Saturday, Sept 6th at the Burnsville Festival was pretty incredible. At 9:25 PM, something happened that had never been done before in Minnesota – 1,000 drones took to the sky in perfect synchronization, creating patterns of light that had everyone at the festival looking up in wonder.
This was the festival's very first drone show, and they went big.
Really big. Aerial Illuminations of Eden Prairie put together what's officially the largest drone show ever performed in our state. You could feel the excitement building as festival organizers made the announcement and asked everyone to look toward the southwestern sky.
More Than Just Pretty Lights
What made this show really meaningful was the tribute to Burnsville's local heroes woven throughout the performance. The drones didn't just create random patterns – they told a story that honored the people who serve our community. It was one of those moments that reminded you why community festivals matter.
The timing worked perfectly too. The 15-minute drone show led right into the traditional fireworks at 9:40 PM, so people got this amazing double feature in the sky. The drones felt like a bridge between the festival's long history and where it's headed next.
Breaking New Ground
Dan Kealey, the Festival Board President, has talked about how they're always looking for ways to make the festival better for everyone who comes out. This drone show was exactly that kind of thinking in action. It wasn't about replacing what people love about the festival – it was about adding something new and special to the mix.
Aerial Illuminations, along with sponsors Cheddar Mobile Buying Service and Pawn America, made it possible to bring this kind of cutting-edge show to Burnsville. It's not every day a community festival hosts something that breaks state records.
A Night to Remember
The 46-year-old Burnsville Festival has always been about bringing people together, and Saturday night's drone show did exactly that. Families, couples, kids, grandparents – everyone was looking up at the same sky, sharing the same sense of amazement.
It's pretty cool when your local community festival does something that's never been done before in your entire state. The drone show didn't just light up the sky over Burnsville – it showed what's possible when a community decides to dream a little bigger.