Whiz Bang 2024 guide

A parade of local businesses, softball and art for kids: Robbinsdale Whiz Bang Days is flooding downtown with activities. This year, the festival will run July 11 to 14. People can catch the parade, fireworks and royalty coronation. Folks can celebrate with specials from downtown restaurants, have a spaghetti contest at Nonna Rosa’s, enjoy an ice cream social at Citizens Independent Bank and new this year: party with a DJ from Kidsdance. Attendees can also help their neighbors: Local food shelf PRISM will be collecting donations during the parade and in various spots throughout the festivities. Saturday, PRISM bins will be at City Hall, the CarX Car Show, Nouvelle Brewing and the Birdhouse Café.

Whiz Bang Days are funded by donations. People and organizations are invited to donate. Go to the website at robbinsdalewhizbangdays.org to become a sponsor and receive recognition. Donors can also give money at gofundme.com/f/whiz-bang-days-celebration.

Any questions about involvement can be directed to RobbinsdaleWhizBangDays@gmail.com.

Schedule of events

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10

LIONS PUZZLE TOURNAMENT

WHEN: 6-8 p.m.

WHERE: Wicked Wort, 4165 West Broadway

INFO: The Robbinsdale Lions will be hosting a 300 puzzle piece tournament. $20 per table, 2-4 people at a table. First-come, first-serve.

THURSDAY, JULY 11

FREE CARE AT GO HEALTH CHIROPRACTIC

WHEN: 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

WHERE: Go Health Chiropractic, 4101 West Broadway

INFO: Whiz Bang Days grill giveaway. Stop by to be entered to win a free grill. Grab info about natural health care.

ROBBINSDALE LIONS BISTRO ON BROADWAY

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WHERE: Robbinsdale Downtown Plaza, 4151 West Broadway

INFO: Purchase grilled Hackenmueller’s hot dogs, brats & burgers on the Plaza. Robbinsdale Lions raise funds to give back to the community.

CITIZENS INDEPENDENT BANK ICE CREAM SOCIAL

WHEN: 4 to 6 p.m.

WHERE: Citizens Independent Bank parking lot, 3700 West Broadway

INFO: Live music. Serving “What’s the Scoop” Ice Cream; Meet reigning Robbinsdale Ambassadors and the 2024 Robbinsdale candidates. North Memorial Ambulance will offer bike helmets for sale, Robbinsdale Police will be available to answer questions and show police cars, Robbinsdale Fire Department will have a fire truck for viewing and information on volunteering.

BEERS AND BARGO AT NOUVELLE BREWING

WHEN: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Nouvelle Brewing, 4124 West Broadway

INFO: A free bingo card along with specials on smash burgers, beer and pizza. Purchase the “We’re havin’ a good lime” beer, created specially for Whiz Bang. This tart and refreshing gose was brewed with wheat malt and a touch of coriander and salt, then conditioned on lime, lemon and orange peels. We’re havin’ a good lime is a bright and crisp patio pounder with notes of fresh citrus, soft fruits and a creamy finish. $1 of each beer sold during July will be donated to the Whiz Bang committee.

CITY BAND AT GRAESER PARK

WHEN: 7 to 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Graeser Park, 4400 Lakeland Avenue North

INFO: Historical Event in Historical Place! Robbinsdale City Band (established in 1906) will perform at Graeser Park (built in 1940-42). Music, park tours, kids’ activities. Bring a chair or blanket.

BIRDHOUSE TRIVIA NIGHT

WHEN: 7 to 9 p.m.

WHERE: The Birdhouse Eat & Drink, 4153 West Broadway

INFO: Thursday night weekly trivia hosted by Trivia Mafia

FRIDAY, JULY 12

GIVEAWAY AT GO HEALTH CHIROPRACTIC

WHEN: 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

WHERE: Go Health Chiropractic, 4101 West Broadway

INFO: Whiz Bang Days grill giveaway. Stop by to be entered to win a free grill and learn information about natural health care.

ROBBINSDALE LIONS BISTRO ON BROADWAY

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WHERE: Robbinsdale Downtown Plaza, 4151 West Broadway

INFO: Purchase grilled Hackenmueller’s hot dogs, brats & burgers on the Plaza. Robbinsdale Lions raise funds to give back to the community.

SPAGEHTTI EATING CONTEST

WHEN: 5 to 6 p.m.

WHERE: Nonna Rosa’s, 4168 West Broadway

INFO: This is a hands-free eating event. The winner of each heat will receive a Gift Card and the fastest time of the day will receive an additional $100 Cash Prize. So get ready to get your face in that bowl.

LIVE JAZZ ON THE PLAZA

WHEN: 6 to 8 p.m.

