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SEPTEMBER 2019 | VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 4
DETROIT LAKES
Have You Heard of the
HAIRY MAN ?
The legend of the Vergas Trails lives on in local lore STORY ON PAGE 5
PLUS
pumpkin fests, cemetery walks, scenic drives & more INSIDE!
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PAGE 2 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019
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930 WASHINGTON AVE. DETROIT LAKES, MN 218-847-2645 FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 3
Submitted Photo by LuGene Peterson
The trails at Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, like the one pictured here, are just one of many colorful hiking options in the Detroit Lakes area in the fall. Many more ideas for seeing and experiencing the fall colors can be found in this magazine.
INDEX
HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE HAIRYMAN?
Bigfoot-like creature is said to lurk in the Vergas woods........................................................
A TRADITION BORN OF LEGEND
The Hairyman 5K..........................................................
LOTS TO ’FALL’ FOR
Pumpkin fests, scenic drives, grape stomps and more.....................................
THE WOOD DUCK
One of America’s most colorful waterfowl.................................................
NOT AS SPOOKY AS IT SOUNDS Cemetery walk a fun and educational lesson in DL’s past.......................
10 FUN THINGS TO DO THIS FALL.......................................................... FALL CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Everything happening in and around Detroit Lakes..........................................................
DINING GUIDE............................................... PAGE 4 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019
5 9
10 16 20 24 26 30
A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE AUGUST 28, 2019 ISSUE OF THE TRIBUNE
The Detroit Lakes Area Fall Scene is a magazine published annually, every September. The magazine is for the reading enjoyment of visitors as well as seasonal and year-round residents. For advertising information: Email Melissa Swenson at mswenson@dlnewspapers.com Melissa Swenson, Publisher Marie Johnson, Editor Nathan Bowe, Contributor Vicki Gerdes, Contributor Desiree Bauer, Contributor Stephanie Lof, Contributor Kayla Ronngren, Design/Layout
HAVE YOU
HEARD OF THE
HAIRY MAN? Nathan Bowe
nbowe@dlnewspapers.com
Photos by
T
Detroit Lakes Tribune
he good news for the Hairy Man of the Vergas Trails is that, according to a 2014 Associated Press poll, more Americans believe in Bigfoot than the Big Bang Theory. Score one for the paranormal. The bad news for Bigfoot believers is that, despite hundreds of reported sightings dating back hundreds of years across North America, nobody has ever been able to come up with definitive proof of the existence of the muscular, ape-like creatures, roughly six to nine feet tall and covered in black or brown hair. Of course, at one time gorillas were considered mythical, as were komodo dragons, the platypus, the okapi (an animal that blends elements of the zebra, donkey, deer and antelope) and the manatee. So, never say never. Especially not on the Vergas Trails,
Some of the Hairy Man runners opt to dress up as the legendary creature who supposedly haunts the Vergas Trails. The runner with the best costume is awarded a prize.
with its rumors of a haunted cemetery, mad hermits, secret cults, and other things that literally go bump (on cars) in the night. According to a 2012 story in the Detroit Lakes Tribune by reporter and paranormal investigator Brian Wierima, quite a few people have seen the Hairy Man over the years, including some who wouldn’t tell their story publicly. Witnesses agree the Hairy Man is an imposing figure, somewhere between seven and eight feet tall, with long hair or fur and a musky smell that would curdle Old Spice. In more than a few instances, the Hairy Man was spotted barefoot, even during the frigid months of winter. The earliest talk of the Hairy Man can be traced back to the late 1960s, but no one has an answer as to how or why it started.
“I heard of the Hairy Man legend when I was a kid growing up on the Vergas Trails,” says Patty HeathGordon. “The stories just grew and grew as time evolved.” The legend started to pick up momentum in the early- to late-1970s, when numerous residents reported sightings of the Hairy Man. One of those was lifelong Vergas resident Cheryl Hanson, who had her run-in with the beast in 1972, while snowmobiling with her cousin, Jolyn Hanson. The 12-year-old Hanson and her cousin were snowmobiling on the Vergas Trails just off what is known as the Lost Highway, off County Road 130. There, they circled an old desolate cabin HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE HAIRY MAN? Continued on page 6
FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 5
This unusual skull, which appears neither fully human nor primate, was found years ago by a local family in the area known as the Klondike, or the “old” Vergas Trails, where most of the Hairy Man sightings have occurred. Its authenticity has not been confirmed.
BIGFOOT-LIKE CREATURE IS SAID TO LURK IN THE VERGAS WOODS
HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE HAIRY MAN? Continued from page 5
with their sleds, when their enjoyment on that winter afternoon was suddenly interrupted. “We were snowmobiling around and around this old cabin we found and all of a sudden, a beast-like creature popped out of the cabin holding a huge stick,” Hanson says. “It had very broad shoulders and I was trying to rationalize what it was, but what really stood out to me, is it was barefoot in the snow … We took off fast and went back to tell the adults.” Even though the adults were not convinced of the girls’ ordeal, it gave Hanson a shock she never forgot. “I know what I saw that day,” she says, but she never saw it again, even though she owned land in the area and owned a cabin near where she saw the
said was made by a creature. “I still to this big, hairy creature, “WE WERE day, can’t drive which jumped on SNOWMOBILING out there at night the front of his alone,” Hanson says AROUND AND AROUND vehicle and started in the 2012 article. smashing its fists THIS OLD CABIN WE “The family still has down on it. FOUND AND ALL OF A campfires out there, Since the 1980s, but none of us SUDDEN, A BEAST-LIKE the sightings have wander out in the dissipated. CREATURE POPPED OUT woods alone.” Another figure OF THE CABIN HOLDING Another wellconnected to the known eyewitness A HUGE STICK.” legend of the account came -Cheryl Hanson, lifelong Hairy Man was a from lifelong Vergas resident notorious hermit, Vergas resident said to have lived Ken Zitzow, since somewhere in the passed away. Vergas Trails for It was said that Zitzow, who was a decades. There are stories of this hermit regular visitor on the Vergas Trails, being aggressive with people he thought came back one night after traveling on them and was pretty shaken up. His car HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE HAIRY MAN? had large dents on the hood, which he Continued on page 8
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Hairy Man runners walk along the Vergas Trails decked out in the costumes they donned for the run.
FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 7
Past Hairy Man Run participants have been able to purchase shirts that read “I outran the Hairyman.” HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE HAIRY MAN? Continued from page 6
it off. But he still thought of the land as his family’s and got pretty aggressive with people.” were trespassers on his family’s The story goes land, while his that he lived on appearance was an old farmstead that of an unkempt “THE STORY IS THIS located on the man, with long and Vergas Trails, HERMIT WAS EXILED straggly hair. underneath the “The story is this FROM HIS FAMILY AS porch of the old hermit was exiled house. A KID AND HE ENDED from his family “He was literally UP LIVING IN THE as a kid and he living off the land, ended up living WILDERNESS FOR never had a shower in the wilderness and was always MUCH OF HIS LIFE.” for much of his wearing furs,” -Rob Arnett, Vergas resident life,” says Vergas Arnett says. resident Rob Another hybrid Arnett. “His hermit and Hairy parents owned a big Man legend had the portion of the land all around the Lost beast living in old man Bunley’s shack, which is located on the Vergas Trails. Highway, and through time, they sold PAGE 8 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019
Bunley was a farmer who lived in an earthen shack that was partially dug into the ground. After his death in the 1940s or ‘50s, his shack burned down. But Vergas Trails adventurers would go camping out near the old cabin, because it was said the Hairy Man lived in the remnants of it. “Old Man Bunley’s cabin is down an old, creepy road, and that’s where the Hairy Man was supposed to have lived,” says Heath-Gordon. “I never saw him or know anyone who has, but the legend just grew.” With all the eyewitness accounts and stories of who or what the Hairy Man is, the spirit of the legend remains strong, Wierma wrote. So strong, he added, that some dare not venture alone on the dark, wooded passages of the Vergas Trails.
