One of the most notable facts about Roseau is that it was the birthplace of snowmobiling and Polaris Industries.

Today, Roseau is still home to the snowmobile and Polaris Industries. Although Polaris is most famous for building snowmobiles they now actually produce more All Terrain Vehicles or ATVs than snowmobiles. 

Visitors are invited to visit the Polaris Industries assembly plant in Roseau and watch snowmobiles and ATVs being built. Plant tours are Monday through Friday at 2 p.m.

Guests may also visit the Polaris Experience Center located just north of the assembly plant and take a trip back to the very beginnings of Polaris in Roseau and the very first snow machines that are the predecessors of today’s snowmobiles. The Experience Center highlights the changes and growth of Polaris to the company it is today with approximately 16,000 employees worldwide and numerous locations throughout the USA and the World. The Experience Center contains a gift shop where various Polaris items can be purchased. Admission to the Experience Center is free with regular hours Monday through Saturday. Call 218-463-4999 for more information.

Let’s take a look back at the Polaris Race Team, known as the Mid Night Blue Express.

Snowmobile manufacturers, including Minnesota-grown Polaris (Roseau) and Arctic Cat (Thief River Falls), had begun competing with each other on the race track in the late 1960s. By the mid-1970s, professional snowmobile racing was a wildly popular sport with a rabid fan base. Polaris’s factory racing team enjoyed its greatest success with a threesome of drivers—Steve Thorson, Brad Hullings, and Jerry Bunke—known collectively as the Midnight Blue Express. On February 26, 1978, Bunke, whom snowmobile historian Jerry Bassett later called “the supreme embodiment of the golden age of snowmobile racing,”  was killed in a race accident.  It was clear that the speed of the vehicles and the design of the sleds were changing and moving toward a powerful sport model. (Bunke on the R)  

Today two great riding legends still reside in Roseau: Bob Pzakwas and Jim Bernat. Their stories are lively and capture the thrill of the ride. That same thrill that made Polaris the company it is today. 

This year Polaris will be celebrating its 70th Anniversary. On January 11, 1956, David Johnson’s snowmobile took its first test run. The rest is history! Roseau will be hosting a celebration commemorating this milestone on August 16-18, 2024.

From an idea developed in a shop in Roseau to a Fortune 500 Company.  This company had a rocketship ride to success in development, manufacturing, racing, and engineering. Polaris would like to welcome its riders and all powersport enthusiasts to the city where it all began-Roseau. Come   celebrate with us.

Photo Credit: Polaris Industries

As fall approaches, our gardens are producing tomatoes in the masses. This salsa recipe makes great use of fresh garden tomatoes and bell peppers. Stop by a local farmers market if you do not have a garden. Roseau Marketplace is every Thursday and Saturday from June until the first hard frost. For under $30, you can take home a basket of farm-grown goodness and create a batch of salsa.

This is a recipe for salsa that a Roseau family has passed on for three generations. Besides being delicious, it’s fresh, bright, and chunky.

Canning salsa is a great way to preserve the freshness. Bringing a jar out in the dead of winter is a happy reminder of the harvest season.

SALSA INGREDIENTS

• 10 cups chopped tomatoes (skins can be removed by boiling the tomatoes until the peels loosen or baking at 450 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes)
• 3 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped green bell pepper
• 5 jalapeños, finely chopped, membranes and seeds removed (leave in for extra spice)
• 8 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 Tablespoons Spanish Oregano (optional)
• 2 ½ teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 ½ tablespoons canning salt
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ⅓ cup white sugar
• 1 ¼ cups apple cider vinegar
• 16 ounces tomato sauce, NOT optional – necessary for safe canning/proper pH
• 12 ounces tomato paste

Bring to a boil for 20 minutes and turn the heat off. Once cooled, it is ready to eat.

If canning right away, you do not have to cool the salsa. Add directly into sterilized, warm jars and follow the canning instructions for your area if using a pressure cooker. This recipe allows for processing in a steambath for 20-25 minutes, allowing the jars to cool naturally.

