Heart of the Lakes Relay For Life adds events in Perham
Relay For Life is adding a car show, Bingo and a new All Night Hope Vigil in Perham, where organizers are aiming to top last year’s $210,256 haul.
Heart of the Lakes Relay For Life is widening its lineup in Perham this summer, adding a car show, Bingo and a new All Night Hope Vigil to give more people a reason to take part and help push fundraising for cancer research higher. Organizers say the expanded format is meant to bring in more participants while keeping the event focused on honoring survivors, remembering loved ones lost to cancer and raising money for the American Cancer Society.
The 2026 Relay For Life of Otter Tail County is set for Friday, July 10, at the East Otter Tail Fairgrounds in Perham, 455 4th Ave. SE. The overnight event is listed from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m., making it one of the few Relay For Life events in the North Region that runs through the night. This year’s theme is Monopoly, with the slogan “Monopoly: Passing go to find a cure.”
The event will include familiar Relay programming alongside the new additions. The luminaria ceremony remains part of the schedule, and the new All Night Hope Vigil is being added to keep the evening active and extend participation deeper into the night. The American Cancer Society says Relay For Life is its largest fundraiser and includes special programming for survivors and caregivers, giving the Perham event a built-in local role beyond fundraising alone.
The move to the East Otter Tail Fairgrounds came after the Relay was shifted from the Perham High School track because of construction. That change has now become part of the event’s identity, with the fairgrounds giving organizers room to add activities and draw a wider crowd from Perham and across Otter Tail County.
Last year’s numbers give this summer’s effort a clear target. The 2025 Relay For Life at the fairgrounds raised $210,256 and brought together 21 teams, a strong benchmark for local supporters who want to see the county’s total climb again. With the new events, organizers are betting that more ways to show up, walk, play and remember will translate into more money for cancer research and support services.
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