Fort Snelling Independence Day Celebration

Spend the United States' birthday at Historic Fort Snelling and explore the history of freedom in 19th-century America. Discover how many Americans celebrated the holiday nearly two centuries ago, complete with cannon and musket salutes, military dress parades, fife and drum music, and much more.

But not all Americans viewed Independence Day this way 200 years ago. Visit interactive learning stations around the fort and learn about the struggles for freedom and independence for several different groups of Americans—such as enslaved people, Native Americans, and women—while exploring the question, "What does freedom mean today?"