The 65th Annual McKenzie County Fair is scheduled for June 12-15 at the McKenzie County Ag Expo. Entertainment highlights of the fair include a demolition derby, rodeo, 4H livestock show, and much more! There will also be the Olaf Leiseth Jr. Memorial Draft Horse Competition on Wednesday, June 12, and a vibrant fair parade on Thursday, June 13. Visitors can look forward to the 4-H animal shows and the carnival running from Thursday-Saturday. Click here to learn more and mark your calendars for the 2024 McKenzie County Fair!

The Watford City Roughrider Fund is a one and a half cent city sales tax missioned with enhancing Watford City. In recent history, the fund supported the construction and expansion of large community facilities including the McKenzie Health Medical Complex, the Rough Rider Center and the Watford City Municipal Airport.
Each year, the fund supports organizations that create vibrancy in our community through events and programming in and around Watford City. This year, the fund committed $ 100,000 to its Community Enhancement Grant program to support vibrancy efforts. At the February City Council meeting, the fund awarded $ 52,500 to the following organization for programming and events:

• Save the Maah Daah Hey to support volunteer efforts during the annual Big Push event
• Friday Night Lights to support school wide activity passes and student back packs
• Trap, Neuter, Rescue Foundation (AKA Angels Wish) to support operations
• Badlands Gymnastics to support the annual Blast In the Badlands youth gymnastics meet
• Long X Arts Foundation to support Wild West Days at the 2024 North Dakota Rodeo Associations Finals
• Long X Arts Foundation to support Art in the Park 2024 during Watford City’s Homefest Celebration weekend
• Watford City Golf Club to support the Welcome Back Scramble, Money Mayhem Tournament, Couples Scramble, and Superintendent’s Challenge
• Bakken Classic Jr Livestock Show to support their annual North Dakota Junior Point & Beyond the Ring sanctioned youth show
• Feed My Starving Children to support the Watford City Mobile Pack event
• McKenzie County Heritage Park & ND Oil Museum to support youth programs such as Tator Tots, Teddy’s Kids Camp, Dino Dig, Heritage Day, and monthly old fashion creative arts at Wintering Well
• Watford City Chamber of Commerce to support Homefest weekend activities
• Watford City Chamber of Commerce to support Ribfest
• Watford City Chamber of Commerce to support Fall & Winter events such as Trail of Treats, Turkey Bingo, and Parade of Lights
• Bakken Oil Rush Ministry to support the Bilingual Play Group
• Bakken Oil Rush Ministry to support the Annual School Supply Giveaway
• McKenzie County Tourism to support VisitWatordCity.com 2024 Main Street Summit downtown activities
• Watford City Park District to support the 2024 North Dakota Parks Association State Conference at the Rough Rider Center
• Watford City Park District to support the 2024 12 U Cal Ripken Baseball Tournament
• Arnegard Park Board to support Spudfest

The program has an additional $ 47,500 available for 2024 events and programs in McKenzie County that support community vibrancy. Please find the application by scanning the QR Code above or by clicking here.

Over the last 15 years, Watford City has been at the center of U.S. energy production, unleashed through the extraction of Bakken oil and natural gas. As a result, the community has experienced one of the largest population growths by percentage in the U.S. during that same period. As we continue to grow and evolve, we are looking at new opportunities for development and redevelopment in the community.

Thanks to a recent Rural Facility Planning Grant awarded from the ND Department of Commerce, we are currently creating a redevelopment plan and vision for three underutilized areas within the city. The goal of this plan is to drive developer interest and investment in overlooked areas, increase residential and commercial tax base in the community, provide needed critical infrastructure (such as housing and critical services) and provide additional quality-of-life amenities for residents.

You can help shape the future of Watford City by taking the survey to share your redevelopment vision. The survey will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete, and your responses are confidential. Scan the QR Code above or click here to take the survey.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony (in this case, a wood-cutting ceremony) for the Bakken Area Skills Center (BASC) in Watford City was held on Tuesday, April 16. Governor Doug Burgum attended the ceremony and spoke towards the success and hopefulness of the skills center. Alongside Gov. Burgum was Superintendent Dr. Steve Holen and other esteemed guests who shared their insights on the significance of this center for our community.

Thank you to everyone involved in this project, from the planning and construction stages to the grand opening. Your dedication has made the BASC a reality, and we can’t wait to see the positive impact it brings to our community’s future!

New U.S. Census Bureau estimates reveal varied population changes across North Dakota’s Bakken counties, with slight increases seen in some areas while other areas experienced declines. Ward, Renville and McHenry counties saw a 0.6% decrease in population from July 2022 to July 2023. In that same timespan, Williams, McKenzie and Mountrail County saw notable growth, with Williams increasing by 3%, McKenzie by 2.6% and Mountrail by 1.5%. This growth is attributed to the state’s oil-related economy, which has rebounded after a downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more on the population growth in the Minot Daily News story.