Grand View Lodge Hosts Annual “Party At The Pines”

Thousands of people gathered at Grand View Lodge Monday night for their annual “Party at the Pines” Fourth of July celebration.

Stars, stripes, and lots of fun is what Grand View Lodge’s “Party at the Pines” is all about. The annual event is held at the resort’s on-site golf course as a way to kick-off the week’s Fourth of July celebration.

“It’s one of my favorite events of the year. I just love seeing the families out having a good time,” said Jim Benson, Director of Operations at Grand View Lodge. “I talk to a lot of people. I roam around and talk to a lot of people and they’re just, they’re having a good time. That’s what the Fourth of July in the Brainerd Lakes area is.”

The event takes place every year on the second of July and includes concerts by two local bands, food and beverages, blow-up games, bouncy houses, face painting, and much more.

“You know, it’s grown over the last several years. The crowd is just fantastic,” commented Tim Peabody, a member of The District Band who played at the event. “We get a mix of people that are staying at the resort along with a lot of the locals come out and enjoy this also. We caught a great evening tonight.”

Over 3,000 people came out to celebrate and take part in the festivities with their families and friends.

“We just wanted to enjoy some great fun,” said Jessica Finnley, who attended the party. “I’ve never been to one and this year I just decided to bring my son out. He’s enjoyed so many different activities and the face painting. It’s been great.”

The night was topped off with a great fireworks display overlooking the golf course.

The event has grown from what used to be solely a fireworks display, to a huge party with activities for the entire family.

“After the second year, I’m like, we’ve got to do more than this, you know, the big beautiful area holds a lot of people,” Benson explained. “We started adding food and we have the beverage carts down here. Some people buy a drink. Then, the year after that, we added the bands. Then we just kept on adding things and now we have a 24-foot climbing wall. There’s all kinds of kids activities for them to do. The parents can come out and it’s a pretty controlled area. Let the kids run. Have a good time.”

No matter what your age is, there is something for everybody at this annual celebration.

“We got a nice crowd, a lot of kids, a lot of families,” Peabody added. “We just like to cater to that because it’s a nice opportunity for us to interact with just a variety of people. We’re going to have a party tonight at The Pines.”