6 Top North Dakota Food Festivals

Considered the country’s food basket, North Dakota is the nation’s leading producer of staples like spring wheat, flaxseed, canola, dry beans, honey and more. No wonder 90% of North Dakota’s land is made up of farms and ranches. Feast on the best of the state’s bounty at these popular North Dakota food festivals.

Annual Rhubarb Festival

Rugby

Rhubarb ice cream, anyone? How about rhubarb walnut sourdough bread, rhubarb crisp or even rhubarb candy? Rhubarb becomes the star of culinary exploration at the Annual Rhubarb Festival in Rugby, which includes over 30 treats to sample. The one-day event, held on the Sunday closest to the summer solstice, draws in local vendors who create items just for the festival featuring the key ingredient: rhubarb! Of course, there are rhubarb-less dishes to try, too, along with wine sampling.

Best of the West RibFest

Watford City

Take your pick of smoke-infused ribs and judge for yourself before the official selection of winners are announced at the annual Best of the West RibFest. The late summer event draws crowds from around the region, some to try an assortment of ribs, others to show off their rib-barbecuing skills. Each RibFest competitor brings a minimum of 200 pounds of ribs (yes, 200!) so they can feed the large crowd. And competitors are required to cook their ribs on site. No precooking is allowed, which guarantees hungry festivalgoers get plenty of hot-off-the-grill samples! Aside from ribs, the festival includes a street fair and a free evening concert featuring a top-talent artist.

See more: Shop Local With These North Dakota Gift Ideas

Fargo Food Truck Festival

Fargo

For more than five years, the Fargo Food Truck Festival has been steadily growing into one of the premier food truck events in the region. Held over a weekend in August, the event includes upwards of 20 food trucks, some of which whip up specialty dishes just for the event. Expect to find inventive concoctions like fried Oreos, chicken cheesesteak drenched in buffalo sauce, or buckets brimming with piping hot mini donuts. While you could simply enter the hot dog eating competition, go for the Triple Crown of eating challenges by competing in the festival’s other two other food contest – the frybread taco eating contest and the mini donut eating contest.

Norsk Høstfest

Minot

You don’t need to be of Scandinavian descent to enjoy Norsk Høstfest, a festival centered around the heritage, culture and food of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Over its 40-plus years, the festival has grown to be one of the largest Scandinavian festivals in North America. While there are Hollywood entertainers, along with an authentic Viking Village, the real draw is the down-home Scandinavian cooking. Sample hearty Swedish meatballs; Danish aebleskiver (a round, eggy dessert that resembles part donut hole, part pancake); rømmegrøt (a rice pudding); lutefisk (a white fish prepared so that it develops a jelly-like consistency); lefse, (Royal Danish Pastry); and more Scandinavian-inspired fare. Come hungry for this early fall celebration!

North Dakota Chokecherry Festival

Williston 

Thanks to a group of dedicated sixth graders, the distinctly sour-sweet chokecherry became the state’s official fruit in 2007. The same year, the North Dakota Chokecherry Festival was created to honor the humble fruit and throw a party all about state pride. Held in August, past festivals have included a 1,000 Burger Feed (free burgers until they run out) and free ice cream sundaes topped with chokecherry syrup. The family-friendly, two-day festival includes activities, entertainment and lots of food vendors. You may want to pick up at least one jar each of chokecherry jam, chokecherry syrup and chokecherry jelly.

See more: North Dakota Offers Unique Foods Grown Locally

Potato Bowl USA

Grand Forks 

For the ultimate spuds competition – and celebration – the weeklong Potato Bowl USA is a must. The idea for the September event started with a college football game between two of the country’s largest potato-growing regions back in 1966. Today, the festival is the biggest party of its kind in the region. Festivities include the Potato Bowl Parade, the Potato Bowl Golf Tournament, the Potato Fry Feed, fireworks, potato sack races, football and much more.