West Fest, the annual fall celebration that brings visitors to The Yards on Sheyenne, will take place the week of Sept. 14, 2020, with adjustments due to COVID-19. This year’s events kick off Monday with a weeklong, virtual scavenger hunt through the West Fest Facebook page that can earn participants a $100 gift card to their favorite West Fargo business. The West Fargo Park District will also host the Farmers Market and Beyond 3:30-6:30 p.m. Monday and Thursday. The festivities continue Thursday with the Taste of West Fargo 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at The Lights Plaza and West Fargo Cruise Night on Sheyenne Street to close out the day.
Residents are encouraged to plan for a day on Sheyenne Street Saturday. The day begins at 8:30 a.m. with the annual West Fest 5k & 10k. At 10 a.m., the West Fargo Public Library will host Read. Make. Play., a popup library in the POW/MIA Plaza, until noon p.m. Then, two sessions of an affirmation bookmark class will take place in the POW/MIA Plaza until 4 p.m. This event is free and open to the public, but there are limited numbers of kits that available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Friends of the Library Book Sale are holding a book sale to benefit the West Fargo Public Library on Sheyenne Street and Fourth Avenue W. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Local craft, art, clothing and home décor vendors will stretch along Sheyenne Street from 12-4 p.m. for the Sip and Shop. This event will also include alcoholic beverages for sale in the POW/MIA Plaza. Additional Saturday activities include the annual West Fest Softball Tournament at Rendezvous Park, 188th Army Band Summer Concert Series performance at South Elmwood Park and bird-watching tours with Audubon Dakota.
For more details about the event and a full schedule, visit www.westfargond.gov/westfest.
The 2020 West Fest parade, family fun and street dance are canceled due to COVID-19. Certain state and federal guidelines will be promoted to follow during the events as well. Masks are encouraged and will be placed throughout each event and sanitizing and handwashing stations will be available. If you are experiencing any COVID-19 related symptoms or have been recently exposed to a positive case, do not attend these events.