Welcome to Local Hot Spot! This is a column where I’ll highlight local businesses or activities! Hopefully, you’ll learn about something new and check out some hidden gems in Fargo. Starting with this issue, the Folkways Night Bazaar.
Folkways is a local non-profit that hosts events around the Fargo area, its main project is the Night Bazaar which is a festival with art and food vendors. Each Bazaar has its own theme, always based around fantasy. The night I went to in September was magic, in June the theme was renaissance, and October’s theme is spooky.
There are two things I wish I had known before going to the Night Bazar. One, I would be underdressed. Walking around surrounded by wings, capes, and stilts definitely made the experience more fun. You see a side of Fargo that only comes out at night. I was struggling in the moment, walking around in my old sweatshirt and jeans, but it did make me realize that I could be doing so much more and not be the odd one out.
The second thing, I didn’t know Isiah Jensrude would be running around as a mime. But maybe that’s something I learned, it’s hard to recognize who someone is when their face is painted white, they’re wearing a red nose, a beret, and are silent, something that they normally aren’t.
Night Bazaar is in the unbeatable location of downtown Fargo. There’s live music in the square, normally a local band, the splash pad and turf provide a perfect place for kids to run around. There are also booths catered towards the youth provided by local groups like The Plains Art Museum, and some themed activities like making crowns or getting your fortune read.
However, the creme de la creme of Night Bazaar will always always always be the food. I walk in with my money, prepared to be surrounded by music and good vibes, and then suddenly I’ll end up in a line for a food station I didn’t even know existed. Once it reaches 10:00, I’m suddenly compelled to buy every food I’ve never tried before. This time it was a strawberry shortcake parfait from Prairie Cakes and Botanicals. I love strawberries, so discovering this was life changing for me.
It’s genuinely such a good way to support local businesses and expand your horizons. I will always recommend that people go to Deb’s Corner Food and Catering. Especially now that we’re out of that week-long span of October 90 degree weather, her cooking is even more compelling. I would actually do anything to be eating one of her spinach frittatas right now.
Overall, the night bazaar is just a super fun event for all types of people in Fargo, the food is great, the music is fun, and people get to dress up and walk around under fairy lights. So make sure to make it to the final bazaar this year, Oct. 30, at Brewhalla, and don’t be like me and make sure to dress up!