Note: Leave 1/2 inch of space at the top of each jar to allow for proper sealing.

Photo Credit: Deb Rudd

As summer fades into memory and the leaves begin to change, it’s time to make plans and your lodging reservations for Fall Harvest Festival in Roseau.

Click the button below to print off the schedule of events

REGISTER TO BE A CONTEST IN THE PIE EATING CONTEST. The first person to finish his/her pie will throw their hands in the air to end the contest and be declared the winner. You must be 14 years of age to enter. To participate complete the registration form.

REGISTER YOUR HOTDISH. Hotdish must be entered in the name of the person who made it and presented in an 8 in. x 8 in. size disposable pan. All are welcome to enter, no age requirement.

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MORE EVENTS!

When camping, you can’t beat a one-dish wonder. Consider your tinfoil doubles as a plate; maybe it’s a no-dish meal. Bonus!

Campfire Grilled Foil Packet Dinner is one of those fun meals to cook and enjoy eating. It’s simple to prepare and can be cleaned up in minutes.  Plus, a hot meat and veggie meal is always so satisfying. 

Foil Packet Dinners are good any time of the year. It’s a complete meal you can cook in aluminum foil for easy cleanup. The versatility allows everyone to make theirs just the way they want it. Today we are making Hobo Dinners which is simply, hamburger, patties, carrots, onions, and potatoes. You can use this method for salmon and asparagus, sausage and peppers, chicken and mushrooms, or any other combo. 

The key to a good foil packet meal is to have the protein cook to 165° then the veggies are also done. Heavy-duty tin foil is also best, especially if you do not like things to get golden crispies or burned edges. 

Ingredients

• Pick one Protein per pouch
• 2 chicken leg quarters or one breast, 1  pound Ground beef Pattie’s, Salmon filet or Italian sausage. 
• Pick your veggies
• 6 spears of asparagus
• 3/4 cup baby carrots sliced in two
• 2 ears of corn on the cob
• 3/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 3 potatoes thickly sliced 
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• 1 sweet or white onions
• Drizzle of Olive Oil or a ¼ -½  stick of butter 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• I package of Lipton Recipe Secrets, Onion flavor (Optional)

This makes 2 foil wraps. Refrain from filling. It will take too long to cook. 

Cooking Instructions

Get a nice fire going, a bed of hot coals is best for cooking. 

Step 1

Layout two large pieces of aluminum foil across one another like a cross. 

Step 2

Wash and thickly slice the vegetables. Slices are easier and faster to cook than cubes or quarters. Pat dry, so seasoning sticks. 

Step 3

Add the carrots, sliced mushrooms, and cut-up potatoes into a large Ziploc bag. Drizzle with Olive Oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat.If you prefer you can use butter in place of the olive oil.  If this is the case, toss a few 4 or 5 Tablespoons right in the foil packet and season. Ther is no need to toss in a ziplock.

OPTIONAL LIPTON SECRETS SEASONING

If using Lipton Secrets seasoning, toss the vegetables in the drizzled oil along with one packet of Lipton seasoning.

Step 4

Pile the veggies in the center of your tin foil and place the protein on top. If you have an ice cube, toss it in to keep moisture and help steam the meal.  

Step 5

Close the sheet of foil around the meat and veggies. Bring two sides up to the top and fold over the edge and roll down. Repeat on the second tinfoil.  Do not seal the foil tight. Allow an air pocket for steam to build. 

There is no secret science as to how to place the food in the foil. 

If you do not have a campfire, you can cook these in an oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. A BBQ grill will also work. Be sure to close the grill lid to trap the heat. If cooking in the oven, set the foil packets on a large baking sheet. This helps you remove them from the oven.  They are known to leak a little butter. 

Chicken should always reach an internal temperature of 165° when done. Use a meat thermometer to check the doneness of the meat.

Foil packet dinners take longer to cook on the grill. The exact time will depend on your type of grill and how hot it gets. They will cook quicker with the lid closed on the grill. Cook time is about 30 minutes. They are close when the pouch expands and puffs up like a balloon. This means steam is gathering and creating goodness.

