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Our warm, sunny December (so far, anyway) has been great to get outside, and now Olmsted County has made it even easier to enjoy any county park.

One of the things about living here in Minnesota is our ability to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. From the many lakes up north, to the scenic North Shore or the well-developed trails and parks here in our own backyard, Minnesota really IS beautiful. Plus, getting outside is one of the safest activities you can do during this ongoing pandemic too.

And now it's even easier to get outside and enjoy things, thanks to the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners. They voted earlier this week to waive all entrance fees to any Olmsted County park from December 4th through April 30th, 2021!

That means you can enjoy ANY Olmsted County park (including Chester Woods Park, Oxbow Park, Root River Park and Graham Park) for FREE. A release from Olmsted County explained the temporary policy: "Both avid and new park users have flocked to parks during the COVID-19 pandemic, including right here in Olmsted County," Olmsted County Board Chair Matt Flynn said in the release. He continued, saying:

Our parks and natural resources provide recreation and rejuvenation in an outdoor setting where physical distancing is highly achievable. As part of the county wellness initiative, the county board believes it’s important for all our park visitors to enjoy Olmsted County parks free of charge at a time when COVID-19 is straining our community.

My wife and I have already explored the trails at Oxbow, Chester Woods and Root River Parks, and can't wait to get out again-- and maybe even do some snow-shoeing (if we ever get any snow, that is...) This is a way-cool initiative, thanks Olmsted County Board! BTW, you can get more information on Olmsted County Parks HERE.

Now while getting out and enjoying our Olmsted County parks is a fun thing to do, if you'd rather get in the holiday spirit, keep scrolling to check out some amazing holiday light displays right here in Minnesota you've GOT to check out!

Listen to Curt St. John from 6 to 10 a.m. on Quick Country 96.5
and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on 103.9 The Doc

Minnesota Drive-Thru Light Displays You Need to Check Out in 2020

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