A Silobration Street Dance will be held on Friday, Aug. 29, in Citizens Alley. The inaugural event celebrates North Dakota’s largest mural, currently in creation on the retired grain silos at 318 1st St. NE in downtown Minot.

The event runs from 7-10:30 p.m., with live music from the Chloe Raye Band starting at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free and open to all ages.

“This mural is more than just an impressive piece of art. It’s a reflection of who we are as a community,” organizer Chelsea Gleich said in a news release. “In that same spirit, the Silobration Street Dance isn’t just about the mural. It’s a joyful, laid-back celebration of what makes Minot special: our grit, our creativity, our connections and the small-town spirit that brings us together.”

The mural and event are organized by the Union Silos Public Art Project, a group of local residents who commissioned Australian-born visual artist and photographer Guido van Helten to transform the retired Farmers Union grain silos into a larger-than-life portrait of the community. It is the only piece of its kind in North Dakota.

Van Helten specializes in large-format mural painting. His artwork is found on concrete structures around the world, including high-rise buildings, dams, grain silos, water towers and parking structures.

Since 2017, van Helten has steadily added new works throughout the regional United States as part of his Monuments collection, with the goal of creating one large-scale mural in each state.

The current Monuments commissions include works in Fort Dodge, Iowa; Mankato, Minnesota; Nashville, Tennessee; Faulkton, South Dakota; McKinney, Texas; Fort Smith, Arkansas; and Salina, Kansas. The Union Silos Public Art Project in Minot will be the featured work for North Dakota.

Union Silos is a nod to the name, Farmers Union Elevator Co., painted on the north-facing side of the property and the central role that agriculture plays in the history of Minot and the surrounding area.

The mural is coming to life throughout the summer, spanning all four sides of the silos and visible from vantage points across the city. The design for the mural has been approved by the local project organizers, but the final design will remain a mystery to the community until it’s complete this fall.

“To encourage attendees to learn more about the project, we’re also hosting a Silobration scavenger hunt,” Cole Krueger, another local organizer for the project, said in the release. “Attendees of all ages will be challenged to find clues on the silo and other murals in the area and then turn in their scavenger hunt forms at the event for a prize and the chance to win a $250 gift card.

Scavenger hunt forms will be available at Town and Country Credit Union, beginning Aug. 22, and also can be downloaded the week prior to the event for attendees who want to get a head start. Completed forms must be turned in at the event and prizes will be provided to all participants while supplies last.

“We’re incredibly grateful to our grant partners and private donors who have funded the mural project and Silobration event,” Gleich said. “We’re still seeking donations to fund the final step of this project and support ongoing maintenance for years to come.”

The total project cost of $350,000 is funded by grants and donations.

All donations and financial support are tax-deductible and can be made through the Minot Area Council of the Arts by writing silo arts in the donation note. Donation opportunities also will be available at the event.