Possibly out of sheer boredom or potentially for state pride, North Dakota has an insane amount of festivals celebrating everything from irrigation (yes, really) to quilting and three days dedicated to flying kites. With odd combinations like ribs and classic cars and the garlic and grape gala (ew), when you have that much land and time on your hands, you come up with your own ways to entertain yourself.
Here are 4 of the most unique festivals in
North Dakota.
GooseFest – Kenmare, North Dakota
The "Snow Goose Capital of North Dakota," Kenmare is the hunting haven of the north with snow goose counts over 250,000 at times. This 8-day festival in October offers over $50,000 in prizes for the best hunters with 12 to 14 pounders being bagged by expert marksmen.
Dickens Village Festival – Garrison, North Dakota
As the official Christmas Capitol of North Dakota, Garrison and its Dickens Village are a celebration of all things A Christmas Carol. Enjoy horse drawn carriage rides; high tea, top hat decorating, and even a fruitcake toss as you’re magically transported back to snowy England in the mid-1800s.
Potholes and Prairie Birding – Carrington, North Dakota
Five days on the prairie celebrating the wild wetlands of North Dakota, this annual event is the chance to visit some of the world's most remote birding spots during mating season. The region has been included in “Fifty Places to Go Birding Before You Die: Experts Share the World's Greatest Destination's" and the New York Times best seller, "1000 Places to See Before You Die."
Norsk Hostfest – Minot, North Dakota
Billed as “Pure Scandimonium” (ha), this fall fest is a celebration of all things Nordic. North America’s largest Scandinavian event, enjoy a Viking Village with archery and longbows, felting (making fabric from raw wool), and even trolling (yes, making trolls out of rocks). You’ll learn survival skills, cooking lessons and maybe even some sword fighting to ward off any potential enemies.