Winter Show to open next week

Talk about it

By Keith Norman

The Jamestown Sun

For the 76th time, residents of North Dakota will head to Valley City for the North Dakota Winter Show. The event kicks off a full slate of events on March 5 with a schedule that includes the opening of the commercial exhibits, world’s largest crop show and an old-time tractor pull. The Winter Show runs through March 10.

“The Winter Show features a lot of the same events people have enjoyed for years,” said Lindsey Peterson, administrative assistant for the show. “But we try to spice it up and add some new stuff every year.”

Peterson said several new events are slated for the Home, Play & Get-A-Way exhibits on March 9 and 10 in the South Exhibit Building.

“We’ll have a golf simulator and a NASCAR simulator as part of the exhibit,” she said. “We also have a magician, musical stage shows and seminars through the weekend.”

Other weekend seminars include the Black Hills Raptor Center and cooking demonstrations.

The Winter Show also prides itself on its agricultural presentations. These include seminars on a number of farm topics as well as exhibits by farm vendors.

Tuesday is highlighted by the old time tractor pull in the Winter Show main arena at 3 p.m. followed by the pickup pull at 6:30. Entertainment of the day is the Country Hoedown at the National Guard Armory. The event features The Shadows as well as cowboy poet Rod Nelson. A separate admission of $20 is charged for the hoedown.

Wednesday continues with ag exhibits in the south exhibit building as part of the ag challenge. The day continues with a market hog show and classic steer show in the afternoon and the Classic Steer & Market Hog Auction at the Eagles Club at 7 p.m. One of the feature seminars scheduled for Wednesday is an update by the North Dakota Farmers Union on the CHS nitrogen fertilizer plant planned for Spiritwood scheduled for 11 a.m.

Thursday is horse day at the North Dakota Winter Show. The pony pull begins at 9 a.m. with the North Dakota State Open Horse Pull at 11 a.m. The draft horse hitch class is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. This new event is similar to an obstacle course for a draft team of horses pulling a cart of wagon. The day tops off with another new event at 6:30 when area high school pep bands will take to the main arena for a competition.

Friday visitors to the Winter Show are urged to party in the dirt. The events include the start of the Home, Play & Get-A-Way exhibits in the south exhibit building with the free stage featuring Dakota Fred from the Gold Rush reality television show at 3:30 p.m. The evening wraps up with the rodeo concert featuring Jerrod Niemann with Gwen Sebastian as an opening act at 7 p.m.

This year marks the 50th year of rodeo activity at the North Dakota Winter Show. Rodeo fans will have three options with shows scheduled for 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Parking and general admission are free at the North Dakota Winter Show. Rodeo and concert events have separate admissions with tickets still available at the North Dakota Winter Show website, www.northdakota wintershow.com.

Sun reporter Keith Norman can be reached at 701-952-8452 or by email at knorman@jamestownsun.com

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