Detroit Mountain Recreation Area
Watch Detroit Mountain come alive at night. From glowing laser tubing runs to skiers carving under the lights, this aerial drone footage showcases the energy and atmosphere of night skiing like never before.
2025 Holiday Train
A Detroit Lakes crowd showed up with energy this afternoon as the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train ended the show with Silent Night. 🎄❤️
2025 Light Parade
Detroit Lakes Parade of Lights… as seen slightly elevated. 🚁🎄 Even at 13° outside, hundreds of awesome humans lined the streets of Detroit Lakes to enjoy the Parade of Lights — proving once again that Minnesotans consider anything above zero to be “festival weather.” 😂 50+ local businesses and organizations were showing off their brightest, sparkliest, most “hope this doesn’t blow a fuse” Christmas creations. If you were in the parade, cheering, waving, or simply trying to remember what your toes felt like earlier today… this video is for you. DL showed up, lit up, and warmed up the night (well, spiritually, not physically).
Halloween 2025 on Summit Ave
Take a spooky ride with me as we captured some Halloween fun on Summit Avenue in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. From colorful costumes to glowing jack-o’-lanterns, this neighborhood comes alive as trick-or-treaters fill the streets. 👻 Half the fun isn’t just the costumes — it’s the joy of handing out candy and watching the excitement of kids (and parents!) celebrating together. 🧙♀️🦸♂️ Families, friends, and neighbors all get in on the spirit, making it one of the most festive nights of the year. If you love small-town Halloween vibes, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share for more community drone videos and festive footage! 🎥✨
2025 Frazee CornerStone Haunted Forest
The Frazee CornerStone Collective pulled off an unforgettable seasonal scare this past weekend with the Haunted Forest and Farm—and it was a huge success! 👻 Thanks to the incredible creativity, energy, and dedication of our amazing volunteers, every eerie pathway and spooky scene came to life, making this event a truly memorable experience for all who dared to attend. From spine-chilling scares to festive fun, it was a night to remember! We’re so proud of how our community came together to make this event possible. Thank you to everyone who helped out, participated, and came to enjoy the frightful festivities. Your support is what makes events like these so special. Until next year... stay spooky! 🕸️🖤
Ortenstone Gardens in Detroit Lakes
If you haven’t been to Ortenstone Gardens yet, now is the perfect time to visit. The fall colors are nearing their peak, and the new art exhibits make the experience even more inspiring. Project 412 has been hard at work, and this video offers just a quick preview of all that’s been happening.
#OrtenstoneGardens #Project412 #GardenArt #ExploreLocal #HiddenGems #ArtInNature #ArtExhibit #CreativeSpaces #PublicArt #InspiredByNature
Bucks Mill fall scenery
With plans to remove the Bucks Mill Dam moving forward, this could be the last fall to see it in place. I thought it was important to record and share this moment from such a meaningful community and historic landmark.
2025 Detroit Lakes High School Homecoming Parade
What a perfect day for a Homecoming Parade! Thanks to the smart decision to reschedule after Friday’s rain, the following Monday couldn’t have turned out better. Everywhere you look—it’s nothing but miles of smiles!
2025 Oktoberfest
Another successful Detroit Lakes Oktoberfest is in the books! Relocating between Zorbaz and Peoples Park turned out to be a fantastic choice—it gave the whole event a more festive atmosphere and really captured that fall festival feeling.
The interactive band got everyone involved in the fun!
The Dick Beardsley Races
Dick Beardsley is a Detroit Lakes marathoner famed for the 1982 Boston Marathon— known for his "Duel in the Sun" where he finished second just 1.6 seconds behind Alberto Salazar with a record-shattering time. This year celebrated the 30th anniversary of this annual event. The event offers a combination of multiple distance races to encourage full community involvement. The most popular of course is the 25k race with a loop all the way around the lake. This year more than 1400 people participated.
MINNESOTA - the woods in Mid-August
These are the wood along the Buffalo River in Northern Minnesota near Fargo.
Detroit Lakes Trucks & Tunes - July 31st, 2025
Project 412 really brought the energy, and The Johnny Holm Band absolutely crushed it! 🎶 They played all the classics—including Don’t Stop Believin’ (one of my all-time faves!). 🙌 If you missed it... you really missed out. Can’t wait for the next one!
Detroit Lakes Trucks & Tunes - June 19th, 2025
Detroit Lakes Trucks & Tunes – Your Perfect Summer Thursday! 🚚🎶 If you haven’t been to Detroit Lakes Trucks & Tunes, you’ve been missing out! Join us every Thursday night from 5–8 PM all summer long for an evening filled with delicious food truck eats and live music. Bring the family, pack your lawn chairs, and get ready to kick back and enjoy the vibe — we’ve got your summer nights covered!