A TRADITION BORN OF LEGEND:
THE HAIRYMAN 5K
T
he fun-loving residents of Vergas have embraced the Hairy Man legend and incorporated it into an annual run on the Vergas Trail. The fifth annual Vergas Hairyman 5K is set for Saturday, Oct. 5, at 32884 Camp Cherith Road, in Frazee. Registration begins at 3 p.m. and runners must be registered by 4 p.m. to participate. The 5K begins at 5 p.m. Not into running the trails? A scavenger hunt starts at 3 p.m. and there will be music and a bonfire from 4-8 p.m., with food sold from 3-8 p.m. The 5K registration fee is $25 when pre-registered by Sept. 22, and $40 after that. (Mail entry form and fee to Julie@ City Office, PO Box 32, Vergas MN 56587. Make checks out to Vergas Trail). Medals will be awarded to the top three finishers in all male and female age groups in the 5K: Groups are 0-19 years old; 20-30 years old; 31-40 years old; 41-59 years old and 60 and over. A medal will go to the first couple to finish the race together. Prizes will be awarded for best theme costumes, best name for the Hairy Man, and to the person who takes the most photos with the Hairy Man and posts them on the visitingvergas Facebook page. Medals will be awarded at the bonfire held after the race. FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 9
LOTS TO ‘FALL’ FOR IN THE LAKES AREA THIS SEASON PUMPKIN FESTIVALS, SCENIC DRIVES, GRAPE STOMPS AND MUCH MORE
The stomping of the grapes at Richwood Winery is the centerpiece of the winery’s annual Grape Stomp Festival, set this year for Saturday, Sept. 7.
Story by Vicki Gerdes
vgerdes@dlnewspapers.com
G
Photos by Detroit Lakes Tribune
rape stomping, pumpkin festing, fall color tours, Halloween tricks and treats… autumn at the lakes is packed with events for the whole family to enjoy. The abundant lakes, trails, parks and scenic drives to be found in the Detroit Lakes area make it hard to stay inside, as the cool, crisp air and colorful scenery beckon. Read on for some ideas on how to get the most out of the season before the snow starts to fall.
Grape stomping and Tamarac toasting
The good folks at Richwood Winery look at Labor Day as a last chance to catch their breath before their busiest weekend of the season: For the past several years, the Friday and Saturday after Labor Day have been reserved for the Toast to Tamarac, a fundraiser for the nearby Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, as well as the Grape Stomp Festival, a celebration of the winery’s
PAGE 10 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019
annual grape harvest. “It works out well for us,” says winery coordinator Deb Krogsgaard. “We can share the same (rented) tent for our guests, and the setup is similar… though not identical.” First up is the 9th annual Toast to Tamarac, which runs from 4-8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6. Tickets for “The Toast” are $35 at FALL IN THE LAKES AREA Continued on page 12
SCENIC DRIVES
Enjoy colorful views from inside the comfort of your car, or feel the refreshing fall air on your face as you take in the landscape from the seat of your motorcycle. The 88-mile Lake Country Scenic Byway extends across a portion of northern Minnesota that includes a 67-mile stretch of Highway 34 from Detroit Lakes to Walker, Minn. The other 21-mile spur extends from Park Rapids to Itasca State Park along U.S. Highway 71. The byway hosts an annual Fall Color Tour, and adventurers can get out and enjoy local landmarks, fall festivals, bike rides, pumpkin parties, bonfires and hayrides along the way. Take the drive for a few hours, a day or even a few days to really soak up the history, culture and fall fun along the route. The Detroit Lakes Chamber of Commerce website says dips and curves between Snellman and Osage and through the Smoky Hills State Forest offer expansive views of color on the gentle, hilly terrain, with patches of blue lakes. Visit www.lakecountryscenicbyway. com in early fall for more information on the Fall Color Tour. Truth be told, color is all around Detroit Lakes in the fall — if you want to find it, just hit the gas and go! Get out the map and plan road trips to area parks, lakes and off-the-beaten-path places, making it a point to take quieter country roads to really capture the fall feel and scenery of the entire Detroit Lakes area. Maplewood State Park, south of town, or Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge to the north, are excellent destinations — and journeys — in the fall. Itasca State Park, in Park Rapids, is another great option. Just be sure to take the winding roads less traveled for a real backcountry treat.
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29128 County Hwy. 54, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 218-847-5247 FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 11
Maplewood State Park’s annual Leaf Days celebration features a variety of family-friendly activities, such as building birdhouses. This year’s celebration takes place on two consecutive weekends. Sept. 28-29 and Oct. 5-6.
FALL IN THE LAKES AREA Continued from page 10
the door, or they may be purchased in advance for $30 at Richwood Winery, the Tamarac Visitor’s Center Gift Shop, Central Market, or by calling 218-8469815 or 218-847-7193. As always, this event, hosted by the Friends of Tamarac, will feature a silent auction, wildlife-themed games of chance, wine sampling — featuring the winery’s own unique vintages, served in a commemorative glass that is included with admission — and hearty appetizers. The festivities will be held under two big tents on the winery’s lawn, so the event will take place rain or shine. There is plenty of parking at the winery, with golf cart assistance available for those who need help getting around the grounds. The event will also feature live music by the David Ferreira Trio. Proceeds from the Toast benefit Tamarac’s environmental education programs.
“We have about 800 kids from area schools who come out here three times a year, in the fall, winter and spring, to experience all the different seasons,” says Friends of Tamarac volunteer Vonnie Jacobson. “They learn about all the different aspects of nature, using all of their senses, and they also journal about their experiences.” Immediately after the winery’s staff is done helping Friends volunteers with their annual fundraiser, they will turn right around and get ready for the seventh annual Grape Stomp Festival, which takes place from 1 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7. For $10 per person (people under 21 are admitted free of charge), guests will receive a commemorative festival wine glass, have an opportunity to sample the winery’s finest vintages, and listen to two different music acts from the area: Zach Thomas and Jackson & the Roosters. About a dozen local vendors will be selling their wares, with a local food truck offering lunch or supper items
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for purchase, as well. Of course, there will be plenty of wine on hand, to be purchased by the glass, in bottles, or just for tasting. Beer, sangria, water and soda will also be available for purchase at one of the bars set up around the festival grounds, along with cheese and other snack items. And then there’s the Grape Stomp itself, which takes place from 3:304:30 p.m. Two-person teams can sign up prior to the competition at the registration table outside the winery’s lower level. There will be six heats, each containing four 2-person teams that will use one of four barrels set up on the stomping stage. Each heat takes approximately 2 minutes, after which the amount of juice from each barrel will be weighed. Prizes will be offered for both the best stompers and the best team costumes. Last year’s festival drew well over 700 people. The staff is hoping for a similar FALL IN THE LAKES AREA Continued on page 14
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STORE HOURS MONDAY-SATURDAY 8 AM-10PM FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 13
Maplewood State Park’s annual Leaf Days celebration features a variety of family-friendly activities, such as building birdhouses. This year’s celebration takes place on two consecutive weekends. Sept. 28-29 and Oct. 5-6.
