Page 4 Burnsville Festival & Fire Muster • Friday , August 30 , 2024
FESTIVAL , from 3A
painting , a balloon maker and games .
Food trucks will line 126th Street . The annual craft beer tasting sponsored by Red Lion Liquor will move from the plaza between the park and the Ames Center to the top of the adjacent parking deck .
The classic car show held in past years with the beer tasting was dropped this year , Kealey said .
The carnival and other events at Civic Center Park , the main festival grounds , begin at 5 p . m . Friday with indie rock quartet the Dead Century kicking off the main stage music at 5:30 p . m . The Johnny Holm Band will headline from 7:30-11 p . m .
Saturday ’ s main stage headliner from 8-11 p . m . is Rock Gods , a fully costumed tribute band covering Van Halen , Def Leppard , Guns N ’ Roses , Bon Jovi , Ozzy , Kiss , AC /
DC , Alice Cooper , Motley Crüe , Poison and others .
“ It is a big-hair rock ’ n ’ roll show ,” Kealey said .
Fireworks at 9:40 p . m . on Friday and Saturday will begin with three minutes of red , white and blue fireworks set to Lee Greenwood ’ s “ God Bless the U . S . A .,” Kealey said . A moment of silence will follow for Burnsville police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge and firefighter-paramedic Adam Finseth , who were killed by a gunman while responding to a domestic disturbance on Feb . 18 .
Power up your summer fun !
SCAN THE QR CODE FOR HOT DEALS AND COOL PROGRAMS !
The official Burnsville Festival and Fire Muster 2024 button is also a tribute to the responders , who are represented by two blue butterflies and a red butterfly in flight over an ambulance and a police vehicle . The design by Emma DeBilzan was the winning entry in a contest for Burnsville High School art students .
“ We wanted to do it in a respectful way ,” Kealey said of the tribute . “ I think what we ’ re doing in the fireworks and with the button is a way to do that .”
Police K-9 officers and their dogs will give a demonstration from 3:30- 5:30 p . m . Saturday .
“ Lots of kids and families are focused on our public safety folks , unfortunately because of the tragedy ,” Kealey said . “ I think that ’ s going to be a pretty big draw this year .”
Saturday , the festival ’ s busiest day , kicks off from 6:30-10 a . m . with the annual Heart of the City Race , a 5K , 10K and 15K fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Clubs ’ Kids Feeding Kids Program .
The 11 a . m . parade will , as usual , be led by fire trucks , including old collectibles supplied by members of the Minnesota Fire Engine Club . Trucks will be on display in the City Hall parking lot throughout the day , and working fire trucks will provide the annual airborne water display on Friday and Saturday . sunthisweek . com
The Burnsville Fire Muster began in 1980 with a vintage fire equipment theme and was rebranded in 2022 to reflect a more diverse community .
An added Saturday attraction this year is a yetto-be-announced celebrity skateboarder at the Zombie Garage Zone , which is open from 4-8 p . m . at the city skate park , Kealey said . The boarder in question is a former X Games competitor .
The Garage all-ages music club will be open from 2-6 p . m . with a DJ and snack bar .
The Multicultural Music Stage will offer entertainment from 1-6 p . m . Saturday , with headliner Banda LaVerdadera going on at 5 p . m . The traditional Mexican band is one of four performers on the day .
The number of volunteers making the festival happen is “ the largest I think I can ever remember ,” said Kealey , whose involvement with the event goes back to 2005 . In addition to 13 board members and 24 event committee members , the festival has more than 125 other volunteers on the grounds , he said .
A full schedule is inside this edition .
John Gessner can be reached at john . gessner @ ecm-inc . com or 952-846-2031 .