The Downtowners’
City Center Newsletter
May 24, 2012
What You Will Find…
□ 5th Annual Ribfest!
□ Downtown Updates
□ Upcoming Events
□ Association News
5 Years of the Downtowners Ribfest
BBQ Fundraiser Hits 1st Milestone…
“Dan Johnson (Ribber) told us that a Ribfest was a three legged stool… the 3 M’s, money, marketing, and music,” Dina Baird co-founder of Bismarck Ribfest.
It’s been over 5 years since former board president Dina Baird and her father LaRoy stumbled across the Fargo Ribfest on a road trip. Dina was new back to Bismarck and the Downtowners organization. The Downtowners were looking to add more staff to the organization, more value, and turn Downtown Bismarck into a thriving small urban center. But they needed some funds, and Ribfest was a great fundraiser whose proceeds could be used to expand the office. Dawn Kopp was new to the organization and a small group decided to take on something that much larger organizations do.
The history and first years of Ribfest are full of stories of fate, coincidence, success, challenges, community support and higher callings. The goal of expanding the office was realized, the goal of creating a vibrant Downtown for Bismarck is well underway, and the credit goes to the volunteers, sponsors and supporters, and the rib-loving public.
We know people say it all the time, but we couldn’t have done it without this great community support. Being low on or inexperienced in the 3 M’s for a new event of this size, it’s a purely factual statement that the community has really made this event possible.
As our community continues to grow, these events are a great way for the public to congregate and share experiences, binding us together and keeping our community closely-knit. We thank you for supporting this event and this organization with your continued patronage of our Ribfest Fundraiser.
Check out all the fun things we have planned below!
* Featured Picture: Dina Baird, Dan Johnson, Mikey Hoeven, Dallas Green, and Dawn Kopp, 2008, 1st Annual Downtowners Rip Roarin’ Ribfest
2012 Downtowners Ribfest Line-up
We have 3 veteran Ribbers back, last year’s winner, and a new Memphis-style Ribber!
●Johnson’s Barbecue, Inc. ● Cowboys Barbeque & Rib Co. ● Howling Coyote BBQ
●Porky ‘n Beans BBQ ●Willingham’s BBQ
Ribfest 2012 Live Music and Performance Schedule
Thursday June 14
12-12:30pm Ehrmantrauts Academy Martial Arts
5-7pm Fully Loaded
7:30-11pm October Road (Country Headliner)
http://www.octoberroad.net/index.htm
Friday June 15
12-2pm Ben Suchy
5:00-7:00pm Randy James Band
8-11pm Bed of Roses
“#1 Bon Jovi Tribute Band” (Headliner)
http://www.bedofrosesonline.com/
Saturday June 16
12-2pm Sarah McMahon
3-5pm Flea Bitten Tramps (Blue Collar/Folk)
5-7:30pm The Thermos Brothers
8-11pm Dirty Blonde (Headliner)
Go to www.bismarckribfest.com to learn all about the Ribfest 2012 Bands!
V.I.P Tent Sponsored by Cloverdale Foods
Get treated like a Rock Star in our Cloverdale V.I.P tent. Included are all you can eat ribs from all 5 ribbers, plus exclusive Cloverdale Russell Reserve Ribs! Drinks, private tent, VIP Drink Station, SWAG and much more! Tickets are great gifts, tables are also available for businesses to purchase. Call the Downtowners for more info: 701-223-1958 or visit our website for more info or to buy your VIP Tickets Online!
Vendor Booths
Check out new products and services from our vendors while you eat! Eide Ford, ABC Seamless, the National Guard, Cumulus Broadcasting, and more!
The Details
Ribfest is June 14-16 at the Bismarck Civic Center. Admission is $5/adults all day pass, kids 12 & under are free. Ask about PBR discounts and military discounts. Lunch admission is free Thursday and Friday from 11am-1pm. Proceeds go to the Downtowners 501c6 non-profit. Ribfest Races 5k & 10k is June 9 at Sertoma Park.
Downtown Updates
— Free After Hour Parking is now available at the 3rd and Main Ramp. The Bismarck Parking Authority is offering free evening parking from 4pm to 2am daily through the end of the year. With all the new activity and nightlife in Downtown Bismarck, the ramps will allow the public to enjoy the city center and not have to look for street parking. Simply park once in the ramp and experience all Downtown has to offer.
How the After Hour Complementary Parking Works: Use the entrance to the 3rd & Main Ramp on 3rd Street. Pull into the ramp and pull a time stamped ticket. The arm will raise and allow the car through to park. When exiting the ramp, simply use the hourly lane and deposit your ticket in the slot, the arm will already be raised to allow the cars to exit. There is no leeway on timing. If you enter at 3:59pm or exit at 2:01am, the customer will be charged the normal hourly rate.
–The No “Reparking” ordinance is now in effect; however there will be a warning for your first offense. The Bismarck Police Department is no longer marking tires with chalk as a monitoring system for timed parking. Instead they will use a handheld computer that will track the vehicles more accurately. Please let your customers and employees know of the new system.
– With all the curiosity around the new construction projects in Downtown Bismarck, we have added updated renderings of Rick Becker’s project on Main Ave and Broadway Centre on West Broadway, go to our website and see the updates on our “Real Estate section. www.downtownbismarck.com
– The parking lot just east of The Elbow Room is being resurfaced. The businesses in the building are still open, please use entrances on 5th St andMain Ave.
Upcoming events
What’s Shakin Downtown
June 6-7
NDANO Leadership Conference
Radisson Hotel
June 9
Buggies & Blues, 4pm
Mandan Main Street
June 9
Ribfest Races 5k & 10k
SertomaPark, 8am Start
June 12
Election Day!
www.co.burleigh.nd.us/elections
June 14-16
Downtowners Rip Roarin’ Ribfest
BismarckCivic CenterLotD
Downtowners’ Association News
Organization and member news …
Find all of our member businesses information at: www.downtownbismarck.com
□ Congrats to Stuart and Cheryl Tracy, owners of Pirogue Grille in Bismarck, on having their Minted Lamb Burger named one of the “Top 25 Burgers in the Midwest” by Midwest Living Magazine. “Pirogue Grille, Bismarck, North Dakota. It’s the best-kept secret in town. You have to sit in the bar at North Dakota’s finest restaurant to order the $9 Minted Lamb Burger, made with locally raised meat and served on homemade focaccia topped with hummus and feta. One bite, and you’ll become a believer.” Find more at www.midwestliving.com!
□ Shooters will be closing the pool hall May 25. Owner Roger Zink, who also owns the building, is retiring from the business. Shooters will reopen part time to liquidate remaining inventory. If you are interested in inventory, call Roger at (701) 221-3223.
□ The 39th Annual Downtowners Street Fair vendor applications can be downloaded at: www.downtownbismarck.com.
Please send all member business news and events to: kate@downtownbismarck.com. Check the Downtown Business Association’s websites for updated news and events www.downtownbismarck.com or www.bismarckribfest.com. Please forward this on to people interested in Downtown news!