The 2025 Parade of the Northwest
The Parade of the Northwest was the climax event of the 89th annual Water Carnival. The Detroit Lakes Jaycees really pulled off a wonderful week of events.
The 2025 Bash at the Beach - LONESTAR
The iconic country band Lonestar, performed at the Bash at the Beach concert in Detroit Lakes, one of the dozens of events in the community's 89th annual Northwest Water Carnival.
The 2025 Mark Knutson Memorial Tour da Lakes
The 89th Annual Great Northwest Water Carnival in Detroit Lakes is organized by the Detroit Lakes Jaycees, who have been hosting this beloved community festival since 1935. This year's celebration runs from Friday, July 11 to Sunday, July 20, 2025. This is the second year of the annual bike ride event as part of the Detroit Lakes Water Carnival to remember Mark Knutson who was the General Manager of Detroit Mountain and had passed away tragically in a bicycle accident. He was an avid skier and bicyclist, and was a highly respected member of our community.
Of The Earth - at Ortenstone Garden in Detroit Lakes
Unveiled July 7th, 2025 at the 50-acre Ortenstone garden, the brand-new sculpture "Of The Earth" by Olga Ziemska is the latest addition to what is fast becoming a standout art destination. The piece joins an evolving collection that also features one of Thomas Dambo’s iconic trolls. Project 412 Visit Detroit Lakes MN
The greatly anticipated Fireworks Display
Because of the storm that rolled through in the 4th of July, the fireworks was delayed for one day and went off without a hitch on the evening of July the 5th. Here is the last 16 minutes of the 22 minute fireworks show.
The 5th of July 2025 in Detroit Lakes Minnesota
Detroit Lakes truly shines during the 4th of July. The sense of community is strong, with families gathering early to find the perfect spot for the fireworks, bringing lawn chairs, blankets, snacks, and smiles. The festive atmosphere, combined with the natural beauty of the lake and all the local activities, makes it a welcoming and memorable place for both residents and visitors. Whether you're enjoying a boat ride, catching a swim, or just soaking up the small-town charm, it’s easy to see why people love to celebrate here. A great place to live and visit, indeed!
There was a storm that came through the evening of the 4th of July, but the re-scheduled Fireworks took place on Saturday the 5th. Hundreds of boats scattered the lake, and thousands more viewed the fireworks from the shore of Detroit Lake.
Cruise DL - June 11th, 2025
This was the first Cruise DL night of the season. Every 2nd Wednesday of the month from June through September, you will find a treasure trove of amazing machenery lining West Shore Drive for nearly half a mile. Don't miss a single event, although most of the entries come every time, there are new cars that show up from time to time. Get to know the people behind the car, they all have a story to tell.
Truck & Tunes - June 5th, 2025
Be sure to include Truck & Tunes in your calendar every Thursday evening all summer long at Detroit Lakes City Park. Here are a few scenes from this week's event.
Detroit Lakes Memorial Day Weekend
The Holzgrove family has a tradition of putting up 100 flags along the one mile long public beach in Detroit Lakes. Saturday evening was calm and a perfect time to reflect and enjoy the beauty of the lake with the glow of the setting sun.
Detroit Lakes new Water Tower - May 13th, 2025
The new water tower is starting to take shape
Spectacular Sunsets at Detroit Mountain
I love night skiing at Detroit Mountain for the spectacular sunsets that are quite common there. From the top of the mountain you will see the sun set over the Lakes with the city lights in the foreground. But the number one reason to ski at Detroit Mountain is for the interaction with very kind and wonderful people. "Minnesota Nice" is a very real thing, and the people here take it to the next level!
2025 Detroit Lakes Polar Plunge - Second Half
Couldn't fit all of the jumpers on one video. Nearly $80,000 was raised in this year's annual event for the Boys and Girls Club of Detroit Lakes.
2025 Detroit Lakes Polar Plunge - First Half
This is the big annual fundraiser for the Detroit Lakes Boys and Girls Club. More than a hundred volunteer jumpers were sponsored to jump for this cause.
Adult Pineword Derby Races
If you were ever a cub scout, you would completely understand. It was the dads that helped out to make your car a showstopper! This brand new Detroit Lakes Polar Fest event was done FIRST CLASS by Lance Akers and the Detroit Lakes Boy Scouts. Be sure to rev your engines and get a car ready for next year!
ULTRA Snowmobile Club
Nice weather and beautiful sleds made this year's ULTRA Snowmobile Club event a big hit. The vintage sleds were amazing! Polar Pete was also there to lend support as part of the DL Polar Fest.
