Excelsior, Minn. hosts its 158th Fourth of July celebration

EXCELSIOR, Minn. (FOX 9) - It's an event even heavy downpours of rain couldn't stop.

"We got about six inches in ten minutes, which is pretty amazing," says Jen Weiss, Excelsior Chamber of Commerce.

The City of Excelsior has only been around for 166 years but has hosted a Fourth of July celebration for 158 of those 166 years, an event that draws thousands and thousands of people, year after year.

"It’s a lot of people that move away, but they come home for the fourth because it’s such a tradition here."

It's hosted by the city not only for residents but for families like the Moses family, who may not live in the community, but want to come see what it’s all about.

"We went over to the trolley and went to the trolley museum and took a trolley ride," said Kimberly Moses.

The tradition hasn’t changed but the stuff to do when here is constantly evolving. This year, city officials brought in a Ferris wheel. It's anyone’s game during the day, but open to only select donors that help make this event possible at night. They’ll get to watch the fireworks from up here.

Weiss says, “So people will board, that donated $166, that’s for the 166 years that Excelsior has been existence, and they will get to be on the Ferris wheel during the fireworks."