Recreation: Detroit Lakes is home to the largest outdoor country music festival in the nation. Each August, top recording artists such as Alabama, Clint Black, Alan Jackson, Dolly Parton and Vince Gill and many more perform at the three day event. Each season brings new opportunities for recreation. Summer offers golf tournaments, fishing derbies, softball tournaments, tennis tournaments, pow-wows, a variety of art shows, community celebrations, car shows, motocross races and a variety of other activities. A mile of public beach within the city limits of Detroit Lakes and 412 lakes within a 25 mile radius makes the area outstanding for all water sports. Here you will find the finest fishing in Minnesota. There are 28 golf courses in Becker County with ten of them classified as championship courses; and several tennis courts in the city’s 25 acres of developed park land. Winter brings a whole new outdoor recreation opportunity to light. The county maintains over 200 miles of groomed snowmobile trails and 70 miles of cross country ski trails. Detroit Lakes has the only indoor skating arena withing 50 miles. Detroit Mountain offers several runs for downhill skiers and an excellent half pipe for snowboarding. Detroit Lakes also hosts the ISOC sanctioned snowmobile race each year in December. Winter also means ice fishing. Portable villages spring up on most area lakes, housing the thousands of ice fishing enthusiasts from the area. Tamarac National wildlife refuge includes 43,000 acres of natural habitat for over 200 species of birds and other wildlife. It offers a visitors center, exhibits, slide shows and experienced personnel to educate visitors about wildlife and their habitat. This area adjoins Itasca State Park and the famed headwaters of the Mississippi River - where it begins its 2,552 mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico. Only in Detroit Lakes can you be minutes from the nearest lakes, tennis courts, picnic grounds, indoor skating arena, ski resort, golf courses, business district and entertainment.