COOL KITES on the Ice!
Project 412 hosted February 9th, 2025 "Cool Kites on the Ice." This is one of the many activities and events in the Detroit Lakes Polar Fest. It was a perfect day for kite flying - light winds and clear blue skies. Most families enjoyed watching the kites from their cars, but quite a few families got out to fully appreciate how huge these flying creations really are
POLES 'N HOLES - Kickoff to the Polar Fest
The 15th annual 2025 Poles 'n Holes Fishing Derby was very well attended in spite of colder than normal temps. Polar Pete was there to encourage these hearty fishermen. More than 40 prizes were given away. Top prize was an Ambush Stryker skid house, and I know that Tony Reller also offered an E-Bike.
Detroit Mountain New Year's Eve Torch Parade
This was the first time Detroit Mountain ever did a Torch Parade for New Year's Eve. Because all participants were kids, they used Glow Sticks instead of flairs or sparklers. Everyone had a good time
Light up DL at City Park
City Park has been illuminated with bright white Christmas lights near Alexia the Troll. Make it a point to take a walk to see the park.
CHRISTMAS EVE FROST
The frost on the trees were so thick that it looked like a scene from a Hallmark movie. Hundreds of ice fishermen were already set up with their ice houses and shelters of all types, and ready for the season.
DETROIT LAKES POLAR FEST
The Polar Fest is an annual tradition filled with two weeks of activities held in mid February every year. This is a brief overview of just a few of the outdoor activities, but there are many more indoor activities as well.
2024 Canadian Pacific Holiday Train
There was a large crowd that gathered to watch the whistle stop concert that the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train does every year as a benefit for the food pantry. This year, the Holiday Train came to Detroit Lakes on a Sunday afternoon that helped the attendance a bit.
2024 Peteyville Christmas Lights
Bring the spirit of Christmas into your life and share it with the ones you love at Peteyville in Pelican Rapids Minnesota. The lights come on at 5:30 every night until January 5th.
2024 Detroit Lakes Parade of Lights
It is impossible to include every image, every exchange, every laugh, or every emotion in a short video - but this gives you a good idea of how good it is living in such a wonderful community. This parade is just one of the many examples where everyone comes together and rings in the spirit of Christmas. Even though it was just 13 degrees outside, it still makes your heart warm.
Dunton Locks - Fall Sunset
I was happy to see so many young people out enjoying the crisp fall evening with all of the vibrant colors in the trees and sky.
Jacob Everear - the Troll at Wannigan Park
This is a short ariel tour from the covered bridge to the Troll at Wannigan Park in Frazee Minnesota.
The Thomas Dambo Rabbit Trail - Mid-Fall Colors
Fall is a beautiful time of year to visit all of the Thomas Dambo Trolls in Detroit Lakes Minnesota. The Rabbit is probably the most unique of all trolls because it is covered in a recycled plastic material rather than pallets of wood like you would see in all of his other creations - not to mention that it is a rabbit rather than a humanoid figure.
Dunton Locks - Birdwatching in a Canoe
Detroit Lakes still has some beautiful weather in early October. We are about a week before full fall color and it is still quite warm to enjoy paddling around in the lake.
The Sweet Spot - Grand Opening
The Sweet Spot celebrated its Grand Opening today. Lillie's Lollipops now has a mobile, mostly official location at the corner of Highway's 10 and 11 in Audubon, across the street from Ortons. The next time you drive by, drop in and say HI!
2024 Detroit Lakes High School Homecoming Parade
The weather was absolutely perfect for thousands of students of all ages to line the streets to watch the Homecoming Parade.
Detroit Lakes - Sept 11th Tribute Auto Show
The final Auto Show of the year in Detroit Lakes happened to land on September 11th, so it was decided to do a tribute to the fallen heroes at this well attended event. Mayor Matt Brenk proclaimed the day to be Detroit Lakes "Patriot Day." What a wonderful way to enhance a traditional American auto show!
2024 Cormorant Daze
This is a video of the 2024 Cormorant Daze and the inauguration of the new Mayor of the city - a dog named Khaleesi Sherbrooke. Fun activities all day including an auto show, live music, bouncy houses, flea market, kiddie rides, wrestling match, amazing food, and much more!
Dustin Lynch at Music on the Mountain
Music on the Mountain is an annual event in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. The venue is Detroit Mountain. About 4000 people attended this year's event featuring Dustin Lynch. This video is just a glimpse of the show, the setting, and the attendee experience.
Detroit Mountain Pond Skim Event
Detroit Mountain hosts a "Pond Skim" event to close out the skiing season. This year's event was much earlier than normal on March 16th due to the minimal snowfall but the snow machines did a very good job keeping the runs open all season.