FALL IN THE LAKES AREA Continued from page 12
turnout this year. For more information, visit www. richwoodwinery.com or call 218-8445990.
Maplewood Leaf Days
Every year, the Friends of Maplewood host a multi-day celebration in honor of the fall colors at Maplewood State Park (which also happens to be their biggest annual fundraiser). This year’s Leaf Days will be held September 28-29 and October 5-6, with most activities taking place between the late morning and late afternoon hours. With 9,250 acres, most of those filled with sugar maple trees, Maplewood is one of the best places in Minnesota to enjoy fall colors. Visitors can see the scenery from their vehicles, hike on some of the park’s 25 miles of hiking trails, or have a picnic at the shelter near the swimming area. Leaf Days is the perfect time of year to visit Maplewood. There are often narrated wagon rides so visitors can look at the leaves and learn interesting facts about the park, and guided
hikes are offered. Many activities are geared toward kids and families, such as digital scavenger hunts and simple woodworking opportunities. Food is available, or pack a lunch. The park is located several miles southeast of Pelican Rapids off Highway 108.
Lake Park Pumpkin Festival
This weekend-long festival built entirely around pumpkins has grown to be one of the area’s most popular fall family events. With a corn maze, parades, games and more, the festival transforms the entire downtown of Lake Park into one big, orange-colored celebration. The Lake Park Pumpkin Festival features food vendors, a pumpkin carving competition, scarecrow contest, tractor display, wagon rides, pedal tractor pull and barrel train rides for kids, Lil’ Miss Pumpkin Fest Pageant, car show, Grand Pumpkin Parade and more. Always held the last Friday and Saturday in September, there’s traditionally a fireworks show after the Friday night high school football game, which takes place this year on Sept. 27.
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Check the Lake Park Pumpkin Festival Facebook page as the event date draws nearer for more details.
Tamarac Fall Festival
With guided hikes, family activities, bus tours and more, the Tamarac Fall Festival is the perfect opportunity to visit Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. This annual celebration of wildlife conservation and fall colors is presented for one day every autumn by the Friends of Tamarac and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This year’s festival will take place Saturday, Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at three locations within the refuge — the Visitor Center, Discovery Center, and cabin site. Primary event parking will be available in the field at the cabin site, across from the Tamarac Maintenance Shop (watch for blue flag banners). Trolley rides will be available to take visitors to all the sites, or people can hike the Bear Paw Trail between the cabins and Visitor Center. Parking is also available at the Visitor Center. For more information, visit www.fws. gov/refuge/tamarac or call the refuge office at 218-847-2641
HIKING & BIKING TRAILS
For those who like to view the fall colors from a more close-up perspective, there are several options for enjoying the beauty of the lakes area on foot or by bike. The interpretive trail at the Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District Headquarters is a 1.6-mile hiking trail on Tower Road which includes an abundance of wildflowers, butterflies, birds and flora and fauna unique to wetlands. A new parking area and trailhead were constructed a few years back, along with installing some new benches and interpretive panels. Hikers can step in to the Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District office at the trailhead entrance to visit the observation deck, where a set of mounted binoculars has been set up to view nesting osprey, trumpeter swans and other wildlife. The trail is open daily from dawn to dusk. The parking area is located at the district office, at 1732 North Tower Road. For more information, call 218-847-4431. Sucker Creek Preserve is another nice place to take a stroll. Located right on the edge of the city, 3/10 of a mile south of Highway 10 on 290th Avenue, this handicap-accessible,
paved half-mile trail is a natural haven. Get off the pavement and take the less-beaten paths to discover a pristine trout stream and take marsh walks while learning about the surrounding flora and fauna via interpretive signs. Just a short hike up the road from the original preserve is Upper Sucker Creek, which offers additional hiking opportunities. Both of these spots make up the 117-acre Greater Sucker Creek nature preserve, which is owned by the City of Detroit Lakes. Three miles south of Detroit Lakes is the 53-acre Dunton Locks County Park, which offers a mile-long paved trail plus about 4 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails along the shores of Lake Sallie and Muskrat Lake. Interpretive signs and the remnants of Indian burial mounds are scattered throughout this scenic park. Just east of Detroit Lakes is Detroit Mountain Recreation Area, which features miles of hilly, wooded hiking and mountain biking trails open from dawn to dusk, including some brand new trails and a playground area that were just constructed this year. Chair lift rides up the mountain are usually
offered on weekends through early October, allowing visitors to enjoy the spectacular view from the top. At Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, about 20 miles northeast of Detroit Lakes, the Old Indian Hiking Trail winds through 1.5 miles of forest. In addition, roads and trails within the 43,000-acre sanctuary are open for hiking starting September 1. Visitor Use Area trails are open yearround. Tamarac is also home to a local trailhead for the North Country National Scenic Trail, the nation’s longest hiking trail. About 60 miles of this trail run through Becker County, from Frazee to Itasca State Park in Park Rapids. The route offers a primitive backcountry hiking experience. Other nearby trailheads are located at Hubbell Pond Wildlife Management Area on Highway 34 east of Detroit Lakes, and at Lion’s Park in Frazee. Laurentian Lakes Chapter members offer familyfriendly guided hikes during the fall season and at other times. Visit www. northcountrytrail.org/llc for more information on those.
FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 15
THE WOOD DUCK ONE OF AMERICA’S MOST COLORFUL WATERFOWL
Wood ducks in flight, pictured in May.
Stephanie Lof
O
Submitted Photo by Robb Larson
Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge
ne of the primary waterfowl nesters on Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge is the wood duck. Unlike most other ducks, the wood duck’s habitat is in the woody swamps and shady ponds in the forest. They are also unique in the fact that they nest in
trees. They may even be seen perching in trees. Most other ducks prefer to nest in dense grass or thick aquatic vegetation. Like most other ducks, male wood ducks have colorful plumage during the breeding season. Males have iridescent
PAGE 16 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019
green, blue and purple feathers on their heads. The male also has red eyes and red at the base of the bill. In late summer, males will molt into an eclipse (drab) plumage. Females are gray-brown
THE WOOD DUCK Continued on page 18
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Submitted Photo Wood ducks are unique in that they prefer to live in swamps and shady ponds in the forest. They also nest in trees, unlike other ducks.
