In Minocqua, Wisconsin, the smell of roast beef fills the air as the roasting competition starts at Beef-A-Rama, an annual celebration that brings more than 12,000 people together for a beef roasting competition, Rump Roast run, beef eating contest, live music, art and more. For the community of Grand Forks, North Dakota, September means an opportunity for parades, food, and family fun, in preparation for the annual University of North Dakota football team’s Potato Bowl. In Des Moines, Iowa, the annual Des Moines Art Festival draws over 200,000 people to celebrate art and those who make it.
While these festivals are unique, they are not uncommon. Across the United States, communities host one-of-a-kind festivals to celebrate the places they call home. Whether it’s centered around a town’s history, an important industry, a local legend, or sport, these festivals foster pride in hometowns across the country and provide a variety of benefits to the community.
Chief among these benefits is keeping communities connected, preserving culture and traditions, supporting the local economy, and contributing to the overall well-being of a community.
Creating a sense of community
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, life has changed for many. Businesses have witnessed reduced foot traffic, there are fewer opportunities for people to connect and more people are increasingly spending more time at home.
With fewer opportunities to interact with friends, family, and neighbors, community festivals play a crucial role in creating a sense of community. They offer people a reason to come together beyond their daily routines and provide a source for community connection. In doing so, these festivals contribute to nurturing local pride, forging new relationships, and strengthening the important sense of unity and belonging that keeps communities connected.
Boosting local economies
Local festivals not only enhance community relationships but also play a vital role in boosting local economies by stimulating activity and supporting local businesses. These events attract both residents and tourists, leading to increased foot traffic in the area. As visitors attend festivals, they often spend money on accommodations, food, transportation, and local goods and services. This increased activity leads to higher sales and exposure for local businesses, such as restaurants, shops, artists and musicians, while injecting capital directly back into the community.
Additionally, the festival organizers often hire local staff, leading to job opportunities and income for the local workforce. The overall economic impact is substantial, creating a ripple effect that benefits the entire community by helping to sustain and grow the local economy.
Celebrating a community’s culture
Community festivals are essential for celebrating a community's culture, especially at a time when towns across the United States are witnessing a surge in similarity and a growing sense of uniformity. Festivals serve as vibrant showcase of traditions, local customs, and values that define a community’s identity.
By spotlighting the history, art, music and traditions that make a community unique, festivals not only preserve cultural legacies but also share them with newer generations to ensure that these cherished traditions continue to thrive and evolve.
How the Cenex brand is supporting local festivals
To support these festivals and celebrate all they do to create stronger community connections, Cenex, the energy brand of CHS Inc., hosts Hometown Throwdown; a giveback competition encouraging local pride by asking individuals and organizations to share what makes their hometown festival unique.
The competition continues our tradition of giving back to the communities we call home by awarding $150K to qualifying festivals, with the grand prize winner receiving $100K!