Cool Kites on the Lake - a Detroit Lakes Polar Fest event
The Detroit Lakes Polar Fest has dozens of community activities all taking place during the 2 week frozen festival. One of the highlights is the Cool Kites. You have to be there to fully appreciate how huge these kites really are. Just look at the people on the lake in comparison to the size of these flying creations.
New Year's Day 2024 at Detroit Mountain
This year so far, the season has not been very friendly for snow pack, but that isn't a huge problem at Detroit Mountain. They have 17 huge snowmaking machines that blow plenty of man-made snow that keeps the skiers happy. It is very nice to have such a nice facility within 10 minutes of downtown Detroit Lakes.
THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AT CITY PARK
No one was complaining about the warmer than normal temperatures at the Tree Lighting Ceremony at City Park. Detroit Lakes Project 412 sponsored this City Park Tree Lighting. Mayor Matt Brenk did the count down with his ceremonial light bulb that illuminated dozens of trees and overhead streamers of lights.
THE CANADIAN PACIFIC HOLIDAY TRAIN
It was a beautiful clear blue sunny afternoon when the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train made its 25th annual whistle stop in Detroit Lakes to entertain a very large crowd. The suggested caned food donation was to benefit the local Food Pantry.
DETROIT LAKES PARADE OF LIGHTS
The super cold 8 degree temps didn't keep away the community from ringing in the holiday season in style! The Detroit Lakes Christmas Tree lighting celebration was immediately followed by the Light Parade up Washington Ave. This year, the Grinch was as popular as Santa.
THS DEER SWAM ACROSS THE LAKE
I was with friends one night enjoying the sunset over an incredibly calm Big Detroit Lake getting some amazing footage of the sunset when we saw a ripple way out in the water of a large object making its way across the lake. I decided to investigate and also came across a couple of girls on a paddle board that were also out investigating the large object that was crossing the entire lake. Enjoy!
FALL COLORS ARE AMAZING HERE!
One of the blessings of living here is the amazing colors in the fall. The season this year was longer than normal since we had very favorable weather until late in October. This video was taken at Tamarack Lake on a typical Sunday afternoon.
2022 Detroit Lakes Memorial Day Tribute
Jason Bristlin and Chris Nord requested this video and if you get a chance thank the Lakes Region Color Guard as well as Dave Coalwell and his family for the amazing work they do every year at Oak Grove Cemetery. They honor those that gave all in an amazing tribute that I think is wildly appropriate! There are many volunteers that set up and take down this display and I thank them all! I am proud to be a part of this community and tributes like this represent the true nature of our Veterans respecting those that have gone before us. ALL GAVE SOME, AND SOME GAVE ALL! God Bless our fallen!
2023 Detroit Mountain Pond Skim
The Pond Skim is the last activity of the ski season at Detroit Mountain Ski Resort. Participants are encouraged to wear costumes and have to have fun! This makes for an awesome community activity.
Hillfest 2023 at Detroit Mountain
Hillfest 2023 at Detroit Mountain was an awesome event! The weather was perfect and the riders had a good time showing off their skills to the spectators. You would think some of these snowmobiles had sprouted wings as far as they flew!
CRUISE DL AUTO SHOW
Detroit Lakes has a very active auto enthusiast group that line up their cars to show them off on the second Wednesday of each month all summer long. This particular night was the last one of the year on September 13th, 2023.
EVENING AT DUNTON LOCKS
Summer evenings are especially beautiful on the lakes - this is perhaps one of the top reasons why we live here. Turn up the volume and enjoy the music as well.
The LOON is the Minnesota State Bird
One early morning I saw these two birds on the lake behind my home making their calls to each other. I grabbed my drone and went to get a closer look and it felt like they were showing off to me and doing everything they could to be seen. It is neat to see how they swim under water to catch fish.
Detroit Lakes Ice Palace LIGHTING
The Sn'Ice Palace lighting was the kick off of the 3-week Polar Fest in Detroit Lakes. There is nothing so spectacular as Fire and Ice! Events continue through February 27th.
Detroit Lakes Ice Palace Construction
This is the largest Ice Palace ever built in Detroit Lakes at 32′ tall x 95′ wide x 24’ deep! This was done in celebration of the city's 150th year anniversary. It took almost 2 weeks and hundreds of community volunteer hours to construct this amazing structure. The lighting of the Ice Palace is the kickoff of the 17-Day Polar Fest in Detroit Lakes with dozens of scheduled activities. "Minnesota Nice" is more than just a catch phrase here - it is a very real thing and with people coming together to create events such as this, it draws people to live here.
