GRAND FORKS – More than 100 vendors and a host of new activities are present at the ninth annual Downtown Street Fair, which will take place Friday and Saturday, Aug. 23 and 24.
The hours are from am to 8 pm. Friday and Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm. The occasion is free and open to all.
The free occasion will feature artisans and artists bringing exclusive homemade products, arts and crafts to sell the festival, according to Svea Benefield, vice president of the Downtown Development Association, which organizes the occasion.
The Town Square Farmers Market will be open from nine a. m. to 9 a. m. m. a 6 p. m. on Saturday. Town Square is at the corner of DeMers Avenue and South Third Street.
The entertainment aims to excite audiences of all ages, Benefield said. “(The fair) will feature street musicians, jugglers, stilt walkers and desirable aerial silk performances. “
Local artists will host art demonstrations throughout the days in Pillsbury Park and Alley of Love. And, for sports fans, a full-size pickleball court will be available, courtesy of the Grand Forks Pickleball Club.
On South Third and Fourth streets and Kittson Avenue, which will be closed to vehicular traffic, visitors will find everything from art to fishing gear, wooden puzzles, candles and more.
The Grand Forks Children’s Museum will host “Imagination Playground” days on South Fourth Street.
Also on Fourth Street on Friday will feature professional hula-hoops, jugglers and stilt walkers, along with aerial performers and others who will provide interactive opportunities. On that day, from 2 p. m. to 9 p. m. to 6 p. m. , Lowe’s Home Improvement will distribute loose craft kits to children, while supplies last, on Love Lane, and a Ruffing It Barkery puppy parade will begin at 4:30 p. m. m. in the Plaza del Pueblo.
Also on Friday, the focus of the festival will be from 7:00 p. m. to 10 p. m. , when DJ “Pretty Ricky” will play country music singer-songwriter Zach Bryan’s hits in preparation for the artist’s show, “The Quittin Time Tour,” coming to the Alerus Center on Sunday and Monday, Aug. 25 and 26.
During “Town Square DJ Night,” visitors will have a chance to win tickets to a suite at the Alerus Center for Bryan’s concert on Monday, according to an announcement from the Downtown Development Association. A life-size cardboard cutout of Bryan will be available for visitors to take “selfie” photos.
Another photo opportunity will also be held to welcome UND Fellows to Greater Grand Forks, Benefield said. The DDA deliberately schedules the street fair on the weekend of the return of the UND fellows, as an opportunity to offer “a warm and exciting welcome. “to new and upcoming scholars, providing a fun backdrop to their arrival in Grand Forks,” he said.
This year, the Downtown Street Fair welcomes 111 vendors to the streets, alleys and small parks of downtown.
This is the number of vendors who have ever participated in a street fair, Benefield said. They come from all over the Midwest.
More food vendors are expected than ever, Benefield said. Customers can access at least 15 food trucks and food vendors, so they “can enjoy a wide diversity of culinary delights, from fair favorites to foreign flavors,” he said. “Whether you crave tasty street food or sweets, there is something for everyone. “
“We are delighted to host such a varied and engaging occasion in downtown Grand Forks,” said Jill Proctor, DDA Executive Director. “We are proud to add something new to the occasion to keep the network and visitors interested. Hosting this occasion during Homecoming Weekend only fills our cup, knowing that students can come and delight in all that Grand Forks has to offer. to offer.
In the DDA’s announcement, Proctor encouraged everyone to “celebrate the end of summer with friends, family, and the colorful Grand Forks network. “
Last year, the DDA estimates that more than 48,000 people attended the two-day Downtown Street Fair.