That We Haven't Already Told You About

Fun Things to Do This Summer

(That We Haven’t Already Told You About)

BY DETROIT LAKES TRIBUNE AND PERHAM FOCUS STAFF | FOR SUMMERSCAPE

1TAKE IN A FREE OUTDOORS SHOW Bring your lawn chair or a blanket to sit on and park yourself in front of the Detroit Lakes City Park Bandshell for the Tuesdays in the Park summer concert series. These weekly outdoor concerts feature family-friendly performances by some of the area’s best musicians, playing every Tuesday in June through August. All concerts are free, with free will donations accepted. The music starts at 7 p.m. under the bandshell.

2ENJOY A COUNTY FAIR The rides, the games, the entertainment, the animals, the displays – and let’s not forget about the food! What’s not to love about a good county fair? Detroit Lakes and Perham are each home to one, with the Becker County Fair held at the Detroit Lakes Fairgrounds (at the junction of Rossman Avenue and West Lake Drive) and the East Otter Tail County Fair held at the fairgrounds in Perham (at the end of 4th Street SE). This year’s East Otter Tail County Fair is happening July 21-24, and the Becker County Fair is going on July 27-30. For more info, visit beckercountyfair.com or eotcountyfair.org.

3PUTT AROUND There are plenty of greens to swing a club on around here, with more than 10 golf courses in the Detroit Lakes and Perham areas. Detroit Lakes is home to the Detroit Country Club, Lakeview Golf Course, Wildflower, and Forest Hills, to name a few. In Perham, there’s the Lakeside Golf Club, while Balmoral and Thumper Pond are just short drives south. Tee ‘em up!

4ROLL INTO ROLLAG FOR SOME OLD-FASHIONED FUN Every year over Labor Day weekend, the tiny town of Rollag, 30 minutes west of Detroit Lakes, hosts a sprawling gathering of thousands of people, who convene in this out-of-the-way place for the annual Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion. The event is surprisingly huge, and hugely fun, with hundreds of classic steam engine demonstrations and exhibits spread over 210 rolling acres, along with play areas for kids, train rides around the grounds, and plenty of food booths. Visit rollag.com for more info.

5FEED THE ANIMALS The family-friendly Trowbridge Creek Zoo, located northwest of Vergas on County Highway 17, boasts a zebra, camels and kangaroos as well as parrots, elk, deer, wolves, porcupines, alligators and many more local and exotic animals – and people are encouraged to offer them some feed. A playground area for kids adds to the fun. The zoo is open every day of the week from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and on weekends as weather permits before and after that. For more information, visit the zoo’s Facebook page or go to trowbridgecreekzoo.com.

6FEED YOUR BRAIN Now in its 29th year, the Great American ThinkOff, a nationally famous philosophy contest held in New York Mills, just down Highway 10 from Perham, will get folks thinking about, “Which should be more important: personal choice or social responsibility?” Hosted by the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center, this always-timely and thoughtprovoking event features a live debate with four of the nation’s top ‘armchair philosophers,’ and the audience picks the winner. This years’ debate will be held on Saturday, June 11.

7FEAST ON SOME CAR CANDY FOR THE EYES Calling all classic car lovers: Detroit Lakes has the summer event for you! On the second Wednesday of every month in June, July, August and September, you can drive your favorite classic cruiser to Detroit Lakes’ West Lake Drive for an evening on the City Beach from 4-8:30 p.m. Don’t have a classic car? That’s okay, just come see the variety on display. More than 200 vehicles have been known to gather along the city’s mile-long beach for these fun monthly events.

8RACE A TURTLE The small town of Perham has a big love for turtles. Every Wednesday, all summer long, the community hosts International Turtle Races at its downtown turtle park, from 10 a.m. to noon. Kids and families bring their own turtles to race, or borrow one from the city at the races. The turtles line up in a circle, and at the word ‘go’ they’re released and cheered on as they make their way toward the center. The first one to get there, wins! The big summer festival in Perham, Turtle Fest, is a grand extension of the races, and features a wide variety of family-friendly events over multiple days. This year’s Turtle Fest is happening June 15-19.

9GET PICKIN’ Located five miles south of Detroit Lakes on Highway 59, the Shady Hollow Flea Market is open every weekend from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The market is the biggest around, with more than 100 vendors, plenty of free parking, food and beverages sold on site, and live entertainment a common occurrence. Call 602-809-6661 or visit shadyhollowfleamarket.com for more information.

10 TAKE THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED: VISIT A TINY TOWN NEARBY Sometimes big fun comes in really small packages. We think these three events, all in towns of fewer than 1,400 people and all within an easy driving distance of Detroit Lakes and Perham, are well worth your time. ▶ Frazee Turkey Days: Four fun-filled days of community dances, a demo derby, games, food and more, July 28-31 in Frazee. ▶ Vergas Looney Days: A street fair, wiener dog races, food and more fun, August 12-14 in Vergas. ▶ Ottertail OtterFest: A pancake feed, parade and games, August 13 in Ottertail.