The month of March brings many good things to North Dakota. The warmth of the coming spring weather, fresh air, spring break, and the North Dakota Winter Show (NDWS) are just a few to mention. This was the 73rd Annual NDWS. The Winter Show is a very special time to me. I haven't missed one in my 18 years of life. Being raised on a farm, I love animals. Seeing all the pretty horses at the rodeo and all the cute creatures at the petting zoo makes the Winter Show unlike anything else.
Monday night was the kickoff to the 73rd NDWS. It started off with the Chili cook-off and the always entertaining Community Olympics. Tuesday brought the first full day of the Winter Show which included the World's Largest Crop Show and the Timberworks Lumberjack Show. Wednesday was the tractor and pickup pull day, which is always a crowd favorite. Pony pulls, antique show, and trick riding featuring the Cowgirl Chicks was the schedule for Thursday. Friday was the start to a big weekend at the NDWS. This included 4-H and FFA crop judging, helicopter rides, petting zoo and the biggest event of the week, the Emerson Drive concert. Saturday was a full day with craft show, indoor yard sale, and two rodeos. Sunday was the final day of the 73rd annual NDWS. It was started by a junior cattle show and included the third and final rodeo.
I was very pleased with the amount of media coverage the Winter Show got. It is one of the best events in Valley City, so I was glad there was a good turnout. I saw many commercials for it on the local television channels, the radio always had a lot of advertisement for the events, and they even played Emerson Drive songs to get people excited for the concert. Also, the Times-Record had many articles featured updates on the Winter Show and the events to come.
The week of the Winter Show is always a full and hectic week. It usually contains long days of walking, standing and a lot of eating. I am always sad when the week ends, but it just reminds me that the beautiful spring weather is soon to come. The North Dakota Winter Show is unlike any other event you would ever see in any other state. It is an old favorite of mine, and I wouldn't ever miss it for the world.
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I returned to the Winter Show after a few years of not going, and it is definitely a good time. I didn't see Emerson Drive perform, although I have heard some mixed reviews about their performance. I think it's excellent that there was so much media cover for this week of events--people literally came from near and far. I went to the rodeo, first one for me, and ended up sitting in front of a group of fan for one of the cowboys--they came up from Texas to see him perform. The Valley City Winter Show is definitely a small town tradition worth holding onto and worth introducing beyond the concentrated community.
ReplyDeleteI personally haven't gone every year for all of my 19 years, but it has been pretty close. I don't attend all of the events that go on at the Winter Show, but even if I don't attend I like to read about them in the newspaper. The Times Record in Valley City is very good about covering all of the events that have gone on through out the week. This year, because I was busy I was only able to make it to go walk around on Saturday the second to last day, and as soon as I walked in the building I smiled because the familiar smell hit my nose. Even if I don't get to go to the rodeo I always like to see all of the cowboys and rodeo queens that are walking around the Winter Show. I think that having this tradition in our community makes us stronger.
ReplyDeleteI have lived in Valley City all but the first 8 months of my life. As far back as I can remember I have gone to the Winter Show in the first days of march. When I was younger my mom would take me there to go to the petting zoo, and we always had a great time. I never really went to the rodeos or shows, until just a few years ago, (thanks to a certain someone), but now I go, and have a great time. One thing I never understood was why so many people go to the concerts there, because I am not a huge country fan. I went to Emerson Drive this year and it was amazing! Overall I look forward to the Winter Show every year, and I would definately miss it.
ReplyDeleteFor years that I attended the Winter Show as a child and now as a young Adult, I appreciate what the Winter Show has to offer to Valley City. I have always enjoyed going up and down the crowded walk ways of booths looking and sampling products that people have come to share, even though as a child I did not like standing at every booth with my father and mother watching them look at posters I did not care about I was more excited to go and see the broncos and bulls in the back. I was disappointed this year that you did not get to see the broncos and bulls before the rodeo, but at the same time it is understandable. I have forever enjoyed rodeos and have continued to pester my parents for a horse, even thought I would have no where to keep one seeing we have lived in Casselton almost all of my life. As a student at VCSU, I now look forward to going to the Winter Show every year and just to feel like a kid again.
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