Rodeos
The American Bus Association (ABA) has designated two North Dakota events to its listing of Top 100 Events in North America for 2008. Making the list are the Medora Musical and the North Dakota Rodeo Association Championship Finals.
Events for the list are chosen by an elite tourism industry selection committee who evaluate hundreds of events from throughout the U.S. and Canada. Judges consider the event’s broad appeal, its accessibility to motorcoaches and skill at handling large groups, and a variety of other relevant criteria. Winners are selected from celebrations, festivals, fairs and commemorative events.
“Every year for the past three years, North Dakota has had two events named to the Top 100 list,” said Sara Otte Coleman, director of the North Dakota Tourism Division. “This shows that North Dakota offers excellent entertainment value, and these events are not to be missed.”
Otte Coleman adds that the North Dakota events and communities benefit from being included on ABA’s Top 100 Events list because it provides greater exposure to national and international bus and tour operators.
According to studies recently completed by researchers at The George Washington University and Dunham and Associates, one overnight visit by a motorcoach group can leave from $5,000 to more than $13,000 in a local destination’s economy. Those dollars are spent on lodging, meals, admissions, fees, shopping, souvenirs, services and local taxes.
The Medora Musical (www.medora.com), North Dakota’s biggest summer event that attracts more than 100,000 people, will be held nightly May 30 – September 7, 2008, in Medora. The North Dakota Rodeo Association Championship Finals, held in Watford City September 5-7, 2008, is the state’s largest rodeo gathering and a must see for rodeo and cowboy fans.
Two North Dakota events were selected to the 2007 Top 100 list: Norsk Høstfest in Minot and the Pyrotechnics Guild International in West Fargo. North Dakota also had two honorees for the 2006 lists: Mandan Rodeo Days in Mandan and Reunion at the Home of Sakakawea in New Town. The 2005 list also featured two North Dakota events: the United Tribes Technical College International Powwow in Bismarck and Dickens Village Festival in Garrison.
The Top 100 list will be published as a supplement to the September/October issue of Destinations magazine.
The entire 2008 Top 100 Events list is available online at www.buses.org.
Information about North Dakota Tourism can be found at www.ndtourism.com.
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