Remove the packets with metal tongs or leather work gloves. There is always juice in the bottom, so be careful when opening not to spill the hot liquid or get burned by the steam when opening the packet. 

Open and enjoy! 

PREP TIME 10 minutes

COOK TIME 30- 35 minutes

TOTAL TIME 45 minutes

Crazy Days of Summer has us rocking around the clock in this fun three-day 1950 Themed event. This is three days you will undoubtedly want to be in Roseau.

Roseau Crazy Day Street Sales anchor the festivities with businesses taking their bargains to the street. We can’t say that prices will be the same as in the 1950s, but you will be in for some DEALS! Get those $5 Transfer’s T’s, Coast True Value, and Scott’s Hardware deals and go across town to stop at Ace Hardware or  Annie’s for special closeouts. Peace Grenades will have a selection to start your back-to-school shopping. Not only will you find our shops with deals, but we will have special guests joing the businesses with baked goods, crafts, and jewelry. Grab a slice of fresh pizza pie at Jake’s Pizza or a corndog from Bjerks. Bake of the Woods croissants can help with that sweet tooth.  See our business owners compete for the Best 1950 Costume and stroll past cars from the 1940s to the latest on the lot at Roseau County Ford.

Support young business owners by buying from their booths. These young CEOs are jumping into business early. You will find crafts, soaps, dog treats, and so much more at the  Kids- Prenuer Sales taking place on the North end of Crazy Days. You will find free make-and-take kids’ crafts and a bouncy house in this area.

Don’t miss the Pet Show hosted by Pet Pantry and Supply. Their 1950s theme contest will have us all having “Happy Days” again. Can our pup do the sock hop, or your cat show off a bee hive do?  See who takes the Best of Show in the Bee’s Knee Contest.

When the Lights flash on the Fire Truck, be ready for the Ping Pong Ball Drop. Hundreds of balls and prizes will be tossed by our fire crew. To win, catch a ball and bring it to the business listed to redeem your prize. We have special prizes for the adults in the audience this year, including shirts and Polaris Swag.

Thursday will wrap up with the Holla Rock and Rollaz at the Gabebo Concert Night Series in Riverview Park. The oldest will get you out of your seats with a little Shake, Rattle, and Rock and Roll. Bring a lawn chair unless you will be dancing.

Friday will bring sidewalk sales curbside during the day. In the evening, select businesses will host a Wine, Beer, and Dine Walk. For $25  you will receive ten tokens to use at companies around town. Grab some wine, craft beer, or dine at one of the shops along the way. A little birding told us that Roseau Liquor Store has a special something something going on. Be sure to make that a stop on your list.  You will find sliders at Coast True Value, Cow Creek Bakery at Transfers and a special 1950 themed drink at Legends Not a drinker, no worries there will be over 10 non-alcoholic stops for you to take in including fresh blueberry lemonade.

Get those bikes ready for the On the Glow Bike Parade. You can purchase glowsticks at Transfer’s Unlimited or ROAR for only $5 a bundle or decorate your bike with your own lights and meet us at the Moose Sculpture in the City Center North Lot at 8PM. Consider pushing a stroller, pulling a wagon, riding in a wheelchair or just walking along. Everyone is welcome. Check out the event page on Facebook for more details.

https://fb.me/e/ZcuYrSYs

Saturday will be filled with outdoor fun. Compete in the 5K Splash and Dash hosted by ROAR. Watch the Duck Races on the Center Street Bridge to splash around with the Purple People Eaters that invaded the Splash Pad.  

This will be some CRAZY DAYS of SUMMER, and you won’t want to miss out on the celebration.

From the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources – July 14, 2023

On July 14, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources launched the Junior Ranger program, which offers a new activity booklet for kids at Minnesota state parks. To begin the adventure, kids can pick up a free Junior Ranger booklet, available during open office hours at state parks. In Roseau, you can visit  Hayes Lake State Park. 

