Brilliant yellow sunflowers are washing fields and scarlet red leaves are showing on
maples here and there. The northern landscape will soon ripen with fall colors so
breathtaking you won’t be able to resist a drive, bike ride or walk to take them all in. Or
jump on an ATV trail and explore the back country.
The Headwaters 100 bike ride welcomes hundreds of cyclists to tour the spectacular fall
colors. The ride will depart from Century School for 100-mile, 75-mile and 45-mile rides
from 7 to 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 28. The Headwaters 100 provides an opportunity to
ride in a well-organized event, sponsored by the Itascatur Outdoor Activity Club.
Art Leap, an “open studio event” featuring artists’ studios and culturally rich
destinations, will offer 20 sites serving approximately 65 artists and musicians. The
event will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday,
Sept. 29. Art Leap highlights include music, hors d’oeuvres and seeing fall colors at
their peak while driving from studio to studio
. It’s a great time to purchase original art for
your home and meet the artist who created it. Enjoy live demonstrations and other arts
activities at some locations. Brochures with maps, sculpture tour directions and
descriptions, performance times and other information are available at the Chamber
Visitor Center.
Heartland Arts (formerly Park Rapids Lakes Area Arts Council) will sponsor the Great
American Story as part of Art Leap weekend. This year’s finalists will tell their stories as
part of the program from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28. While audience votes are being
counted guest storyteller, Richard W. Rousseau, will entertain. For more information, go
to www.thegreatamericanstory.org .
The same evening, Itasca State Park offers the 12th Annual Autumn Harvest Festival
and Lantern Lit Hike. “Legends and Lore of the Northwoods” is this year’s theme.
Guides with lanterns will lead hikers down the kerosene lantern-lit trail to meet
characters that will explore legends of familiar characters, such as Paul Bunyan and
Babe, the loon, mosquito and more. Registration begins at 6 p.m. The first hike leaves
the Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center at 6:30 p.m. and the last hike starts at 8:10. Other
activities also are planned.
More fall fun begins Sept. 28 with the Fall Festival and Pumpkin Party at Carter’s Red
Wagon Farm and continues Saturdays through Oct. 26 as well as Thursday and Friday,
Oct. 17 and 18 (Teacher Association weekend). The festival offers everything to love
about fall and includes Lewis & Clark Expedition-themed wagon rides, corn mazes, a
Scarecrow Band, Nerf Wars, giant pumpkin boats, a play barn-silo with a super slide
and tree deck and bridge with a curly slide, hay bale castle, games and many more
activities as well as great food. Stock up on pumpkins for fall decorating, too.
Or just head north for a stay and enjoy listening to the pine cones plopping to the
ground below, the scent of the fall afternoon air, the sight of early morning fog on lakes
and fields and the feel of a warm campfire.
The Chamber Website has all the information you need to put together a memorable
vacation or weekend visit. If you want help or have questions, call our friendly staff at
800-247-0054 to learn more.
-LuAnn Hurd-Lof