As the sun dips and the grills fire up, Woodbury is rolling out its annual Fourth of July Hometown Celebration with a twang. Local country music aficionados can sway to Thrillbillies, whose set at the M Health Fairview Sports Center will kick things into gear at 5:30 p.m. For those tagging along with kids in tow, or just young at heart, a line-up of bounce houses will open at 6 p.m. right alongside a smorgasbord of food trucks, featuring GoBBQ, Hydration Shuttle, El Mexicano Grill, Kona Flow, iPierogi, State Fair Cookie Co., and others.

And while the young'uns are bouncing off the walls, literal and metaphorical, there's an invite to toss a football or frisbee on an ample stretch of green space or cool down at the Madison's Place playground's free outdoor splash pad—public from 9 a.m. to the buffer zone of nightfall at 9 p.m. It's also an opportunity to brush shoulders with local politicos; as per city officials, Mayor Anne Burt and the Woodbury City Council will be there milling around and meeting constituents by the food trucks.

Heads up for regulars: with the stakes and strings of construction fencing up on the usual gold fields, this year's event is migrating to green fields. You'll find this patch of party grounds just a beat northwest of the usual shindig location. Signage and hopefully, discernible human excitement should guide you there.

American celebration staples endure, as fireworks are slated to paint the sky starting at 10 p.m., weather permitting. Visitors are recommended to come prepared with their seating strategies and any appropriately cozy blankets. And yes, Minnesota might say sure to sparklers, but the city parks are drawing a line—they're a no-go. Props to Heppner's Auto Body for making the food court happen this year.

For the planners and the parking concerned, M Health Fairview Sports Center is pinned south of Bailey Road and just east of the hum of Radio Drive, cozying up to East Ridge High School. Slip into the spots provided at the sports center and high school—no dice on those looking to park it along Bailey Road and Radio Drive, though. The city's Traffic & Parking Plan (PDF) should have any other logistical info you need. And if the heavens decide to open up or the winds kick up, keep an ear to the city's various digital megaphones—the city's website, InTouch email, and social channels—for any possible shift in plans.

The Parks and Recreation Department is on standby at 651-714-3583 or via their electronic post. Happy Independence Day, Woodbury. Here's to hoping your day ends with a bang, but only the intentional, sanctioned kind.