Events
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Loons & Lakes Trivia
Mar 4 | 6:00-8:00pm
The North Star in Breezy Point
Join us for the first Loons & Lakes Trivia event of 2026 at The North Star and come back on the first Wednesday of every month to test your loony knowledge! Bring in your old lead fishing tackle for extra points!
Loons & Lakes Trivia
Mar 12 | 6:00-8:00pm
UpNorth Social in Crosslake
Join us for trivia night to celebrate Crosslake's 52nd annual St. Patrick's Day festivities. Test your knowledge and win loony prizes! Bring in your old lead fishing tackle for extra points.
Brainerd Home Show & Expo
Mar 20-21
Essentia Health Sports Center in Brainerd
Bring the whole family to see more than 170 regional businesses show off products and services at the annual Brainerd Home Show and Expo coordinated by the Brainerd Chamber of Commerce. Visit the National Loon Center's booth for a loony time!
Adult Admission: $6
SOAR with the Eagles Festival
Mar 21 | 10am-4pm
National Eagle Center in Wabasha, MN
Join us in celebrating a bird just as iconic as the loon at the annual SOAR Festival at the National Eagle Center campus! Visit the NLC booth to learn about the relationship between loons and eagles and enjoy exclusive presentations, unique arts and crafts, and activities the whole family will love.
Adult Admission (non-member): $14
2026 Loons & Lakes Festival
June 26-27
Crosslake, MN
Save the date for the third annual Loons & Lakes Festival hosted by the National Loon Center! Stay tuned for more details about the loony events taking place in June 2026.
The National Loon Center's Progress
2023
The National Loon Center announces an enhancement to the original site plan that placed the building on federal lands managed by the USACE. While maintaining programming and amenities at the Cross Lake Recreation Area, the NLC acquired nearby private lands to build the world-class facility and develop a sustainable natural campus with parking on-site. The nearby site spans nearly 10 acres between CSAH 3 Swann Drive and CSAH business trip. The Minnesota legislature allocates $2.5 million to the City of Crosslake to support the Center's construction as part of the bonding bill.
2022
In collaboration with the Army Corps of Engineers, the National Loon Center, completed a shoreline restoration project near the boat landing at the Cross Lake Recreation Area. A floating dock system was also installed at the bay to prevent further erosion of the shoreline, with dedicated mooring stations for visitors of the campground and public use. An outdoor exhibit on loon calls was installed near the recreation area entrance.
2021
Archeological reviews and site planning at the Crosslake Recreation Area were completed and outdoor site enhancement began. In June of 2021, the NLC opened a temporary information center, called The Nest, in Crosslake Town Square, engaging around 4,000 visitors in its first year.
2019
Minnesota lawmakers approved $4 million to build National Loon Center in Crosslake. National Loon Center finalized a 25 year land lease with US Army Corps of Engineers at the future site location of the facility: the Cross Lake Recreation Area.
2018
The National Loon Center Community Input and Master Plan are developed by the University of Minnesota Center for Sustainable Building Research. The University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA), Central Regional Sustainable Development Partnership, Department of Applied Economics and the National Loon Center Foundation produce a Market Feasibility Study and Impact Assessment
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