BaseballNorthfield History Month will come to an exciting close Friday, July 4, with a vintage baseball game followed by an evening fireworks display. Both events are sponsored by the Northfield Historical Society and are free and open to the public.

Watch an 1860s-style baseball game when the Northfield Silver Stars take on the St. Croix Baseball Club at 1 p.m. below St. Olaf College’s Old Main Hill (on Lincoln Street). Fans should be prepared for a few different rules, including: no gloves allowed, the batter is out if the ball is caught on the first bounce, no balls or strikes are called by an umpire (although a batter can still strike out if he swings and misses three times), foul balls are not considered strikes, and base runners can be tagged out if they overrun first base.

This year’s Fourth of July fireworks display will be launched from the kickball diamond of the Northfield Middle School (just south of town on Division Street/Highway 246) at dusk. Spectators are welcome to view the display from the comfort of their own blankets and lawn chairs on the green spaces of the middle and high schools, Bridgewater Elementary, and nearby Taylor Park (be sure to clean up your area after the show) — or wherever you have a good view.

Fireworks