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FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 17
THE WOOD DUCK Continued from page 16
overall, with white eye rings. Both adults have crested heads. Females nest in large tree cavities near water. Typically, females lay 9 to 14 eggs. Ducklings jump from their nest to the ground the morning after hatching. They will nest in homemade nest boxes when tree cavities are limited. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommends a 10x18” floor, 10-24” depth with an entrance with a 4” diameter, 12-16 inches above the floor, and that boxes be placed 10-20 feet above ground. Houses can be lined with sawdust and should be placed as close to water as possible. The wood duck’s diet consists mostly of aquatic plants, seeds, insects and other invertebrates. They feed from the surface of the water and also on land, so they may be observed feeding on fields. In the early 20th century, the wood duck was threatened with extinction. The main cause of decline was probably a combination of the loss of nest sites due to logging practices and hunting pressure. Legal protection and the provision of nest boxes helped recovery and was an early achievement for wildlife management. Wood ducks can be hunted in accordance with Minnesota hunting seasons. Consult the refuge’s hunting map and regulations, and Minnesota’s hunting and trapping regulations, for details. The next time you’re visiting Tamarac, keep a look out for one of America’s most colorful waterfowl, the wood duck, around the refuge’s many forested wetlands.
Submitted Photo Calm waters allow the colorful trees of fall to be serenely reflected in the water below.
PAGE 18 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019
THIS FALL AT TAMARAC
Fall is the perfect time to visit the refuge. The fall colors really stand out next to the green of the pine trees. Photographic scenes are plentiful. Even after the peak color season, the tamarack trees are turning a brilliant gold. Hiking is optimal in the fall. Kick through the leaves with family and friends. The 2.5-mile Old Indian Hiking Trail will take you through a colorful maple and basswood forest. Another option is to venture out on the North Country Trail, which traverses 14 miles through the southern half of the refuge. Hike the whole route or just a portion. Wearing blaze orange is recommended, as hunting season will be underway. Wildlife Watching The most optimum times for viewing wildlife occur around sunrise and sunset, but sometimes even an afternoon visit can be rewarding to the quiet, watchful observer. To increase your chances of seeing wildlife, explore the edges of lakes, marshes and meadows on the 5-mile Blackbird Wildlife Drive. Trumpeter Swans begin to gather and you can sometimes see flocks of 100 swans on refuge lakes. Beavers are busy stocking up food caches for the winter, and birds are flocking together as they prepare for a long flight south. Fishing Fishing often picks up in the fall. Try your luck in one of our five lakes open to fishing. There are many varieties of fish to be caught, including crappie, walleye, sunfish, northern pike and bass. A fishing map and regulations can be obtained at the refuge information kiosks or the Visitor Center. Hunting Tamarac is open to hunting deer, ducks and small game. Be sure to pick up a hunting brochure, as some of the locations and regulations have changed for this hunting season. Visitor Center We are eager to help you make the most of your visit. Staff and volunteers can recommend a good hike or key locations for the best wildlife viewing for the day. Check out our interactive exhibits and learn about the diverse habitats which support Tamarac’s many species of wildlife. Learn about the historical use of the refuge, including that of the Ojibwe and the European settlers. Before you leave, browse in the Tamarac Bookshop. Proceeds from sales support educational programs at the refuge. The Visitor Center is located 9 miles north of Highway 34. Hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and weekends 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. through October 15. Activities • Sunday Wildlife Movies: Nature movies are shown every Sunday at 2 p.m. On Sept. 1 will be, “Plants Behaving Badly: The Carnivorous Plants”; on Sept. 8 will be, “Arctic Wolf Pack”; on Sept. 15 will be, “The Original Duckumentary”; and on Sept. 22 will be, “Wild Ways.” • Wildlife Excursion: Thursday, Sept. 12, 10 a.m.; Explore the refuge with a knowledgeable guide. Search for wildlife and learn about the cultural and natural history of the refuge. Meet at the Visitor Center. • Photo Contest Deadline: Sunday, Sept. 15. Categories are Plants, Wildlife, Scenic, Nature’s Abstracts and Recreation. For more information and to enter, go to www.tamaracfriends.org. • Fall Photo Safari: Saturday, Sept. 21, 2-4:30 p.m. Experience autumn on the refuge through the lens of your camera. Visit some unique areas to capture the changing colors. Bring a snack, water and your creativity. Led by refuge volunteer guides and members of the Detroit Lakes Photography Club. Meet at the Discovery Center. • Family Fall Festival: Sunday, Sept. 29, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Join us for a day to celebrate the nature of Tamarac Refuge. There will be guided tours, activity stations, photo contest exhibit and more. Take the nature challenge and win a prize. Lunch will be available. • National Wildlife Refuge Week: Monday, Oct. 7 - Sunday, Oct. 13. Visit the Detroit Lakes Washington Square Mall to see all the photo contest entries on display, and cast your vote for People’s Choice. Photo Contest Awards presentation on Sunday, Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. at the mall.
SENIOR TUESDAY $ 31 all day for seniors 55 and older.
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Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway, or planning a vacation home, Forest Hills is the ultimate destination with seasonal rates starting at a low $2,300 (May 1 – October 1). Our full hook-up RV lots overlook Forest Hills Golf Course and have access to an indoor swimming pool, hot tub, fitness center, sauna, laundry, mini golf, sports bar and grill and so much more.
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22931 185th St • Detroit Lakes, MN • 800-482-3441 • 218-439-6033 FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 19
NOT AS SPOOKY AS IT SOUNDS CEMETERY WALK IS A FUN AND EDUCATIONAL LESSON IN DETROIT LAKES’ PAST
Desiree Bauer / Tribune This year’s Stories and Stones cemetery walk will take place at Holy Rosary Catholic Cemetery, in Detroit Lakes, on Tuesday, Sept. 10.
Story by Desiree Bauer
S
pooky thoughts might come to mind when the words “cemetery walk” are said, but the Becker County Historical Society’s annual cemetery walk, called Stories and Stones, is actually a “very family friendly, family oriented program,” according to organizers. “One might think, ‘Oh, they’re doing a cemetery walk, this is going to be scary,’ and that is not it at all,” says Becky Mitchell, the executive
dbauer@dlnewspapers.com director of the historical society. “It’s very respectful, very educational, very casual.” The walk has been taking place for the past three years, always at a different cemetery in Becker County. This year, it will be held at Holy Rosary Cemetery, on the 900 block of Rossman Avenue in Detroit Lakes, on Tuesday, Sept. 10 from 6-8 p.m. As always, there will be volunteers out at the cemetery, portraying some of
PAGE 20 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019
the people who are buried there. “Some (characters) are well known to the community and some are maybe not so well known,” Mitchell explains. “And that’s to really drive the point home that we all have a history, we all have a story to tell, and we are all part of the history of this county.” About 12-15 people are usually showcased at each cemetery walk. After
NOT AS SPOOKY AS IT SOUNDS Continued on page 22
Historical characters come to life at the annual cemetery walk.
