Your Guide to 2025 Fourth of July weekend in The BLA

Pequot Lakes • Nisswa • Brainerd • Cuyuna • Crosslake
Presented by Woods to Water Real Estate + Woods to Water Vacation Homes

Summer is in full swing, and the Brainerd Lakes Area is packed with parades, fireworks, music, and small-town charm. Here's your complete rundown of where to go and what to do across the region on July 3 and 4.

INSIDE TIPS: WHERE TO WATCH + WHAT TO DO

Thursday, July 3

• Best fireworks: Pequot Lakes or Nisswa (both shows at dusk)
  

• Best parade: Nisswa Freedom Days parade at 7 p.m.
  

• Best cocktails and live music: Pequot Lakes Trailside Park (MN Traders Co. and live bands)
  

Friday, July 4

• Best fireworks: Gull Lake (by boat) or Brainerd (stadium view)
  

• Best parades: Pequot Lakes at noon or Crosby at 11 a.m.
  

• Best all-day celebration: Cuyuna (food, games, music, and fireworks at Serpent Lake)
  

By city and day:

PEQUOT LAKES

Stars & Stripes Days | Trailside Park and Downtown Pequot Lakes
Presented by Woods to Water Real Estate + Woods to Water Vacation Homes, platinum sponsors for the sixth year in a row
View full Pequot Lakes event schedule ›

Thursday, July 3

• 5:00 p.m. – Red, White & Brews bar by MN Traders Co. - SOUTH TRAILSIDE PARK
  

• 5:00 p.m. – Food vendors and kids' zone (bounce house, bungee, climbing wall)
  

• 5:00 p.m. – Bean bag toss tournament registration
  

• 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. – Live music by Better Man Duo
  

• 6:00 p.m. – Bean bag toss tournament begins
  

• 7:30 p.m. – Loon calling contest
  

• 8:00 p.m. – Live music by Sawyer’s Dream
  

• Dusk – Fireworks launched from Pequot Lakes High School
  

Friday, July 4

• 7:00 to 11:00 a.m. – Pancake breakfast at the Fire Hall
  

• 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. – Craft fair and food vendors
  

• 9:00 a.m. – Kids' activities and water wars
  

• 9:30 a.m. – Kiddie parade (North Trailside Park)
  

• 10:00 a.m. – Ice cream eating contest sponsored by The Outpost
  

• 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Beer garden at the American Legion
  

• 12:00 p.m. – Stars & Stripes parade through downtown

NISSWA

Freedom Days | Downtown Nisswa and Main Street
View full Nisswa event schedule ›

THURSDAY, JULY 3RD

• 1:00 p.m. – Turtle race registration (Turtle Track)
  

• 2:00 p.m. – Turtle races begin
  

• 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. – Live music by Centerville All Stars at The Pickle Factory
  

• 7:00 p.m. – Freedom Days parade on Main Street
  

• 8:00 p.m. to midnight – Live music by Austin Healy at The Pickle Factory
  

• 10:15 p.m. (approx.) – Fireworks from the Nisswa Community Center
  

Note: No chairs, blankets, or parade seating allowed before 5:00 p.m.
Turtle race entry is $5 per racer

BRAINERD

Downtown Brainerd and Don Adamson Field
View full Brainerd Lakes Area event schedule ›

FRIDAY, JULY 4TH

• 6:00 p.m. – Parade through downtown
  

• 8:00 p.m. – Live music at Lyman P. White Park Amphitheater
  

• 8:00 p.m. – Family relays at Don Adamson Field
  

• 10:15 p.m. – Fireworks launched from Don Adamson Field
  

Optional fireworks viewing:
Gull Lake fireworks begin at 10:00 p.m. and are best viewed by boat or from East Gull Lake Airport and Madden’s Driving Range.

CUYUNA/CROSBY

Downtown Crosby and Serpent Lake

Friday, July 4

• 11:00 a.m. – 4th of July parade in downtown Crosby
  

• All day – Crosby Memorial Park activities: food vendors, beer garden, live music, kids’ games
  

• Dusk – Fireworks over Serpent Lake, visible from Memorial Park

CROSSLAKE

U.S. Army Corps Recreation Area and Sand Island

Saturday, July 5

• 7:00 a.m. – Grandpa’s Run for the Walleye (10K, 5K, and kids’ dash)
  

• 10:00 p.m. – Fireworks over Cross Lake, launched from Sand Island
  

• Music synchronized on Skeeter 101.5 FM
  

• Best viewing: by boat or from the U.S. Army Corps Recreation Area

Bonus: live music hot spots

Catch live music all weekend long at these summer favorites:

• Pequot Lakes: Bands in the Park (Saturdays at 7 p.m., Trailside Park)
  

• Crosslake: Music in the Square (Saturdays at 6 p.m., Legacy Gardens)
  

• Crosby: Music in the Park (second and third Thursdays in July)
  

• Regional highlights: Ernie’s on Gull, MN Traders Co., Big Axe, Zorbaz, Dockside, Manhattan’s, The Wharf, Quarterdeck Grill, Snarky Loon, Roundhouse Brewery

Lake days, small-town parades, live music, and fireworks lighting up the sky—it doesn’t get more classic than the Fourth of July in the Brainerd Lakes Area. Whether you're visiting for the weekend or lucky enough to call this place home, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know to make the most of Independence Day in Pequot Lakes, Nisswa, Brainerd, Cuyuna, and Crosslake.

What to do and where to be:
July 3: The best fireworks? Head to Pequot Lakes or Nisswa. Best parade? Nisswa’s Freedom Days at 7 p.m. Want the best overall vibe? You’ll find cocktails, food trucks, and live music at Trailside Park in Pequot Lakes starting at 5 p.m.

July 4: Start your day with pancakes and a parade in Pequot, then end with fireworks in Brainerd—or catch them by boat on Gull Lake. Looking for a full-day celebration? Crosby’s Memorial Park delivers with food, music, kids’ games, and fireworks over Serpent Lake.

July 5: Crosslake wraps up the holiday weekend with a community run in the morning and fireworks from Sand Island at dusk.

Full schedule by city
Pequot Lakes Stars & Stripes Days ›
Nisswa Freedom Days ›
Brainerd Lakes Area Events ›

Pro tips for a great weekend:

• In Nisswa, no chairs or blankets allowed before 5 p.m. on July 3
  

• Parking fills up fast—get there early, especially in Pequot or Crosslake
  

• Watching fireworks from the water? Book a boat early
  

• Need a place to stay? bookthebla.com still has a few openings
  

Still need a place to stay or advice on where to catch the best view? Reach out—or browse vacation rentals at bookthebla.com.