Minot
Around Minot
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Metro area · North Dakota · 75k people
Minot
“Magic City”
Where the prairie sky meets the magic of home.
Wheat GoldSouris River GreenPrairie Night Blue
Welcome to Minot, the Magic City on the Souris River! State Fair summers, long bright evenings and real prairie winters: pull up a chair and say hi.
Clubs for Minot
No clubs for Minot yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Minot. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Minot. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- North Dakota State Fairgrounds Home of the State Fair every July.
- Roosevelt Park Zoo The city zoo beside the Souris River.
- Dakota Territory Air Museum Restored warbirds and vintage aircraft.
- Souris River Winds through town past parks and trails.
- Minot State University Home of the Beavers.
- Outdoors Fish and boat on Lake Sakakawea
- Outdoors Walk the Souris River trails
- With kids Roosevelt Park Zoo
- With kids The State Fair midway
- Evenings Minotauros hockey nights
- Evenings Downtown taprooms and bars
- Locals love Supper clubs
- Locals love Ice rinks
Through the year
- North Dakota State Fair July Nine days of rides, livestock, rodeo and grandstand concerts.
Continental prairie: warm, bright summers and long, cold, windy winters. Best: June to September
Talk like a local
- “The Magic City”
- Minot's nickname, for how fast it grew when the railroad came.
- “Uff da”
- An all-purpose exclamation of surprise or dismay.
Getaways
Local flavour
Teams
- Minot Minotauros NAHL
Also rooting for Minnesota Vikings (NFL), Minnesota Twins (MLB), Minnesota Wild (NHL), North Dakota State Bison (NCAA Division I FCS)
Eat and drink
- Knoephla Soup A creamy German-Russian soup with dumplings, a regional staple.
- Lefse Norwegian soft flatbread, often served with butter and sugar.
- Walleye Freshwater fish from Lake Sakakawea and area rivers, often fried.
- Kuchen German fruit or custard cake, popular at local bakeries.
Where people go
- Prairie and farmland Rolling wheat fields and open range.
- Souris River A winding river through the valley, popular for fishing and kayaking.
- Lake Sakakawea A massive reservoir south of Minot, known for fishing and recreation.
- Turtle Mountains Rolling hills near Bottineau, a haven for outdoor activities.
- Geographical Center of North America Monument in Rugby, a quirky roadside landmark.
Heritage and traditions
Minot is proud of its Scandinavian and German-Russian heritage, the resilience of its people through floods and harsh winters, and its nickname 'Magic City' – a place that grew up fast and still celebrates its roots with the world's largest Scandinavian festival.
This time of year in Minot
- Norsk Høstfest Fall September/October – Scandinavian music, food, and crafts.
- Fall hunting Fall Pheasant and deer seasons bring hunters to the fields.
- Norsk Høstfest September–October Largest Scandinavian festival in North America, held in Minot every September/October.
Say it like a local: “Uff da” — Exclamation of surprise or exhaustion (from Norwegian).
Festivals
- Norsk Høstfest September–October Largest Scandinavian festival in North America, held in Minot every September/October.
- Magic City Blues Festival Summer Annual blues music event in Minot, typically in summer.
- Turtle Mountain Pow Wow Summer Native American gathering in Belcourt with drumming, dancing, and crafts.
- Harvey Threshing Bee August Antique farm equipment and threshing demonstrations in Harvey.
- Rugby's Prairie Village Museum Threshing Show Late summer Historical reenactment of early farming with steam engines.
Landmarks with a story
- Scandinavian Heritage Park In Minot, features a replica stave church, a Norwegian cabin, and a statue of the Viking.
- Fort Stevenson State Park Near Garrison, a reconstructed military fort overlooking Lake Sakakawea.
- Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation Home to the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, with cultural centers and pow wow grounds in Belcourt.
- Prairie Village Museum In Rugby, a collection of historic buildings and artifacts depicting pioneer life.
- Old Soo Depot Historic railroad station in Minot, now a transportation museum.
- Minot's Carnegie Library One of the oldest buildings in downtown Minot, built in 1911.
Food traditions
- Norwegian lefse Potato flatbread rolled with butter and sugar, a staple at Høstfest and family gatherings.
- German-Russian kuchen Fruit or custard pie, often served at church suppers and coffee breaks.
- Knoephla soup Creamy chicken soup with potato dumplings, a hearty winter dish brought by German-Russian settlers.
- Walleye fish fry Fresh-caught walleye from Lake Sakakawea, battered and fried at summer gatherings.
- Chokecherry jelly Wild chokecherries are picked along the Souris River and made into tart jelly.
Music and arts
- Scandinavian folk music Hardanger fiddle and Norwegian songs performed at Høstfest and cultural events.
- Polka German and Czech polka bands play at community dances and festivals.
- Native American drumming Turtle Mountain Chippewa drum groups perform at pow wows and cultural gatherings.
- Minot Symphony Orchestra Local professional orchestra performing classical and pops concerts.
A little history
- 1886 Minot founded as a railroad town on the Great Northern line.
- 1957 Minot Air Force Base established, bringing a major military presence.
- 1978 First Norsk Høstfest held in Minot, celebrating Scandinavian heritage.
- 2011 Souris River flood devastated Minot, leading to major flood control projects.
- 2000s–2010s Bakken oil boom transformed Stanley and surrounding towns.
Rivalries
- Minot vs Bismarck North Dakota city bragging rights.
- Game day Minot Minotauros hockey games
- Game day High school football Friday nights
- Outdoors Snowmobiling on the Souris River trails
- Outdoors Cross-country skiing at Bottineau Winter Park
- With kids Scandinavian Heritage Park
- With kids Magic City Discovery Center
Locals speak with a flat Midwestern accent, use Scandinavian and German phrases like 'uff da' and 'kuchen', call soda 'pop', and often refer to the Souris River as the 'Mouse River' (its English translation). The pronunciation of 'Souris' is often 'Surrey'.
Only here
- The Geographical Center of North America is marked in Rugby with a stone cairn.
- Minot is nicknamed the 'Magic City' because it grew so fast after the railroad arrived.
- The Norsk Høstfest is the largest Scandinavian festival in North America.
- Minot Air Force Base is home to the B-52 Stratofortress bombers.
New here? A few tips
- Winter is long and cold; invest in a good parka, boots, and an ice scraper.
- Keep an emergency kit in your car (blanket, shovel, booster cables) – highways can close quickly.
- Try a lefse and knoephla soup at a local café or church supper.
- Learn to say 'you bet' – it's the universal reply.
- The Souris River is often called the 'Mouse River' by locals; don't be confused.
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Nearby
Every areaStanleyNorth DakotaWide skies, deep waters, and a strong sense of home.Turtle MountainsNorth DakotaWhere the prairie rolls into the pines.RugbyNorth DakotaWide skies, warm hearts, and the center of it all.Lake SakakaweaNorth DakotaWhere the prairie meets the big waterWatford CityNorth DakotaBadlands sunsets and open skiesEstevanSaskatchewanPrairie energy, warm heartsBismarckNorth DakotaPrairie capital by the riverWillistonNorth DakotaRooted in the prairie, fueled by the Bakken.
Minot, ND. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.