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NOT AS SPOOKY AS IT SOUNDS Continued from page 20
their names are selected, researchers with the historical society gather information on them for months, later relaying that to the volunteers. They also create a map of where each volunteer will be stationed at the cemetery, so visitors can easily find them. “Individuals dress up in periodoriented costumes and when people come up … they just talk about their life as that person,” Mitchell explains. Every year, volunteers end up
learning who are interested something about in a certain person “IT’S VERY RESPECTFUL, their characters, or are maybe related VERY EDUCATIONAL, Mitchell says. The to them,” Mitchell VERY CASUAL.” volunteers are says, adding that people of all ages, when a relative -Becky Mitchell, executive acting as people portrays a family director of the historical of any gender — member, it opens the society they once had door to “different a 10-year-old representations.” girl acting as a Mitchell has seen 17-year-old boy, for example — and the volunteers bring their relatives’ own actors may possibly be related to the items, share family stories, and even people they’re portraying. decorate their “scenes” at the cemetery “It’s always great to get individuals to reflect their relatives’ life and style.
An actor plays a character from the past at a previous Stories and Stones cemetery walk.
PAGE 22 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019
Submitted Photo
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Stories and Stones cemetery walk WHERE: Holy Rosary Cemetery, on the 900 block of Rossman Avenue, Detroit Lakes WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 10, 6-8 p.m. MORE DETAILS: Go to the cemetery gate, where a “master of ceremonies” will be greeting attendees, sharing information about the cemetery, and handing out maps of where the various volunteers are stationed.
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FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 23
10 FUN THINGS BY DETROIT LAKES TRIBUNE STAFF
1. GO OFF THE RAILS
One of the largest steam engine and tractor shows around happens right down the road from Detroit Lakes, in Rollag, Minn. The Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion has been a Labor Day weekend tradition for the past 65 years. It features hundreds of steam engines and tractors, of course, but also games, demonstrations, play areas for kids, live music, parades, crafts, camping, construction areas, food galore, and train rides around the showgrounds, among other activities and attractions. Drawing around 50,000 visitors each year, the 2019 reunion is slated for August 30-September 2. For more information, log on to www.rollag.com.
2. PARK IT UP WITH YOUR PUP
The City of Detroit Lakes opened its first dog park two years ago, and it’s proven to be a tail-wagging hit with the community’s canine friends. If you haven’t been there yet, now’s the time to sniff it out for yourself. Located
at 1023 10th Avenue SE, across the street from Lakeshirts, the 4-acre park offers runs for dogs both large and small as well as a picnic shelter. It’s open from dawn to dusk, seven days a week.
to a wide range of fitness levels. To try it out, visit Lakes Pace, LLC online at www.supnorthmn.com. The company provides equipment rentals and private or group lessons, as well as yoga and fitness classes on the water.
3. PITCH A TENT
5. GO THE DISTANCE
Enjoy the last days of summer, or the crisp and colorful days of fall, with a camping trip at any one of the area’s numerous state parks, state forests or resort campgrounds. There are plenty of camping opportunities in the Lakes Area, whether you’re looking for quiet solitude or prefer some friendly neighbors to share your vacation with. Start your search at visitdetroitlakes. com/lodging/rv-camping or dnr.state. mn.us.
4. ‘WALK’ ON WATER
Stand up paddle boarding is one of the newer sports to come the Detroit Lakes area. This feat of balance — staying upright as you float and paddle on the water while standing on a large surfboard — is family friendly, relatively easy to learn, and available
PAGE 24 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019
More than 1,500 runners take part in the Dick Beardsley Half Marathon, 10K, 5K Walk/Run, Youth Run, and Relay every September. The courses take runners through picturesque parts of the community that include a mix of rolling hills, flat areas, and views of Big Detroit Lake. This year’s races are scheduled for Saturday, September 7. 6. CATCH A SHOW AT THE HOLMES The Historic Holmes Theatre offers a wide array of entertainment options, from local children’s theatre productions to professional touring dance groups, and from comedy acts to bigname concerts. Shows this fall include a performance of “Pinocchio” by the traveling Prairie Fire Theatre, a hip
TO DO THIS FALL
(THAT WE HAVEN’T ALREADY MENTIONED)
hop concert by D Mills & The Thrills, an Eagles band tribute show, vocal music by the men’s ensemble Cantus, and much more. Whether you’re planning a date night or just looking for something a little different to do, a visit to the Holmes is a great way to spend an evening in Detroit Lakes. For more information, visit dlccc.org/ holmes-theatre.html. 7. GO BACK IN TIME Immerse yourself in the fascinating history of Becker County with a visit to the Becker County Museum. There are permanent displays on everything from the area’s most infamous wolf, Old Three Legs, to the “World’s Smallest Gas Station,” as well as temporary exhibits; they all showcase the museum’s collection of more than 14,000 photographs and 20,000 artifacts. Children’s camps and all-ages activities are frequently hosted by the museum, and a research library is open to the public during regular business hours, 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The museum is located at 714 Summit Avenue.
8. SNUGGLE UP WITH A GOOD BOOK Remember those books you meant to read before the craziness of summer came and swept you away? Well, fall’s your chance to cuddle up in a blanket and catch up on some reading. Head to the Detroit Lakes Public Library, located in a historic building at 1000 Washington Avenue, to find whatever book you’re looking for, plus DVDs, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers and more. The library also hosts regular events and meetings, like children’s storytimes and writer’s groups, as well as occasional special events like live children’s theatre performances and small music concerts. For more information, visit larl.org/locations/ detroitlakes/. 9. BLUES, BEER AND BBQ The local Kiwanis club puts the “fun” in fundraising with this annual charitable event at Detroit Mountain. Blues, Beer and BBQ provides an evening of live blues music, ice cold beer and savory BBQ ribs, brisket and pulled pork with all the fixings —
with proceeds going to programs and scholarships for local youth. Happening rain or shine on Saturday, September 21, this year’s event will feature Minnesota Blues Hall of Famers the Dee Miller Band and PK Mayo, along with local blues legend Mr. Jack (a.k.a. John Hutchinson). Bring your blankets or lawn chairs and join in the fun! The mountain will be offering scenic lift rides until 8 p.m. 10. TOUR SOME FABULOUS HOMES The first weekend of October will bring Detroit Lakes’ annual tour of homes, the Damien Home Tour. A fall tradition in the community, the tour is now in its 40th year, taking place on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 12:30-4 p.m. The owners of five exceptional local homes will open their doors to tour-goers during this time, giving people the chance to be inspired by their unique design and fall decor ideas. Check local media for more information as the event nears.
FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 25
DETROIT LAKES AREA
CALENDAR OF EVENTS BY DETROIT LAKES TRIBUNE STAFF
AUGUST
6: Toast to Tamarac, Richwood Winery, Richwood 6: Foreigner, Shooting Star Casino, Mahnomen, 8 p.m. 7: Dick Beardsley Run, Detroit Lakes 7: Grape Stomp, Richwood SEPTEMBER Winery, Richwood Every Saturday: Live 11: Cruise DL Night, West Music, Richwood Winery, Lake Drive Richwood; Childrens’ 11: Brown Bag Lunch Storytime, at the Detroit Series, with Dennis Warling, Lakes Library, 10:30 a.m. Becker County Museum at Every Sunday: Wildlife noon Movies, 2 p.m. start, Tamarac 12: Lakes Area Women’s National Wildlife Refuge Expo, Kent Freeman Arena, Detroit Lakes Every Tuesday & 12: Ecumen Charity Saturday: Lakes Area Benefit, Long Bridge Bar, Farmers Market, Peoples 5-10 p.m. Park, Detroit Lakes 13: Fire & Ice Fundraiser Every Friday: Baby Bounce stories and activities, for Essentia Health St. Mary’s Foundation, Detroit Lakes, Detroit Lakes Library, 10:30 6-11 p.m. a.m. 19: United Way 1-2: Western Minnesota Steam Threshers 65th Annual Community Celebration, Detroit Lakes Pavilion, 4:30Reunion, Rollag 6:30 p.m. 1-2: 29th Annual Laddies Loppet Mountain Bike Races, 21: Fall Festival, Hawley Maplelag 21: Blues, Beer and BBQ, 1-2: Shady Hollow Flea Detroit Mountain, Detroit Market, Detroit Lakes Lakes, 5-11:55 p.m. 29: Storytime, Detroit Lakes Library, 10:30 a.m. 30-Sept. 2: Western Minnesota Steam Threshers 65th Annual Reunion, Rollag
PAGE 26 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019
26: Cantus concert, Historic Holmes Theatre, Detroit Lakes, 7:30 p.m. 27: Bill Engvall, Shooting Star Casino, Mahnomen, 8 p.m. 28: Pumpkin Fest, Lake Park 28: Takin’ It To The Limit concert, Historic Holmes Theatre, Detroit Lakes, 7:30 p.m. 29: Fall Festival, Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge
OCTOBER
Every Saturday: Childrens’ Storytime, at the Detroit Lakes Library, 10:30 a.m. Every Tuesday & Saturday: Lakes Aea Farmers Market, Peoples Park, Detroit Lakes Every Friday: Baby Bounce stories and activities, Detroit Lakes Library, 10:30 a.m. 5: “I Outran the Hairy Man” 5K, Vergas 5: Damien Society Fall Home Tour, Detroit Lakes
10: “What’s Going On? Songs from the Vietnam Era,” by The Fabulous Armadillos, Historic Holmes Theatre, 7:30 p.m. 11: Wynonna, Shooting Star Casino, Mahnomen, 8 p.m. 12: Quilt Expo, by the Lakes Area Quilters, Washington Square Mall, Detroit Lakes, 10 a.m. 12: Harvest Moon Beer Sampling and Fish Fry, Detroit Lakes Lions fundraiser, at Shorewood Pub, 4-8 p.m. 22: Romance and Virtuosity musical, Historic Holmes Theatre, 7 p.m. 26-27: Richwood Winery’s season closing celebration, Callaway
NOVEMBER
Every Saturday: Childrens’ Storytime, at the Detroit Lakes Library, 10:30 a.m. Every Friday: Baby Bounce stories and activities, Detroit Lakes Library, 10:30 a.m. 8-10: Lakescon, Holiday Inn Lakefront 16: John McEuen and the String Wizards, Historic Holmes Theatre, 7:30 p.m. 21: Andrew Walesch Big Band Celebrates Sinatra, Historic Holmes Theatre, 7:30 p.m. 28-Dec.1: Parade of Trees, Lake Park American Legion 30: Old Fashion Xmas, Vergas For more information about any of these events, visit: http://business.visitdetroitlakes. com/events
Hometown Crafts & Fabric Detroit Lakes and Wadena
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824 Washington Avenue• Detroit Lakes • 218-844-5840 HOURS: M-F 9am-8pm; Sat. 9:30am-5:30pm; Sun. 12 noon-5pm
FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 27
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FALL
DETROIT LAKES NEWSPAPERS • 511 WASHINGTON AVENUE, DETROIT LAKES, MN • 218-847-3151 PAGE 28 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019
FALL IN THE LAKES AREA Continued from page 15
HALLOWEEN SCENE
As is the tradition for communities across the country, door-to-door trick-or-treating takes place on Halloween night in neighborhoods all across town. If you’re in town in Detroit Lakes on Halloween evening, the most hopping place to haunt for trick-ortreating is Summit Avenue. Several blocks along this historic south side street are always jam-packed with costumed kids and their parents, who travel from door to door to collect candy at well-decorated houses from Holmes Street down to West Lake Drive. Many homeowners along this popular trick-or-treating strip get into the spirit, dressing up and sitting around bonfires in their front yards, handing out candy to eager kiddos until dark. In addition, local churches and health care centers usually offer small-child-friendly Trunk or Treat events around the holiday, while nonprofit community groups like the Kiwanis sometimes host public trick-or-treating events at indoor gathering spots like school gymnasiums. Washington Square Mall traditionally hosts a “Halloween Hoot” with indoor trick-or-treating, kids’ games and costumes encouraged. The Detroit Lakes Public Library and community center often get in on the fun, too, hosting Halloween parties with various activities like costume parades, pumpkin decorating, scavenger hunts, inflatables and more. Watch local media outlets around Halloween time for more information. ilable. BBQ and other concessions are sold on site, but visitors are welcome to bring their own food, as well.
PUMPKIN PATCHES
From simple “you pick ‘em” pumpkin fields to elaborate centers of all things fall fun, there are plenty of family-friendly pumpkin patches to pick from in the Detroit Lakes area. Nearest to town is Maple Hills Orchard, located just off Highway 10 between Detroit Lakes and Frazee, at 29355 130th Street. Open weekends September through October, this sprawling pumpkin patch offers kids’ games, tractor rides through the apple orchard, a craft table for painting pumpkins picked on site, and more. Locally grown apples, pumpkins, squash, orchard honey and other gift items are always available in the Apple House Store. Southeast of Frazee, at 50617 404th Avenue, is Janu’s Pumpkin Patch. This friendly, family-run pumpkin patch is open the last weekend of September and the first two weekends in October — sometimes longer, depending on the weather. Stop by to pick up a pumpkin, gourd or mini-pumpkin, and while you’re there, enjoy a quick hayride around Janu’s. There’s also a bouncy house for kids, pumpkin painting, and a tame deer that can be hand-fed by visitors. Further away, but worth the drive, is Thea’s Pumpkin Patch, at 19982 Appaloosa Road in rural Pelican Rapids. This patch started seven years ago as a simple little wagon full of pumpkins placed across the road from young Thea’s family’s farm, and
since then it’s grown into an 8-acre patch offering more than 30 different varieties of pumpkins. The activities have expanded every year, too, to include multiple kids’ games, a petting zoo, hayrides, barrel train rides, an 11-acre corn maze and more. Thea’s is a family-run business, and proceeds raised are put into a college fund for the school-aged namesake (a portion of the sales from one weekend are donated to a select nonprofit group). Thea’s is open every day of the week during pumpkin season, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. East of Detroit Lakes, near Park Rapids, there’s Carter’s Red Wagon Farm. For $12 per person (kids 2 and under are free), families can take part in numerous fun-filled activities offered during the farm’s giant Fall Festival and Pumpkin Party, held on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 18 and 19, as well as the last Saturday in September and every Saturday in October. From 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., visitors can enjoy two corn mazes, hay and straw bale mazes, themed wagon rides, giant pumpkin boats, a hay bale castle, corn pit with a mini slide, giant slide, duck races, cow milking, barrel train rides, a play barn/silo/treehouse, Nerf Wars and many other kids’ games. Group rates and discounts are available. BBQ and other concessions are sold on site, but visitors are welcome to bring their own food, as well.
FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 29
DINING GUIDE
A VARIETY OF DELICIOUS DINING OPTIONS AROUND THE LAKES AREA
DETROIT LAKES
BLEACHERS BAR & GRILL
If sports, burgers and beer rank high on your scoreboard, then come to Bleachers for a hat trick. Voted the best burgers in the Lakes Area! New to menu, taco grinders,philly sandwich, french fries, ALL the sports games you could ever hope to watch on their flat screen TV’s and a scenic deck overlooking Dead Shot Bay for relaxing outdoors. 1/2 price appetizers on Thursdays, Karaoke throughout the year. Don’t forget about 2-4-1 burgers every Sunday! 25807 Cty. Hwy. 22, Detroit Lakes, MN 218-844-6820
DAIRY QUEEN GRILL & CHILL
Fan Food not Fast Food For more than 75 years, Dairy Queen has been a fixture in America. Although much has changed in the world and in the DQ® system through the years, one constant has remained: DQ® restaurants are still, and always have been, the place to find kids’ sports teams celebrating a victory, business people on their lunch break and families taking time out to enjoy great food and soft serve treats. And success for the DQ® system is as simple today as it was in 1940. Satisfied customers lead to successful restaurants. located in the new McKinnley Plaza! 900 McKinley Ave, Detroit Lakes Phone: (218) 847-8154
HOLIDAY INN
NOT your AVERAGE hotel bar The Holiday Beach Bar and Grill is the Lakes Area Sports and Entertainment Headquarters. With an excellent atmosphere and an
amazing view of Big Detroit Lake, we are the place to visit for a night on the town or to just sit and relax on our deck while enjoying a cold, refreshing cocktail. We aren’t just about great cocktails and food, we also offer Electronic Horse Racing and Meat Raffles every Friday night and live entertainment every Saturday starting at 9 pm. You can also enjoy your favorite sports team by watching them on one of our 10 Hidef televisions. Holiday Inn on the Lake 1155 HIGHWAY 10 East DETROIT LAKES, MN. 56501 218.847.2121
ICE CRACKING LODGE
Home of the Famous Thunder Burger, established in 1934, Happy Hour 3-6 PM, $2 Miller Lite and Bud light Taps, Steak Specials every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Class 2 slot machines. Bingo Teleconference Monday and Fridays @ 6pm Reservations Recommended. Open Daily at 11 Closed on Tuesdays. 30389 County HWY 35 Ponsford MN, 56575 218-573-3631
IZZO’S
Izzo’s Bar & Grill is Detroit Lakes’ top hot spot! Enjoy the great atmosphere while dining on a wide variety of savory food delivered with exceptional service. Along with daily, weekly, and monthly specials, Izzo’s offers broasted chicken, ten tap beers to choose from, and an array of drink choices to cool you down in the hot summer weather. Visit our exclusive patio overlooking the 18th green of our championship golf course. 22931 185th Street Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 218-439-3028
PAGE 30 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019
MAIN STREET RESTAURANT
If you want to experience one of Detroit Lakes’ ‘local hangouts’, you have to stop by Main Street Restaurant! They have been voted the “Best Breakfast in Town” and they are sure to deliver. Main Street Restaurant offers quality, homemade food and big portions at a reasonable price. Open Mon.-Fri. 7a.m.-4:00 p.m. • Sat. 7 a.m.3:45 p.m. • Sun. 8a.m.-1:45 p.m 900 Washington Ave., Detroit Lakes, MN 218-847-3344
PIT 611 SPORTS BAR & GRILL
You’ll come for great food and drinks at unbeatable prices, but you’ll end up staying because of the fun and exciting atmosphere. There is a little something for everyone at the Pit 611 Sports Bar & Grill. Open at 11am. Kitchen Hours Mon-Thurs 11-9, Fri & Sat 11-10, Sun 11-9. Easy to find, hard to leave 15057 Cty. Hwy. 11, Audubon 218-439-6121 www.thepit611.com
SPITFIRE BAR AND GRILL
Food with Attitude New to Detroit Lakes and making quite an impact. Voted #1 Restaurant and #1 BBQ Ribs in the Lakes Area Spitfire Bar and Grill will not disappoint. Bring the party outside with a spacious outdoor patio including an inviting fire bar, large screen tv’s, and rock fireplaces. Open Daily at 11am. Open at 10am Saturdays and Sundays for Brunch. Daily Happy Hours Specials. Catering and Events. 1100 North Shore Drive, Detroit Lakes, MN 218-844-3473 www.spitfirebarandgrill.com
PARK RAPIDS
LAPASTA
Serving your All American Favorites. Delicious burgers, dogs, chicken and fries plus so much more! Don’t forget that frosty mug of Rootbeer or add sweet vanilla ice cream for the traditional float. Carhop service or dine in. Open 7 Days A Week, summer 11 am to 9 pm, hours seasonally adjusted. Located 1004 Park Ave. S. (Hwy. 71 S.) Park Rapids, MN 218-732-3551. Satisfy your craving for Home Town Flavors at your locally owned A&W Drive In.
Full menu for all to enjoy. Breakfast starts at 8:30 AM with our famous Dorset Pockets & Potato pancakes plus lots of omelets and other goodies. Lunch offers a wide selection of fresh Angus burgers as well as Italian entrees including pizza. Dinner is amazing starting at 5:00 PM with a full Italian menu with our traditional Italian plus more exotic fusion dishes. Thru Memorial Day Open Thurs. - Sun. at 8:30 am Breakfast & Lunch, 5 pm Dinner, After Memorial Day Open Tues. - Sun 8:30 am Breakfast & Lunch and 7 DAYS A WEEK 5pm for Dinner. Downtown Dorset. 218-732-0275. Breakfast $, Lunch $. Dinner $$ [W] F
THE GOOD LIFE CAFE
RAPID RIVER LOGGING CAMP
A&W
Fresh, creative food and craft beer in a comfortable atmosphere! Lunch and dinner menus offer a combination of traditional and adventurous dishes, including comfort foods, vegetarian and gluten-free. We prepare unique specials for each meal aligned with the seasons. We also have 14 MN craft beers on tap, cocktails, wine, wi-fi and a kid’s menu. It’s time you got back to The Good Life! Memorial - Labor Day Weekends: Open 7-days a week for lunch and dinner, Seasonal hours and menus online. 220 Main Ave. S., Park Rapids. 218-237-4212 www.thegoodlifecafepr.com. Lunch $ Dinner $ (W) F
The 64-year tradition. ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT served family style. Open 7 days a week, Memorial weekend through Labor Day. Breakfast 7:30 am to 12 Noon. Dinner 1-8 pm. Top off your logger’s meal with a stroll along the Potato River. Hwy. 71 N. Turn on Co.Rd. 18, follow signs. 218-732-3444. $ W]
THE ROYAL
The local favorite where you will enjoy possibly the BEST burger in northern Minnesota. Plus many appetizers and your favorite beverage. Open 7 days a week. Mon.-Sat. at 11 am,Sun. at noon. 120 S. Main, downtown Park Rapids. 218-732-9443. $ [W]
STOMPIN’ GROUNDS
Full menu served daily. Sink your teeth into the ‘Stompin Burger,” our most popular burger! Chicken, fish, homemade soup & more. Don’t miss Wing Wednesdays! Full bar ~ 4 pm Happy Hour. Breakfast Sat. & Sun. 8 am 11 am. Kitchen open Sat. - Thurs. 10 am - 8pm, Fri. & Sat. 10 am 9pm. Bar open Mon. - Sat. 10 am - 1 am, Sun. 10am - Midnight. Hwy. 64, N. of Akeley 218-652-2964
VACATIONAIRE & CLANCY’S ON ISLAND LAKE
Casual dining in our dining room or on the deck overlooking beautiful Island Lake. Full menu, kids menu, broasted chicken eat-in or take-out. Reservations recommended. Kitchen open until 10 pm. 218-732-5270.
