Sodbuster Days
A short drive southwest of Fargo, Fort Ransom State Park is an 887-acre facility that preserves unspoiled North Dakota woods and prairies. But tucked away inside the park is Sunne Farm, founded by a homesteader in 1884. For three days in September, this small farm bustles with activity during Sodbuster Days.
Sodbuster Days is a living-history weekend that celebrates the homestead history of the area. Interpreters set up at stations throughout Sunne Farm to demonstrate many of the pioneer village activities that would have taken place at this farm and others like it throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Visitors can see some of the early farm machinery used during those days or take a ride in the back of a horse-drawn wagon. They can also try their hand at grain threshing and potato picking or take part in folk music and dancing performances.
Foliage and Flying Pumpkins
Fall foliage reaches its peak in late September in the gorge area around Walhalla, in the northeastern part of the state just across the Canadian border from Manitoba. That makes September 27 the perfect time for the city’s annual Pumpkinfest.
This one-day event has all the hallmarks of a great fall festival. As the name suggests, pumpkins are at the heart of the celebration. Each year, local farmers compete to grow the largest pumpkin in the area and display their entries at the festival, with winners often weighing in at more than 1,000 pounds. And visitors can get a taste of sweet and savory pumpkin dishes created by local vendors.
The festival is also known for its giant pumpkin catapult and the Pumpkin Princess competition. Groups that visit for the festival can take trolley rides to see the fall foliage along the Pembina Gorge.
Inside Art
The Red River of the North forms the border between North Dakota and Minnesota, and separates the towns of Fargo, North Dakota, on the western side and Moorhead, Minnesota, on the eastern side. But Fargo and Moorhead effectively form one community, and artists in both towns come together to create a special arts event that takes place each year in early October.
Fargo Moorhead Visual Artists organizes the Fargo Moorhead Studio Crawl, which takes participants inside the work spaces of artists in the two towns. Taking place over the first weekend in October, the crawl features dozens of artists who invite visitors into their creative spaces to learn about ceramic, paper, fabric, wood, glass, metal and painted artwork.
The Studio Crawl features a variety of spaces, some in backyard garages and others in downtown halls. Businesses and organizations around town often plan other special events to coincide with the Studio Crawl.
