Happy 4th of July! Last night my husband asked if I was still planning to send a newsletter this morning or if I had it as an "alternate holiday" with the 4th being Saturday - which is what he has. As you can see, I'm still here, but maybe this will be a little bit shorter. - - But we're just getting started, so who knows.

If you missed our Wednesday email, check it out HERE for White Bear Lake Marketfest, Hand Mod crafting, lack of citywide garage sales this weekend, gas deals thsi weekend and some other things in the freebies and deals section that are still good today.

If you're looking for weekend fun beyond what's included in the newsletter, check out our Events page land Attractions page and also LOTS of towns with Summer Festivals this weekend with Chanhassen, Austin, pequot Lakes, Duluth, Saint Peter and more all with some version of a 4th of July festival.

QUICK NOTE: Even if you get our newsletter, it can be a good idea to keep an eye on our Facebook page for things that happen too quickly to make it into a newsletter. As an example, yesterday we had free passes for Disney's live action Moana and I was bummed it was a non-newsletter day because I like to give you the first heads up on things! On some days the only choice is for it to go on Facebook first.

Have a great weekend and I'll see you again Monday for the next newsletter! Until then you can find anything new at ThriftyMinnesota.com or on Facebook. Thanks for being a subscriber! I appreciate it.

Visit Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Minnesota

Did you know an important part of Laura Ingalls Wilder's story happened right here in Minnesota?

With the brand-new Little House on the Prairie Netflix series dropping this summer, it’s a great time to pack up the car and walk in Laura's footsteps! From the actual banks of Plum Creek to a real standing sod house, there are some pretty cool places connected to Laura and the Ingalls family that you can visit here in our state.

Whether you grew up reading the beloved books, loved watching the classic TV show, or are just looking for a unique Minnesota road trip, these spots are worth exploring. We rounded up some of the best places to visit along with a few fun historical facts!

Canterbury Park Family Days

Canterbury Park is making Sundays (and this Saturday) extra fun for the whole family with special events all summer long.

Of course kids can enjoy the horse races, but Sundays bring more than just horses with corgi races, zebra and ostrich races, mini doodle races and more. The 4th of July features wiener dog races!

These special Sundays have lots of optional extras like pony rides, face painting, gigantic Pepsi playground and more.

Bloomington Summer Fete

IF you don't want to wait until tomororw, you can celebrate Independence Day TODAY, July 3, with Bloomington Summer Fete.

The evening is packed with fun including live music, kids shows, family fun zone, food trucks and the main attraction - a HUGE fireworks show!

Fireworks begin at dusk (just after 10pm).

Thrifty Minnesota is reader-supported. If you buy something through our links, I may earn a small commission. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Get the details for how to get these deals and more on the Current Great Deals Page.

Our latest food freebie is a FREE 6-Piece Chicken Rings at White Castle. No purchase necessary.

Every Friday Casey’s is offering customers a Medium Free Frozen Drink with Casey’s Rewards. Limit 4 per rewards member per Friday (available at select stores).

Be one of the first 150 MyLowe’s members in-store on the 4th of July starting at 10 a.m. to score a free Beach Bucket Toy Set.

On Sunday 7/5, make a FREE a free fan bracelet made with your favorite team’s colors at Michael’s!

There's a Good & Gather free sampling event in most Target stores on July 4th from noon to 4 pm. And then on Sunday 7/5 it's a LoveShack Fancy event where you can get a FREE exclusive tote bag while supplies last starting at store opening.

Groupon is having a Freedom to Do More Giveaway and you can claim $5 Groupon Bucks for FREE! Claim it by July 4 and then you'll see the $5 added to your account on July 6th and you'll have 7 days to use them. No purchase necessary.

ENDING MONDAY: Join Costco as a new member and get a $50 Costco.com promo code with a Gold Star membership or a $100 promo code with an Executive membership! (New member means you haven't had a membership in the last 18 months.) There are also big deals for Sam's Club Memberships 75% off and Walmart+ half off. These all end Monday.

Want SiriusXM FREE for the summer? Right now you can get 3 months of in-car satellite radio for FREE with no credit card required.

See the details for the things above plus lots more over on the deals page. If you ever spot a good freebie we need to include, please send it over. We all love those!

See All the Deals