Y STEAK HOUSE
Celebrating 74 years of fine dining in the Park Rapids area on Hwy. 71. Open at 4 pm daily. Prime rib nightly, walleye, jumbo shrimp, BBQ ribs, seafood, choice steaks, chicken, combination meals, children’s menu, nightly specials and your favorite beverage from the Fish Hook Bar. Open 7 days a week. Sun.-Thurs 4 pm - 9 pm, Fri. & Sat. 4 pm - 10 pm.. Reservations appreciated. • 1 mi. North on Hwy. 71, Park Rapids. 218732-4565. $$ [W] F
FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 31
• • • • • • • •
Dining Bleachers Pg. 35 Dairy Queen Pg. 34 Ice Cracking Lodge Pg. 38 Izzo’s Pg. 39 Main Street Restaurant Pg. 37 Pit 611 Pg. 36 Spitfire Bar & Grill Pg. 40 The Holiday Inn Pg. 33
in DL
CHECK OUT THESE GREAT RESTAURANTS ON THE NEXT FEW PAGES FOR A VARIETY OF DELICIOUS FOOD OPTIONS PAGE 32 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019
Lakes Area Football Headquarters Watch the Bison & Vikings play Great Specials & Giveaways including Viking Tickets during the games.
700' SANDY BEACH
AREA’S ONLY FULL SERVICE HOTEL
Sunday NFL Ticket allows you to watch your favorite team.
Live Bands on Saturdays
at 9pm
Live music on the patio every Saturday
at 2pm Every Sunday at 4pm • THE ORIGINAL CASTAWAYS • TRY OUR STEAK ON THE LAKE MENU!
WEDDINGS • EVENTS • MEETINGS • POOL HOT TUB • SAUNA • MARINA • RENTALS
YOUR LAKEFRONT VACATION AWAITS YOU!
(SERVED FROM 11AM - CLOSE, EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK)
SERVING PRIME RIB every Friday and Saturday night starting at 5pm
Hwy. 10 E. Detroit Lakes, MN 218-847-2121
www.dlinn.com FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 33
w e n r u o y r T
847-8154
MCKINLEY PLAZA • DETROIT LAKES PAGE 34 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019
What's going on at
2-4-1ink
Golfers dr h specialenwt it curr scorecard
Bloody Mary Bar 11am-3pm Saturday & Sunday
Daily Lunch Specials!
HAPPY HOUR Dock Access to Deadshot Bay Monday-Friday 218-844-6820 25807 Cty Hwy 22 • Detroit Lakes 3:00-6:00pm FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 35
GET YOUR LONG WEEKEND ON! SUNDAY OMLETTE BAR PREPARED FRESH RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!
THURSDAY OUTDOOR GRILLED TO ORDER SIRLOIN STEAK MEAT RAFFLE 6PM TILL GONE
SERVED 9-NOON
(WEATHER PERMITTING)
$10.95
$14.95
MONDAY - FRIDAY 4-6PM HAPPY HOUR $1 OFF BOTTLES, TAP, AND RAIL DRINKS
1/2 PRICE APPETIZERS
SAT Breakfast 9 am-12 pm
OPEN DAILY AT 11 AM
Cruise to the Pit Night With Bruce and Tiki Dee SUNDAY FUNDAY 3 PM-7 PM 5pm-9pm • At the patio at the PIT (Weather Permitting) First 25 cars receive a drink token
Sept 8th
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT ALL SUMMER LONG! Party with us on the Patio (weather permitting)
EASY TO FIND, HARD TO LEAVE
• Aug 30th - Deadbeats • Aug 31st - Krazy Keys • Sept 14th - Fat Cats (pre October Fest)
15057 Co Hwy 11, Audubon, MN 56511 (218) 439-6121 | thepit611.com PAGE 36 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019
VOTED BEST BREAKFAST IN THE LAKES AREA!
Proudly Serving Downtown Detroit Lakes
FOR OVER 20 YEARS BREAKFAST • LUNCH DESSERT
INCLUDES COFFEE!
BREAKFAST SPECIALS STARTING AT $609 MON-FRI 7AM-11
ANY OMELET, HASHBROWNS, TOAST & COFFEE $849 CHEESEBURGER TO GO! $ 69 749 8 11AM TO CLOSE
$
WITH FRIES
FRIES & POP
PIE & COFFEE 49 3 MON-FRI 2-4PM $
– 7 DAYS A WEEK –
Main Street Restaurant
900 Washington Ave. Detroit Lakes, MN • 847-3344
Open Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m.-4:00 p.m. • Sat. 7 a.m.- 3:45 p.m. • Sun. 8 a.m.-1:45 p.m. FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 37
Home of the Famous
Thunder Burger Ice Cracking Lodge Est. 1934
NEW OWNERS - BRIAN AND TANDRA PARSONS
Class 2 Slot Machines BINGO: TELECONFERENCE MONDAY 6PM FRIDAY 6PM RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED
Y OPEN DAIL AT 11 AM DAYS S E U T N O CLOSED
HAPP YH $2.0 OUR 3-6 0 MIL PM L E R LIT AND E BUD LIGH T TAPS
Steak Specials FRI/SAT/SUN
30389 COUNTY HWY 35 • PONSFORD MN, 56575 • (218)573-3631 PAGE 38 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019
Open at 11am Seven Days a Week
218-439-3028 Hwy 10 W
Broasted Chicken • Burgers • Salads Appetizers • Pizza • & Daily Specials
What is on your Buckett List?
Carry Out Available!
C Check out our Daily Specials Happy Hour Sunday Thursday 3:00-6:00
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F Friendly vice, great serv foo food and all your favorite beverages! FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | PAGE 39
1100 North Shore Drive, Detroit Lakes MN 218-844-FIRE (3473)
LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED
Food With Attitude
SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS: Brunch from 9-11am Bloody Mary & Bottomless Mimosa’s
Happy Hour 3-6pm & 9-close
MONDAY - 1/2 PRICE BOTTLES OF WINE ALL DAY 1/2 price select apps from 9-10pm
Lunch specials 11am - 1pm
TAP BEER 320 at the tap
$450 domestic pints all day $350 during Happy hour
$10 Sandwich of the day with choice of side
Voted #1 Restaurant #1 BBQ/Ribs in the Lakes Area PAGE 40 | FALL SCENE | SEPTEMBER 2019