Enjoy All Four Seasons
We love our four seasons. Yes, even our winters – or most of them, anyway. Trust us when we tell you there’s much to celebrate. Mother nature is mostly kind to us. Thunderstorms, yes. Hurricanes, no. Occasional hail storms, yes. Tornadoes, occasionally, but they mostly stay away from the ground. Earthquakes, nope. Snow storms, yes. Blizzards, once in a great while, despite what you might think. Northern lights. Absolutely. Sunshine and rainbows? Yeah, you betcha! All four seasons are incredibly beautiful in the Grand Forks region.
This is the season where you can probably pick and choose from your entire wardrobe. Sweater one day, sandals the next. Snow flurries in the morning, radiant sun in the afternoon. The smell of dirt in the air as our farmers start planting the season’s wheat, soybeans, corn, and beets. There’s nothing quite like the sunrises that start earlier and calm our way to work on our short commute. And we start to get back outside to enjoy baseball, soccer, track, golf and more.
Summers call for backyard BBQ’s and lots of outdoor activities. Some days will get hot, and those are the days you will want to head to the lake or nearest pool. Summer nights are for s’mores and night games. Get ready for some good times!
“The Lake”
You will hear multiple people say they are going to “the lake” once summer weekends arrive. You may think “wow, this lake must be pretty busy.” Not everyone is going to the same lake. There are more lakes than fingers on your hand within a couple hours of the area. They are headed to one of the many lakes. You can thank us later.
The leaves change and the temperature starts to drop. It’s one of the prettiest times of the year. You slowly bring out your lightest winter apparel. School starts again. The town gets a little busier with the students back. Football games start up again as summer activities wind down. Don’t forget to check out the pumpkin patches and haunted houses.
Truth is: it can get quite cold and there can be an abundance of snow. Most people in the region think a Christmas without snow would be silly. The good news, you can dress in layers to get through winter (same can’t be said about summers in the southern states). The crackle of fireplaces warming your evenings and the autostarts warming your vehicles brings new sounds. The cold and snow also bring a whole new set of things to do: skating, snowmobiling, ice fishing, cross country skiing, and sledding to name a few of our favorites. And winter wouldn’t be the same in Hockeytown USA without … hockey: youth, high school and Fighting Hawks.
Check out some of our favorite ways we like to spend our free time:
The area has been named the top hockey town for 2 years! But that’s not all were good at!
Multiple movie theaters surround the area, even an outdoor theater!
All seasons of the year it is common to see people biking – you’ll need to check out the fat tire bikes if you are thinking you want to try hit the trails in the winter!
Trust us, you will appreciate these and your favorite Popsicle on the warm summer days.
We have parks galore! You’ll think they are just as fun as your kiddos. There is a park for children who may have a disability and also one for your pup.
We enjoy spending a lot of time outdoors. Especially on the baseball, softball, and soccer fields. There also are basketball, tennis, and volleyball courts. In the winter, outdoor hockey rinks are the place to be when class is over.
Snowshoe and Cross Country Ski
• Snowshoeing is a great winter past time. Don’t worry if you don’t have them. They are easy to rent and head to the trails.
Snowmobiling
• Throughout the county you fill find many trails to try out. Get ready for hours of fun.
Skating
• Even if you don’t like hockey and cannot twirl on your skates, many people enjoy skating both indoors and outdoors. You may not be good your first time, but you’ll get it!
Sledding
• Grand Forks is rather flat. People sled down the dikes that protect the area from flooding in the spring. Whooo!
Frisbee Golf
• We have not one, but two frolf courses in the area. Grab your best friend and check them out.
Golf
• There are multiple courses found around the county for people with a range of expertise. One course was designed by one of the world’s greatest players in history, Arnold Palmer.
Theater
• Throughout the county you can find a variety of plays and musicals. There are programs for all ages if you are interested in time in the spotlight!
Concerts
• Live music can be found at restaurants, coffee shops, or outdoor concerts in the summer. Your favorite celebrity singers can be found at the Alerus Center or Ralph Englestad Arena.
Grand Forks Library
• Book nerds unite. The Grand Forks Library is a great place to dive into your favorite book. They also offer special activities for all ages!
Farmers Market
• This provides extremely easy access to locally grown and delicious options. You can also find venues with handmade items. You won’t want to miss this.
Organic Farming
• Whether you have a yard or not you can have your own little (or big) garden of your own. There is nothing better than freshly picked fruits or veggies. If you don’t have a yard, we have community gardens available!
Nearby Small Town Events
• The towns that surround Grand Forks know how to have fun. They have street dances, parades, other celebrations celebrating the town and its history.
Halloween Season
• People love to spend time at the pumpkin patches picking out “the great pumpkin” and finding their way through the corn mazes. If you like to be frightened there are haunted farms and homes around the area!
• Do you like to camp, fish, or travel on trails? This is the place for you. Don’t forget your favorite picnic snacks!
• You will be able to view a variety of wildlife and enjoy the great outdoors in these areas!
Work hard, Play Harder.
Have you heard, “why would you move to North Dakota?” People think it sounds, well….not cool. Well guess what, we disagree. We do a lot of similar things that people do everywhere else. Plus more. And, we have been told we are some of the friendliest people around. We know a career move might get you here, but we know that our warm, generous, and fun communities will keep you here.
It’s big enough to have good times with sports and shows. And it is small enough so you can get around without stress. You can get acquainted with lots of people. Or if you prefer the quiet life, you also can find that here.
I love that there always seems to be something going on with sporting events, downtown events, or concerts. It’s small enough that you’re not in a city with traffic, but big enough that there is always something to do.
Grand Forks Herald, Thriving Community 2017
If you are looking for opportunity, for community, and just an overall great place to live – this is it! Greater Grand Forks has everything you need plus some, and if you desire more, major metropolitan cities are a short drive away. If you invest in this community, it will invest back in you tenfold.
From the “I Do’s” at a wedding, to the smell of roasted almonds before the game winning goal, it makes me proud to call the Ralph home. And we are just a small part of the uniqueness that makes Grand Forks, “way cooler than you think”.
In what other community of similar size can you experience international touring acts, a multitude of sporting events, regional conferences, banquets, weddings, and other touring entertainment including family shows, monster trucks and more in world class facilities? We are so fortunate to live in a community where we can bring incredible entertainment to life in several area venues that all want to see Grand Forks grow and thrive.
WORKING TOGETHER TO SHARE WHY GRAND FORKS IS WAY COOLER THAN YOU THINK