In the Junior Ranger program, kids will investigate the ways that plant and animal adaptations are like superpowers through a mix of on-the-page and on-the-trail activities. They might discover state park habitats, move like an animal, focus on their senses, learn how to protect wildlife, avoid poison ivy, outsmart ticks, and more. When kids complete the activities, they earn a free Junior Ranger patch, which they can obtain at a state park ranger station or visitor center.

The booklet activities were created by state park naturalists to encourage learning and exploration for ages 6-10, or anyone young at heart. Get more details on the program, including where to find the booklets and patches, by visiting the Minnesota DNR’s Junior Ranger webpage (.gov/junior-ranger).

The Junior Ranger program is funded through the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment. Legacy funds support Minnesota DNR programs and projects that go beyond the results achieved by other state funds, to build a long-term conservation legacy for Minnesotans.

Visiting State Park is a great family activity. It gets kids outdoors and creates a natural curiosity to explore nature.  Hayes Lake offers trails leading into bogs where you can see flowers and critters who live in these environments. It has trails taking you around the lake and by water damns. You might even find a patch of wild berries to enjoy. Bring a picnic basket and have lunch under the tall pines.  

Exploring the parks might earn your kids a badge but it’s also a wonderful escape for all ages.  

County Fair Season is Making its Way Around the Corner!

In Minnesota, this is the time of year when we gather with our friends and family to prepare for a wonderful time outdoors at local county fairgrounds. Whether you wish to indulge in deep-fried treats on a stick, listen to great music, enjoy thrilling rides, or tour art exhibits; there is something fun for visitors of all ages to experience. The Roseau fair is a long-standing tradition in Roseau County, which dates all the way back to 1906.  

What makes the Roseau Fair such a big deal? Each year, the fair promises fun for the entire family. From Grandstand events to a ton of carnival rides – there is something for everyone!  Fair-goers come for the midway rides, the parade, the rodeo, the music, the demo derby and so much more.  No matter your age, the fairgrounds have something to make you feel young at heart.  

You cannot beat classic fair food; just saying the word fair food makes everyone’s mouth water.  Pull up a seat at one of the stands to try the grill-fried burgers that support local sports like youth hockey.  The Fickle Pickle is a popular stand for mouth-watering pie, and you cannot go to the fair without eating a hand-dipped corndog or a delicious Queen’s apple drizzled in caramel with a hearty serving of cool whip.  Cheese curds, food trucks, and kettle corn make the midway a delicious delight of mealtime options.

Whether you want a ride that will be a thrill for everyone or a calm ride for children, Roseau County Fair has it all.  There are several rides for the thrill-seeking crowd, but by far the most popular is the Rock-It.  A recent addition to the fairgrounds, this ride plays rock hits as you go flying around and dangle upside down. If you don’t like being flipped upside down, there are still several rides that could suit you! Another newer ride at the fair brings a whole new meaning to the words flying through the air.  This ride channels your inner Superman as you fly in circles while lying on your stomach.  Letting that fair food sit before a big adventure, there are more mellow options for you!  Go try out the bumper cars or the ferris wheel for a skyline view of Roseau.  There is also an abundance of children’s rides to keep little ones busy all day.  If all these rides aren’t for you, there are always carnival games and bingo stands that have wonderful prizes to win!  You cannot come to the Roseau Fair without playing bingo with corn as bingo markers.  It’s a simple joy that reflects Roseau’s Farming tradition.

The barns are always a family favorite for an up-close peek at life on the farm. Roseau County Fair has several barns to wander and meet the different breeds of livestock.  There are whole barns for horses, poultry, cattle, and pigs; not to mention the occasional sheep or goat.  The owners are often available to care for the stock and like to answer questions. If livestock is not quite your forte, there is a children’s barn that despite its name, is fun for all ages.  This barn has several pens that often have friendly animals like rabbits, donkeys, calves, and a pen that has had everything from ducks to deer over the years.  There are also many fish tanks that include local aquatic species, allowing for a much closer look than in the wild. Take a stroll and make a new friend with a fur or feathered friend.

