June 23, 2015

Homefest music to fill Main Street

By Amy Robinson
Farmer Staff Writer

Watford City is gearing up for its traditional Homefest weekend, which will begin this Friday and run through Sunday. It’s a weekend of family and friends coming back ‘home’ to reunite and celebrate together. It’s a three-day event encompassed in food, fun, and festivities. The community will have a host of planned activities to participate in throughout the three-day event.
Art Show
As part of this year’s Watford City Homefest activities, the Long X Council on the Arts will be hosting an Art Show at the Pioneer Museum. The Art Show, which will take place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, June 26, and Saturday, June 27, will feature two guest artists, Miles Bendixson and Steve Lillegard.
Trish Gravos Memorial Golf Scramble
On Friday, June 26, from 2 to 2:45 p.m., golfers are invited to register for the Trish Gravos Memorial Golf Scramble at the Fox Hills Golf Course. Tee-Off for the scramble will be at 3 p.m.
Kat Perkins Concert
With over 1,500 shows under her belt, and performances everywhere from The Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D., to sold-out stadium shows performing with Bon Jovi (and just about everything you can imagine in-between), Kat Perkins is looking forward to performing at this year’s Homefest in Watford City.
She will be performing on Friday, June 26, at 8 p.m. on Main Street, with a Meet-and-Greet planned immediately following her concert.
“I think it’s going to be so much fun to be performing back in my home state of North Dakota,” says Perkins. “I’m super excited. Everything going on during the summertime - the fests, the street dances, etc., it really reminds me of being back home when I’d look forward to the summers. It’s a feeling of gathering together and that just feels good.”
Kids Zone/Food & Craft Vendors
All day on Saturday, June 27, the community’s youth are invited to come out and have fun in the Kids Zone on Main Street. There will also be a variety of food and craft vendors lining Watford City’s Main Street. So plan to come out with some spending money, ready to shop and eat.
1st Annual Parade of Homes
The first Annual Watford City Parade of Homes will be taking place in McKenzie County during Home-fest weekend, on June 27. The Parade of Homes will feature 11 properties, which will include new, unoccupied single and multi-family homes, and apartments in the area, as well as local contractors and vendors. The properties will span over an eight-mile radius, from Arnegard to Watford City.
To parade will start at the Long X Visitor Center at 9 a.m. Saturday morning. Interested viewers will have until 5 p.m. to take in and survey each of the 11 properties. Following the parade, there will be a Presentation of Awards at 7:45 p.m. on Main Street, where judges will present three separate awards for different categories.
To find the property locations, viewers will be able to pick up a Real Estate and Rental Guide magazine (available at the Visitor Center, at each property location, and around town), which will feature a map inside. Or there is a free downloadable app called ‘ParadeSmart.’ Once downloaded to a mobile device, viewers will want to search for Watford City’s Parade of Homes, which will then provide a GPS-activated map of the properties.
Baby/Starkydz Pageants
On Saturday, starting at noon on Main Street, there will be a baby pageant that parents can enter their babies in for a $10 fee, and have a chance at earning the coveted title of “Little Miss & Mister Homefest.”
Following the baby pageant will be the Starkydz “Summer Showdown” Beauty Pageant at 2 p.m. on Main Street for kids ages 0-18, all competing in various categories for a handful of titles. And every child will walk away with a crown. Registration for this pageant is $40.
Jessie Veeder & Outlaw Sippin’ Concert and Street Dance
Following the first Annual Watford City Parade of Homes Presentation of Awards Saturday evening, there will be a performance from Jessie Veeder & Outlaw Sippin’. This concert will start at 8 p.m., on Main Street.
“Homefest has always been one of my favorite Watford City events,” says Veeder. “The tradition of it, the reconnecting with old friends, classmates and family, and welcoming people home, is so important to the community. I’m happy to have a chance to perform and help my hometown celebrate.”
Veeder is also looking forward to bringing Outlaw Sippin’, the band she’s been playing with for over a year, to Watford City.
“We will have a variety of music,” adds Veeder. “Country, rock, and my originals. I think that will be a fun variety and a nice fit for the Homefest Street Dance.”
First Lutheran Church  Centennial
Concluding the weekend’s events will be Watford City First Lutheran Church’s Centennial celebration. At 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning, there will be a Scandinavian Coffee Social held at the First Lutheran Church, followed by a Dedication of the church at 9:30 a.m. Lutheran Services after the Dedication will then take place at 10 a.m., and a lunch under the tent with music and a special program will follow.
For more information on Homefest, visit the Watford City Area Chamber of Commerce’s website at watfordcitychamber.com.  
 
 

WATFORD CITY WEATHER