WHERE: Downtown Plaza, 4151 West Broadway

INFO: Join us on the plaza for live jazz music performed by The Summertime Quartet, a group of Camden High School students. This family-friendly event is free of charge and sponsored by the Birdhouse Eat & Drink.

LIVE MUSIC AT NOUVELLE BREWING

WHEN: 6 to 9 p.m.

WHERE: Nouvelle Brewing, 4124 West Broadway

INFO: Live music from All That. Purchase the “We’re havin’ a good lime” beer, created specially for Whiz Bang. This tart and refreshing gose was brewed with wheat malt and a touch of coriander and salt, then conditioned on lime, lemon and orange peels. We’re havin’ a good lime is a bright and crisp patio pounder with notes of fresh citrus, soft fruits and a creamy finish. $1 of each beer sold during July will be donated to the Whiz Bang committee.

WHIZ BANG DAYS WOODY TOURNAMENT

WHEN: 6 to 10 p.m.

WHERE: Spanjers Park’s Liles Field, 4511 Lake Drive

INFO: Start the celebration by watching some classic adult wood bat softball. Free to watch!

SATURDAY, JULY 13

KIDS’ BOOK WALK

WHEN: all day

WHERE: Hollingsworth Park, 4237 Shoreline Drive

INFO: Come and enjoy a book on a stick as you walk thru the park – all day long. Story will start at the end of the park along the walking path.

WHIZ BANG DAYS WOODY TOURNAMENT

WHEN: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

WHERE: Spanjers Park Liles Field, 4511 Lake Drive

INFO: Free to watch!

WHIZ BANG DAYS BAGS TOURNAMENT

WHEN: Registration at 9:30 a.m., play begins at 10 a.m.

WHERE: Lakeview Terrace Park soccer field, 3769 Crystal Lake Boulevard

INFO: Sign up for the Whiz Bang Days 2nd Annual Bags Tournament, sponsored by Lakeview Terrace Farmers Market empowered by the NEWmpls. The tournament will have two divisions – social and competitive. Check in will begin at 9:30 a.m. and play will commence at 10 a.m. Registration information can be found at robbinsdalewhizbangdays.org.

ART ON THE LAWN

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WHERE: Robbin Gallery, 4915 42nd Ave. N.

INFO: Come and enjoy the Whiz Bang Member Art Exhibit and Activities for kids inside and outside the gallery.

KIDS FUN AT PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WHERE: Peace Lutheran Church, 4520 France Ave. N.

INFO: Come and enjoy kid friendly games and activities.

ANNUAL WHIZ BANG CAR SHOW

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

WHERE: Robin Center parking lot, 4114 Lakeland Ave. N.

INFO: A variety of cars for a great show co-hosted by CarX. The show is held in the Robin Center parking lot. $7 per car entry donation supports the Whiz Bang Days fireworks. All cars are welcome. Prizes and trophies awarded! Free to the public. Contact: jandakurtz@msn.com.

ROBBINSDALE LIONS ROBBIN CENTER

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WHERE: Robin Center parking lot, 4114 Lakeland Ave. N.

INFO: Purchase grilled Hackenmueller’s hot dogs, brats & burgers while the car show runs.

FOOD TRUCKS

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WHERE: Robbinsdale City Hall, 4100 Lakview Ave. N.

INFO: Come and enjoy some lunch from various Food Trucks/vendors while watching the Softball Tournament

KIDSDANCE ON THE LAWN

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WHERE: Robbinsdale City Hall, 4100 Lakeview Ave. N.

INFO: Bring your kids and enjoy a dance session on the lawn.

KNIFE OFF COOKING COMPETITION

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WHERE: LAKEVIEW TERRACE FARMERS MARKET, 3769 Crystal Lake Blvd

INFO: Competitors will hae a $20 budget and an hour to cook a meal using food from the farmers market and HyVee. More info at thenewmpls.com/lakeview-terrace-farmers-market.

HOTDOG EATING CONTEST

WHEN: 3 to 4 p.m.

WHERE: The Birdhouse Eat & Drink,4153 W Broadway

INFO: 4th annual Hot Dog Eating Contested hosted by the Birdhouse. Come on down to the downtown plaza adjacent to the Birdhouse to watch contestants compete for prizes. The contest who eats the most hot dogs in 10 minutes wins a $200 cash prize. The whole family is welcome to this free event!

LIVE MUSIC AT NOUVELLE BREWING

WHEN: 6 to 9 p.m.

WHERE: Nouvelle Brewing, 4124 West Broadway

INFO: Live music from multi-instrumentalist SOMEONE AWESOME. Purchase the “We’re havin’ a good lime” beer, created specially for Whiz Bang. This tart and refreshing gose was brewed with wheat malt and a touch of coriander and salt, then conditioned on lime, lemon and orange peels. We’re havin’ a good lime is a bright and crisp patio pounder with notes of fresh citrus, soft fruits and a creamy finish. $1 of each beer sold during July will be donated to the Whiz Bang committee.

