The FM Kicks Band performs jazz, funk, blues and Latin music Sept. 9 in Memorial Park, accompanied by a performance of traditional Mexican dance by Fargo Folklorico.
Nancy Edmonds Hanson
Moorhead greets autumn with days of fun spotlighting all that makes the city great starting Thursday, Sept. 7. From classic cars and festive floats, from home-grown goodness to collegiate cosmic bowling, Greater Moorhead Days aims to fill two weekends with plenty to divert residents and visitors alike.
The eight-day festival goes back to 1950, when local merchants banded together to ballyhoo all that set their city apart. Rooted in the boom years following World War II, the annual community festival had faded to only a shadow of its former self by the late 1960s. But it rose again around the turn of the century, fueled by the city’s new spurt of growth, rebounding energy and enthusiasm. It has been going strong ever since except for 2020, when the pandemic prompted a “virtual” parade and other festivities at a distance.
Marshaled by the Parks and Recreation Department, this year’s citywide festival draws familiar favorites together with several first-time events. Moorhead Cruise Night kicks off the eight-day agenda on Sept. 7 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Again taking place in the parking lot north of the Center Mall, the evening is a chance to peruse hundreds of classic vehicles, from century-old autos to the hot wheels today’s adults remember from their youth. Food, live music and vendors round out the last Cruise Night of 2023.
The emblematic heart of Greater Moorhead Days is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, when hundreds of area youth and adults march, drive, wave and toss candy to the sidelines during the annual parade. With downtown still disrupted by street and sewer improvements, it once again traces a route along 20th Street South, proceeding north from M State. Its theme” “Moorhead: Out of This World.”
Saturday, Sept. 9, will be a good day to spend outdoors. Canoe and kayak rentals will be half price that afternoon at Hjemkomst Landing. Nearby Memorial Park will showcase the talents of the popular FM Kicks Band, spanning the genres of jazz, funk, blues and Latin sound. The program begins at 3 p.m. with a performance of traditional Mexican dance by the Fargo Folklorico group. Antsy youngsters can spend those hours nearby with games and crafts.
Doubting Thomas Farm north of the city inaugurates a new attraction on Sunday afternoon. “Our Local Plate Farm Fest” draws together a farmers market, chef demonstrations by Anthony Grady, Shannon Nowak and Melissa Smith, and a savory outdoor meal created by Chef Joe Swegarden of the Heart-n-Soul Community Cafe from sustainable local food sources. Tickets are $18 for adults and $12 for children from 4 to 10. The farm is located north of the city at 12506 20th St. N.
Looking for a win? Get a clue starting Monday, Sept. 11, when the annual medallion hunt begins at 8 a.m. on Big 98.7, Bob 95 FM and the Fox 107.9 FM, as well as the greatermoorheaddays.com website. The grand prize is $1,000 in Hornbacher’s gift cars.
Author Carroll Engelhardt discusses his book on Moorhead’s pioneer family, the Probstfields, at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Moorhead Public Library. “By the Sweat of His Brow” tells the story of the family who established Oakport Farm in 1868, long before the railroad arrived in Moorhead.
Two local favorites brighten Tuesday, Sept. 12. At the Hjemkomst, the last RiverArts combines with the Farmers Market from 3 to 7 p.m., adding up the attractions of fresh produce, locally produced meats, baked goods, honey and flowers, then mixing the total with RiverArts fun, including games for the kids and music by Twelve Strings and Heart&Soul.
At the same time, the Midco Kids Fest draws youngsters to the Bluestem Amphitheater for free family fun – inflatable games, music, carriage and barrel car rides, a petting zoo, and concessions. The address is 801 50th Ave. S.
The Longest Table, a free community-building meal, headlines Thursday, Sept. 14, perhaps the biggest day of the entire celebration. The dinner – held outdoors in the Salem Church parking lot at 111 30th Ave. S., is open to all.
Meanwhile, Stonemill Park (4449 Blue Stem Way) hosts the second Trails at Stonemill Carnival, an evening of free carnival games, inflatables and other activities for the whole family. Adults over 21 can compete during the same hours back at Viking Ship Park, where the Stonewall Sports Cornhole Tournament pits players in a double-elimination contest.
A first-time riverside event debuts the same evening. Food, an art market, activities and live music by the Forefeathers are planned at Sunset on the Riverfront. Sponsored by Folkways, the festivities are scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. At 101 Third St. N.
Meanwhile, the Moorhead Business Association will be hosting its fourth annual College Bash. This year it features free cosmic bowling at Sunset Lanes, 620 US Highway 75 North. Along with the balls and pins, the MBA plans arcade games for returning college students along with music by DJ Pretty Ricky.
Greater Moorhead Days winds down Saturday, Sept. 16 … or, in better words, sprints toward a flash finish. The annual Red River Run starts at 9 a.m. in M.B. Johnson Park on 11th Street North. To register, go to the sponsor’s website, www.LakeAgassizPacers.com.
For more information and links to register for various events, go to the festival website, GreaterMoorheadDays.com