The Roseau County Fair allows community members to get involved and showcase their greatest skills and talents. Come join others in Open Class competitions such as photography, artwork, canned goods, baked goods and sewing. You might be the next Roseau County Fair Grand Champion and be taking your skills to the big show at the Minnesota State Fair! 

2023 EVENTS SCHEDULE

SUNDAY, JULY 16th

• 7pm: Church Night at the Fair

MONDAY, JULY 17th

• 9am to 6pm: Open Class Entry Day
• 6pm to 9pm: Official Livestock Check-in
• 7pm: Open Class Photography Judging

TUESDAY, JULY 18th

• 7am to Noon: Official Livestock Check-in
• 9am: Open Class Judging for: Culinary, Quilting, Pictorial and Decorative Arts
• 9:30am: Open Class Household Arts Judging
• 10:30am: Open Class Judging for: Crop, Vegetables and Fruit, Flowers and Potted Decorative Plants, Open Horse Halter and Riding Classes
• 1pm: Open Class Poultry Judging
• 3pm: Open Class Rabbit Judging
• 6pm: Midway Opens
• 6pm: Knockerball Opens (south of Midway)
• 5:30pm: Women of Today Parade, Main Street-Roseau
• 7pm: Northern Pullers Tractor Pull | FREE

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19th

• 10:30am: Open Horse Driving Class Judging
• 1,3,5 pm: Great Lakes Timber Show (North of Soybean Area)
• 2,4,6 p.m. Crazy Contests From Freddie Prez (North of Soybean Area)
• 2pm: Midway opens
• 2pm: Knockerball Opens (south of Midway)
• 2:00 pm: Mounted Shooting – Horse Arena
• 3:00pm: Open Class Beef Judging
• 3:30 pm: Open Class Sheep and Market Goat Judging
• 4-6pm: Kids Power Wheels Preliminary Round (near Soybean Pit)
  • >No pre-registration required and NO need to bring a car. Please bring HELMET if possible. If your child would like to participate simply attend one of the preliminary Derby Days!
• 7pm: Grandstand – Wojo’s Rodeo – $15

THURSDAY, JULY 20th

• 1,3,5 pm: Great Lakes Timber Show (North of Soybean Area)
• 1:30pm: Open Class Dairy and Dairy Goat Judging
• 2,4,6 p.m. Crazy Contests From Freddie Prez (North of Soybean Area)
• 2pm: Midway Opens
• 2pm: Knockerball opens (south of Midway)
• 2-4pm: Kids Power Wheels Preliminary Round (near Soybean Pit)
  • >No pre-registration required and NO need to bring a car. Please bring HELMET if possible. If your child would like to participate simply attend one of the preliminary Derby Days!
• 7pm: Bush Car Races | $10/ticket

FRIDAY, JULY 21st

• 1pm: Kids Tractor Pull (soybean pit area)
• 1,3,5 pm: Great Lakes Timber Show (North of Soybean Area)
• 2,4,6 p.m. Crazy Contests From Freddie Prez (North of Soybean Area)
• 2pm: Midway Opens
• 2:00 pm: Paintball opens (south of Midway)
• 6pm: Kids Power Races – FINAL (included with Demo ticket)
• 7pm: Demolition Derby | $10/ticket
• 8-10pm: Open Class Exhibits to be picked up at the Magnusson Building
• 10:15pm: Fireworks, sponsored by POLARIS – Roseau

With a variety of free entertainment, each day and many things to see from the 4-H exhibits to the Children’s Barn, and fun activities to participate in; a day spent at the Roseau fair will make for great memories!  Stop in, spend an hour or spend the day, or enhance your stay by camping in our campground “under the midway.”  Enjoy the Midway, have some great food and a cool beverage, play some games, visit with your neighbors and friends, or stroll through the buildings for additional exhibits and entertainment.  If you stay through the whole week, make sure to stay for the fireworks show sponsored by Polaris Industries on Friday night.  They always make sure to end fair with a bang!

The Roseau County Fair runs Sunday through Friday the third week of July each summer.  Check the Roseau County Fair Website for more details.