The 21st Annual Heritage Day will take place at the McKenzie County Heritage Park on Saturday, October 5. The McKenzie County Heritage Park is located west of Watford City at 950 2nd Avenue SW. This free event will start at 11 a.m. and wrap up around 5 p.m.
Throughout the day, attendants will have the opportunity to visit the historic buildings and antique tractors in the Heritage Park that have been donated from all around McKenzie County, participate in a Long X Arts activity (creating clothespin dolls), watch blacksmith shop demonstrations, and participate in old-time school activities. There will be several vendors, live music and entertainment, and a $5 hamburger meal provided by the Watford City Lion’s Club at noon.
Attendants can watch the Heritage Park’s sawmill and shingle mill in action and watch a threshing demonstration. There will also be a pie eating competition for all ages to compete in. There will be a scarecrow building contest, which is new this year, each contestant is responsible for their own props, and they will provide the straw!
Sandy Rieker, who is the Secretary/Treasurer/Director of the Heritage Park and Director of Outreach at the Pioneer Museum, said, “The main purpose of Heritage Day is to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy experiencing the old equipment and getting them all up and running. We also do it to educate the public of days gone by. Some items that we use might still be found on a farm, but most likely if it is, it’s either busted up with no paint left on it, or used as yard decorations.”
When Rieker was asked what makes this event different from other events held in the community, Rieker explained that Heritage Day is separate from other activities in the county as they have the equipment that works and usually works very well along with the means to demonstrate how they all ran.
Rieker said, “Because there are so many new families pouring into McKenzie County it is our goal to embrace them and educate them about the past and how this county got started. With the intentions of helping them understand the importance of where they are choosing to call home, whether it’s a few days and or years!
Heritage Day is always so much fun! We have something for everyone throughout the day.” Come to Heritage Day to explore the way people lived in McKenzie County many years ago and to enjoy all the activities the event has to offer.
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