Spring Cleaning Inside and Out
Part of the excitement of spring comes with a refresh: new inventory on store shelves, a
change of window decorations, new signs going up, and clumps of packed snow in parking
lots disappearing. A few windy days and some rainfall will thin the ice on the lakes, and
before we know it, the loons will return. What’s not to love?!
Kid-friendly Easter Events
Tradition beckons kids to enjoy Easter egg hunts, and our communities don’t disappoint!
In Park Rapids, kids were invited to collect candy-filled eggs at 37 businesses Friday,
April 11 and Saturday, April 12. Kids were also able to pose for a picture with the Easter Bunny both days from 11 a.m.
to 1 p.m. at Bella Caffé.
It seldom happens that the dates coincide, but this year’s Park Rapids Easter egg hunt was
part of Park Rapids Community Education and Early Childhood Family Education’s
Week of the Young Child April 7-12. Kids ages 5 and under were invited to participate in
Adventures Around Town. The calendar was jam-packed with activities and events throughout the week, with many area businesses hosting free activities or events to celebrate the Week of the Young Child.
Nevis rolls out their Easter event Saturday, April 19, in Muskie Park. An egg hunt with
prizes for varying age groups and pictures with the Easter Bunny and Pork Chop the Pig
add tp the fun. The event includes a drawing to win free bicycles.
Park Rapids Sculpture Trail
Since 2018, as you walk the streets in downtown Park Rapids and the trail in Red Bridge
Park, you have seen wood, metal, and recycled materials fashioned into interesting
characters and forms along what’s known as the Park Rapids Sculpture Trail.
The City of Park Rapids and the Arts & Culture Advisory Commission sponsor the Sculpture
Trail. The first sculptures were installed in Red Bridge Park, and a year later, sculptures
were added downtown. This year and next, visitors will find five sculptures in the park
and seven downtown. The sculptures are always for sale, and if sold during the year, they will
be replaced.
Entries have already been chosen for 2025-26. The new artworks will be installed in
advance of the annual opening ceremony on Saturday, May 17. For the first time this year,
a theme – the Mississippi Headwaters – was suggested. Several entries illustrate artists’
creative approach to the iconic theme. Some sculptors are local, but others are from
Falcon Heights, Blaine, Brook Park, Dent, Roseville, Bemidji, and Zerkel.
The city also sponsors a People’s Choice Award, with ballots available in late summer.
Last year’s winner, “Not Afraid to Look” by Charles Rencountre of Santa Fe, NM, is still
on display at the Giiwedinong Museum.
Like the downtown murals, residents and visitors are often seen taking selfies and
interacting with the sculptures in other ways.
No matter the season, there is always a full calendar of events to participate in. Learn more about what is going on each day and visit our Events Calendar by clicking here. The Heartland Lakes area welcomes you!