends walking in the parade today. I hope they're staying cool. I was going to say, boy,

[48:41] it's a warm day for those guys, right? Oh, and look at the bubble machine.

[48:51] The kids are loving that. Trying to pop every bubble. But that thing throws out like a 100 bubbles every second. Right.

[48:58] All right. Right now we've got the Rotary Club of Edina um coming up. The

[49:04] mission of Rotary International is service above self and Rotarians are handing out treats with their kids and

[49:09] families today. Um the Rotary Club of Adina is Adina's largest service organization and actually we have two

[49:17] Rotary clubs in Adina. One that meets in the morning uh that is the Rotary Club

[49:22] of Adina morning side and then the Rotary Club of Adina meets in the afternoon. Um they work to promote

[49:29] integrity, advance world understanding and goodwill and peace through fellowship of business, professional uh

[49:36] services and community leadership. I know a lot of the people at Rotary do business with each other. So it is a

[49:41] place um to build trust and create relationships and the Rotary clubs do a

[49:47] lot of amazing local work supporting nonprofits that are serving the Twin Cities community in in a multitude of

[49:54] different ways. um but then also do a lot of work abroad in the international community as well. And I've had the

[50:01] opportunity to travel with Rotary a couple of times. Um this is Lisa Walker, the incoming

[50:07] president for the Rotary Club of Adina. And then we've got Mike Anderson and his son Owen um representing the Rotary Club

[50:16] of Adina Marine Side. And since the fiscal year uh begins on July 1st, it's

[50:21] a brand new year for Rotary. And so they just had some new presidents inducted in their clubs.

[50:35] And coming up behind him, sprinkled in with the Rotarians are the crowd-pleasing Minnesota Superheroes

[50:40] United. This group of superhero and villain character costumemers appear at charity events, PR events, parades,

[50:47] conventions, hospitals, and more in the Twin Cities. The superheroes are sponsored by the Rotary Club of Edina.

[50:53] Everyday superheroes. What characters we got there? Superman.

[51:00] Superman. Batman. Now that's a hot costume to wear today. Yes. That cannot

[51:05] hopefully it's got some some vents to let some air in.

[51:17] And kids have to love it. Absolutely. [Music]

[51:24] Fat man's getting some high fives. Love it. Yep.

[51:32] And now we've got Brandon Vatitali of Win Trust Mortgage along with Joe Kirk

[51:37] of Lake Sabes Realy and they're joined by their family and friends

[51:46] and actually Brandon is a local Rotarian in the Morningside Club. Yes,

[51:52] Lake Sabes has an office right at 50th in France.

[51:59] When I first met Brandon, I had zero idea he was this talented at drum. I didn't know this either. So, this is

[52:05] Brandon on the drums. Wow. [Music]

[52:12] Win trust mortgage. Be a dynam. And a cowbell. And a cowbell. We need

[52:19] more cowbell. Absolutely. The cowbell's important.

[52:36] We've got the Enso Daiko Japanese drummers representing Tao Arts Midwest and have appeared in every single one of

[52:43] Edina's parades. Um driven by Jeff Oln of Jeff's Transport and SADO Japanese

[52:51] drummers offer loud and energetic performances that combine music, dance, culture in pure athleticism.

[53:00] [Music] Love that

[53:07] they regularly premiere new work adding their unique voice to the expanding canyon and innovation of North American

[53:14] Tao. Looks like they've got students of all

[53:20] ages and abilities. They're phenomenal. They are. I've seen them a bunch of times now. A lot of

[53:26] great energy. So much. Yeah. Well, before we sign off, we'd like to

[53:31] thank the team who put today's parade together. Yes, absolutely. Who are those folks, Shel? Mary Brindle is our chair

[53:37] who also coordinated entertainment and the lineup. Then we've got Allison Brakes, um, sponsor recruitment, Amanda

[53:45] Clark, the city of Adina, John Curry, veterans, military vehicles and color

[53:51] guard, Tom Gump, parade day unit starter, and police sergeant Ben Wanandi

[53:58] and Special Operations Chief Pete Nabley, Emergency Management.

[54:04] Yes. And before we sign off today, we we have to thank Shelly and Explore Dina

[54:09] again for sponsoring this broadcast and and working with the ECF to put this on.

[54:15] It's just such a great event. Um on behalf of the Dina Community Foundation and Explore Dina, thank you for tuning

[54:21] in. I'm Dietrich Niss and I'm Shelley Loberg. Happy 4th of July.

[54:29] Heat. Heat.

[55:02] Heat. Heat.

[55:34] [Music]

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Other Topics from This Document

  • Edina's 29th Annual Fourth of July Parade

  • Community Organization Participation

  • Local Business Sponsorship

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