Get ready for sensory overload in the best and most summery way possible.

Maple Grove Days 2019 is so close you can all but smell those glorious festival foods and feel the drumbeats of bands marching in the parade. A ton of events are packed into the five days from June 10-14, so here’s just a snippet of the things to see, hear, taste, and do at this year’s Maple Grove Days.

WEDNESDAY

Kick off the festivities by tappin’ your toes to disco-era tunes at the Sounds of Summer Concert. Mick Sterling will perform a Bee Gees tribute show at 7 p.m. at Town Green.

Also, Maple Grove Beyond the Yellow Ribbon will honor military veterans and active members as well as their families. Proceeds from concession stand sales will benefit the Veterans Memorial Fund.

THURSDAY

The Maple Grove Days Parade is shaping up to be a doozy. The route runs along 89th Avenue and travels west from Zachary Lane to Elm Creek Blvd. Area politicians will begin the parade march at 6:10 p.m., with the rest of the procession to follow at 6:30 p.m. A merry time is sure to be had by kids and kids at heart.

Safety tip: Please remember to keep children out of the roadway during the event.

FRIDAY

Central Park will be the hot spot for an evening of family fun:

• 6:30 p.m.: Watch cloth-clad infants and toddlers wiggle, scoot, and crawl their way to the finish line in the Diaper Derby. Sign up at the event. Go, baby, go!
• 7:15 p.m.: The Kids Parade features a cavalcade of youngsters in wagons, on bikes or trikes, or otherwise moving through this non-judged event. Costumes are crowd pleasers, so take note (wink) if your child is participating.

Around 9 p.m. at Town Green, relax with an outdoor movie. Bring a blanket and pillows or a lawn chair and catch a showing of “Incredibles 2” under the stars. The movie will start at dusk, and snacks can be purchased from the concession stand.

SATURDAY

Inside the Phenow Pavillion at Central Park, Puzzletwist will host a Jigsaw Puzzle Challenge from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Watch teams of 2-4 players race against the clock and each other to complete their puzzles. The winning team will be awarded $100, and the second-place team will receive $50.

Prime Advertising & Design is among the many Maple Grove area businesses that have generously donated items for the Showcase Silent Auction. Bid on merchandise and gift certificates from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Maple Grove Community Center. Proceeds help support the CROSS Services and Maple Grove Days activities.

From 10 a.m.-10 p.m., enjoy a full day of fun in the Maple Grove Community Center parking lot. Food and beverage vendors will be on-site, including the new Lions & Lookout Beer Garden. The main stage will have music and events going on all day long:

• 10-11 a.m.: Children’s music from Bach to Rock
• 11-11:30 a.m.: Minute to Win It games
• Noon-12:45 p.m.: Children’s music from AlphaBits
• 1:15-3 p.m.: Oldies music from Sandy & The Hitmen
• 3:30-4 p.m.: Frozen T-shirt contest
• 4-6 p.m.: Great Country hits from Anderson Daniels
• 6-6:30 p.m.: Pizza-eating contest
• 6:45 p.m.: Medallion Hunt winner presentation
• 7-10 p.m.: Top 40 music with classic hits from Skitzo Fonik

A fireworks display will follow at dusk.

SUNDAY

The Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Veterans Memorial Dedication will take place from 1-1:30 p.m. at the southwest corner of Central Park.

The event is hosted by the Osseo/Maple Grove American Legion Post 172. Attendees are encouraged to bring a chair if standing is an issue. This Memorial honors all local military veterans. To find out more about purchasing a paver within the Veterans Memorial, visit https://www.maplegrovemn.gov/parks-and-recreation/park-sponsorships or email yellowribbonmg@gmail.com.

Additional details for these events and a list of SO many others can be found in the Official Maple Grove Days 2019 Guide, presented by the Maple Grove Community Organization and produced by Prime Advertising & Design.

Prime is once again a proud Gold Leaf Sponsor of Maple Grove Days. The one-stop shop for all your business and advertising needs also is a sponsor of the Jim Deane Memorial Rice Lake Classic Run, the Kids’ Fun Run, and the fireworks display, all taking place on Saturday.