Food trucks, craft beer and a Twin Cities funk institution are featured at Nicollet Commons Park this evening as Burnsville kicks off a busy weekend. The Burnsville Festival Kickoff Block Party runs from 5 to 8:30 p.m., with food trucks open the full stretch and craft beer tasting from 6 to 8 p.m.
The evening’s headline act is Free & Easy Band, performing from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., according to a City of Burnsville, Minnesota Facebook post announcing the party. The long-running Twin Cities funk, soul and R&B stage band was inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame in 2008, per the Rotary Club of Wayzata.
A Three-Day Festival Just Getting Started
Tonight’s block party is only the opening act. It launches the broader Burnsville Festival & Fire Muster, running Sept. 10 through 12, an annual event featuring a community carnival, live music stages, a fire truck parade, a 1,200-drone light show and fireworks, according to Limitless Media News. The outlet reports the tradition dates back to 1980, making this year’s kickoff the start of a well-worn suburban ritual rather than a standalone party.
Friday night brings a 1,200-drone light show commemorating the anniversary of 9/11, honoring those affected by the September 11 attacks and recognizing local heroes, the outlet reports, with Kat Perkins & Country Roads performing on the mainstage, according to Experience Burnsville. Saturday closes the weekend with what organizers describe as the largest fireworks show in festival history, held in honor of America’s 250th birthday, paired with the fire truck parade and a performance by electric rock-violin act Femmes of Rock.
New Security Screening and a Curfew for Minors
Attendees heading to this year’s festival will notice tighter security than in past years. Organizers implemented perimeter fencing, bag checks with metal detectors at three designated entry points, and an 8 p.m. curfew requiring attendees 17 and under to be accompanied by a parent or guardian, according to the Burnsville Festival and Fire Muster. The additions are listed in this year’s festival rules…