ROBBINSDALE CITY BAND CONCERT

WHEN: 6:30 to 9 p.m.

WHERE: Hollingworth Park, 4237 Shoreline Drive

INFO: Yearly City Band Whiz Bang Concert.

MOVIE IN THE PARK - MIGRATION

WHEN: Movie will begin at dusk

WHERE: Hollingworth Park, 4237 Shoreline Drive

INFO: Movie is free and open to the public; sponsored by Beacon Academy. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own seating, blankets, and/or bug spray.

SUNDAY, JULY 14

FUNK BRUNCH

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WHERE: The Birdhouse Eat & Drink, 4153 W Broadway

INFO: Join us for delicious food and drinks before a fun filled day of Whiz Bang Day events. We will have a DJ spinning funky tunes all brunch!

DUNKIN’ COMMUNITY CRUISER

WHEN: 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

WHERE: Pawn American Parking Lot, 4134 W Broadway

INFO: Come and enjoy samples of Dunkin’s beverage products. They will be handing out samples during the Parade.

ROBBINSDALE WHIZ BANG DAYS PARADE

WHEN: 3 to 4:30 p.m.

WHERE: Downtown Robbinsdale

INFO: Annual parade. Step-off of the parade is at the intersection of 42nd Avenue and West Broadway. The parade will then continue down West Broadway to 40th Avenue across Bottineau Boulevard, and follow Shoreline Drive to Chowen Avenue. Whiz Bang is partnering with PRISM Food Shelf to collect food donations during the parade; Watch for their unit in the parade to donate!

WHIZ BANGO AT THE BIRDHOUSE

WHEN: 5:30 to 7 p.m.

WHERE: The Birdhouse Eat & Drink, 4153 W Broadway

INFO: Join us for a fun filled time playing BINGO! There will be prizes for the winners including a limited commemorative WBD/Birdhouse t-shirt.

ROBBINSDALE AMBASSADOR CORONATION

WHEN: 7 p.m.

WHERE: Hollingsworth Park, 4237 Shoreline Drive

INFO: View the selection of the 2024-2025 Robbinsdale Ambassador Court and bid farewell to the reigning 2023-2024 Miss Robbinsdale, Princess and Ambassadors. Free and open to the public.

WHIZ BANG DAYS FIREWORKS DISPLAY

WHEN: 10 p.m.

WHERE: Viewing areas at Hollingsworth Park, 4237 Shoreline Drive, and Lakeview Terrace Park, 3769 Crystal Lake Boulevard

INFO: Sponsored by Broadway Pizza/Eagles Nest, and the NW Jaycees. Fireworks will be shot over the lake from Lakeview Terrace Park.

Giveaway and merch

The Whiz Bang committee has put together a giveaway with three prizes from local businesses.

Enter for a chance to win one of three fantastic prizes! Three tickets will be drawn in order of the prizes value: highest value to lowest value.

1. Travail Kitchen and Amusements - One signature tasting menu experience for 2 guests. This reservation will include 4 beverage pairings (wine, cocktails, or NA selections) - a $1200 value.

2. Cuisinart Outdoor Pizza Oven - a $200 value.

3. HyVee Meat Bundle (including 2 2.5 lb Choice Reserve Boneless Beef Chuck Roasts, 3 1 lb packaged of Choice Reserve Lean Beef for Stew, 5 1 lb packages of 85% lean Ground Chuck, and 5 5oz Choice Reserve Beef Cube Steaks) - a $100 value.

One ticket ($10) is one entry. People can buy as many tickets as they like until 5 p.m. July 15. Go to bit.ly/whizbang76 to buy tickets.

Even without winning a prize, people can bring home a souvenier from Birdtown’s biggest festival. Whiz Bang Days Merchandise will be on sale at these times:

Prior to Whiz Bang weekend at Citizen’s Bank.

Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Robbinsdale Lions Bistro.

Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Citizen’s Bank.

Thursday and Friday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Nouvelle Brewing.

Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bag’s Tournament.

Whiz Bang inspires a good lime

Nouvelle Brewing created a new specialty Whiz Bang brew called the “We’re havin’ a good lime” beer.

“This tart and refreshing gose was brewed with wheat malt and a touch of coriander and salt, then conditioned on lime, lemon and orange peels,” the brewer described the beer. “We’re havin’ a good lime is a bright and crisp patio pounder with notes of fresh citrus, soft fruits and a creamy finish.”

People can buy the beer beginning July 11. Throughout July, $1 from each beer will be donated to Whiz Bang Days.

Ambassador programs

A scholarship program allows Robbinsdale Area Schools students and graduates up to age 22 to be ambassadors for the city of Robbinsdale. The junior ambassador program is for children ages 5 to 9. There is a middle category for children and teens ages 10 to 14. The senior ambassador program is for those aged 15 to 22.

