Near 34,000 Attend Pride of Dakota Showcases

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Nearly 34,000 shoppers attended the four Pride of Dakota Holiday Showcases over the holiday season.

The showcases were held in North Dakota's four largest cities in November and early December. State Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring says attendance set records at the Fargo, Grand Forks and Minot events, and the Bismarck showcase had a record number of participating vendors showing their North Dakota-made products.

Goehring says total attendance fell 269 people short of last year's record, largely because of bad weather during the Bismarck showcase.

More than 500 companies are members of the Agriculture Department's Pride of Dakota branding program.