ND Department of Agriculture Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DECEMBER 14, 2009

PRIDE OF DAKOTA HOLIDAY SHOWCASES SET ATTENDANCE RECORDS

BISMARCK – Attendance at the 2009 Pride of Dakota Holiday Showcases topped 26,000 shoppers, setting an all-time record.

“The Showcases in Grand Forks, Minot and Bismarck all posted record numbers,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. “These figures convincingly show that North Dakotans want the quality and value they find in Pride of Dakota products and that many Pride of Dakota companies see the Holiday Showcase as the best way of reaching a statewide market.”

The four events were held Nov. 7-8 in Grand Forks; Nov. 14-15 in Minot, Nov. 20-22 in Fargo and Dec. 4-6 in Bismarck. For the first time, the Bismarck Showcase featured a three-hour “sneak peek” on Friday which drew more than 900 shoppers.

“Our shopping bag promotion proved very attractive,” Goehring said. “Almost 10,000 people brought their own reusable shopping bags to get a dollar off the admission price.”

The 2010 Holiday Showcases are scheduled for Nov. 6-7 in Grand Forks, Nov. 13-14 in Minot, Nov. 19-21 in Fargo and Dec. 3-5 in Bismarck.

Pride of Dakota offers member companies opportunities to participate in cooperative promotion and marketing events, representation at local, state, regional, national, and international trade shows and educational opportunities. The program is authorized by the State Legislature and administered by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture. More than 400 North Dakota companies are current members.

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MEDIA: For more information, please contact Ted Quanrud at (701) 328-2233 or tquanrud@nd.gov.