Every year, the Robbinsdale Ambassadors take part in events in and around the state. Parents are also involved as chaperones for these events.

Cooper grad to DJ

Jeremiah Smith grew up in Crystal and graduated from Robbinsdale Cooper High School in 2009. Since then, he’s moved to Minneapolis and become a professional entertainer named DJ Trixx.

He’s slotted to play from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 13 at Robbinsdale City Hall, 4100 Lakeview Avenue North.

DJ Trixx told the Sun Post he started as a dancer and “just naturally transitioned into DJing.” After growing up in Crystal, playing next door in Robbinsdale feels like coming home. He’s “ready to have a good time, like always” and bring fun into Birdtown. DJ Trixx has also played at Crystal Frolics.

DJ Trixx works for Kidsdance, a St. Louis Park-based company that’s been performing hundreds of outdoor family-friendly events for over 40 years.

The entertainers like to hold contests for things like limbo, air guitar, silly dances, Fortnite dances, flossing, hula hoops and the Macarena. Winners can pick up prizes like beaded necklaces.

The DJ said the contests depend on the crowd, but people can expect limbo and hula hoop competitions.

“It’s all about high energy and getting the kids [doing] something outside and physical,” Howie Walstein, president and owner of Kidsdance said.

Walstein described his job as being the “head cheerleader” for the company. Half a dozen DJs and half a dozen dancers make up a solid crew of creative, energetic people.

For the Whiz Bang Days perfromance, the fun is accessible for all ages.

“All ages, even adults,” DJ Trixx said. “[I] try to reach everybody, play a little old school music.”

“The music is all over the place,” Walstein added. “We’ll play everything from 50s sock hop music to the latest Taylor Swift songs, the hip hop songs, clean versions of rap songs and the goal of a DJ is to get everyone expending a lot of energy.”

“I love 90s music and new music,” DJ Trixx said. “[I] try to reach everybody, even different nationalities..whatever the vibe is, I play it all.”

Walstain said the also company plans to be a the State Fair on Labor Day weekend, Sever’s Fall Festival and Minneapolis Aquatennial.

Whiz Bang history

When the people of Robbinsdale wanted to create a multi-day summer festival in 1948, it was only natural to name it after the humorous, raunchy magazine that was printed in their town from 1919 to 1936.

According to the Robbinsdale Historical Society and MNOpedia, Wilford Fawcett was born in Canada in 1885, moved to North Dakota and ran away from home at the age of 16 to serve as a private during the Philippine-American War. He later moved to Minnesota and worked as a railway clerk and newspaper reporter to support his spouse and two children. In World War I, Fawcett took on the nickname “Captain Billy.” After the war, he opened a bar in Minneapolis, but in 1919 the 18th Amendment banned liquor and he had to try something else.

The publication Captain Billy’s Whiz Bang was created using Fawcett’s wartime nickname and a slang term for German artillery shells.

Britt Aamodt wrote in MNOpedia, “(Fawcett) would publish his own men’s humor magazine from his home in Robbinsdale ... By 1923, the magazine was selling 425,000 copies a month.”

A Sept. 17, 1924 issue of The Northern Headlight, a now-defunct local paper, wrote about Fawcett adding a third floor to his company’s building to accommodate the growth that the publication was experiencing. The paper called it “Robbinsdale’s most important industry.”

Fawcett grew rich, relocated his business to New York, went through a few divorces, and died in 1940. His sons carried on Fawcett’s print empire.

“Whiz Bang was enough of a success that it financed the creation of Fawcett Press which invented paperback originals, Gold Medal Books, and also introduced the world to Captain Marvel and Whiz Comics,” the Robbinsdale Whiz Bang Days Festival website says. “Fawcett’s line of comics expanded with such colorful characters as Captain Midnight, Mary Marvel, Bulletman and Bulletgirl, Nyoka the Jungle Girl and Spy Smasher. The circulation of Captain Marvel Adventures continued to soar until it outsold Superman during the mid-1940s. Captain Marvel had such an impact on Elvis Presley that he borrowed the character’s poses, hairstyle and lightning flash chest insignia, as described in Elaine Dundy’s biography, ‘Elvis and Gladys.’”

Today, DC Comics owns the rights to these characters. Recent movies like “Shazam!” (2019) and “Black Adam” (2022) borrow character and story elements from those licenses.

The original Robbinsdale location of Faucett’s business stood where Nonna Rosa’s Ristorante Italiano stands today. Copies of Captain Billy’s Whiz Bang and other publications are preserved behind glass at the Robbinsdale Historical Society, 4915 42nd Ave. N., Robbinsdale. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Friday and Saturday.