Kiddie Parade

Celebrate Independence Day in Northfield and take in the rush of adrenalin as cyclists speedily maneuver through the streets of town to compete in the popular 4th of July Bike Criterium held in Northfield each year. Racing begins at 9:00 a.m. with the final race of the day starting at 4:30 p.m. A kids’ parade follows with a carnival offering fun games, face paintings, and prizes for children. A firework show will be held at the Middle School grounds starting at night's fall.  

In its 13th year, the Bike Criterium has built momentum as Northfield offers a challenging course. Ben Witt, organizer of the event, says this criterium “draws some of the best amateur bicyclists from the state and beyond.” It is a great spectator sport and attracts even some top contenders that are considered semi-professional racers to downtown Northfield.

Northfield’s Bike Criterium consists of timed events ranging in length from 15 to 70 minutes using a series of laps. Whoever is in the lead when the times run out is the winner. Races are divided by age, gender, ability levels and different combinations thereof.

“The layout of the town and the course makes it exciting,” said Witt. The hills can be quite steep in places and it’s a challenging course to ride around well. It is regarded as one of the better criteriums in the state for that reason.” Plus Northfield is a nice place to visit “a pretty town.” There are good restaurants, area attractions, and things to do for travelers.

For more complete information, check the following websites:

•   visitingnorthfield.com for events, calendar, and attractions in the Northfield area, plus travel packages and itineraries for an extended stay
•   www.northfieldcrit.blogspot.com at milltowncycles.com for more information on the Criterium.
•  http://go.northfield.org/ for Northfield bike trails and maps

The Convention and Visitors Bureau is a division of the Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce. Find “Visiting Northfield, MN” on Facebook and follow “NorthfieldCVB” on Twitter. 

4th of July Lineup:

• Bike Races: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in downtown Northfield
• Carnival: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. by the downtown Northfield Post Office/ Sesquicentennial Legacy Plaza
  (sponsored by St. Dominic Church)
• Kiddie Parade: 6:00 p.m. (line up by Econfoods, leads to carnival)
• Fireworks Show (inbetween the Middle School and Bridgewater Elem.) approx. 10:00 p.m.