The North Dakota State Fair and North Dakota State Parade are fast approaching.

The fair starts next Friday and the following day, Saturday, is the parade.

Both of these are major and important events to be held in Minot. The fair is the largest event in the state. Last year more than 300,000 people attended the fair. The parade, marking its 40th time, is one of the biggest parades in the state. Parade organizers plan for about 200 entries and as of this past week have more than 200.

With so many people from all over the state and from other states coming to the fair as well as our northern neighbors in Canada, Minot will be filled with thousands more people during these nine days of the fair through Saturday, July 30.

Visit Minot has provided a graphic showing the trend line of visitors to Ward County over a year (January-December 2021). The graphic shows the State Fair makes a significant economic impact on this community.

So does the N.D. State Parade. According to parade organizers, an estimated 5,000 or more people watched the parade along the route on Burdick Expressway to the fair grounds on that Saturday. That brings into the city an economic impact estimated at about $150,000-200,000.

Stephanie Schoenrock, executive director of Visit Minot, said as of a week before the fair starts the hotel rooms in the city are limited to Friday and Saturday nights. Rooms are available during the rest of the week. The city has 2,600 hotel rooms.

The State Fair and N.D. State Parade are special times for many people. Let’s welcome the thousands of visitors who will be here in our city.