MSU President's Newspaper Column

September 4, 2021 

Farmers Bowl is September 18!

The calendar page has turned to September, and that means Farmers Bowl 2021 is not far away! The big day is set for Saturday, Sept. 18. This annual event is always much-anticipated by campus and community members, and this year’s Farmers Bowl will be extra-special.

Rodney Miller and Jann Carl, hosts of Small Town Big Deal, a television show that airs nationwide and has more than a million viewers each week, will be joining in the fun. Their crew will be recording Farmers Bowl highlights for a future episode of the show. The show airs locally on KVLY/KXJB on Sundays at 10 a.m. Check it out on Sunday mornings and/or learn more at smalltownbigdeal.com.

Rodney and Jann are super-excited to come to Mayville-Portland and Traill County. This will be their first trip to North Dakota. We are fortunate that they have chosen to feature Mayville State and our community for their inaugural show in our state.

The Small Town Big Deal crew will cover most of the Farmers Bowl activities on Sept. 18 and their team is working to develop a full schedule of filming and interviews during the few days when they’ll be in town. We’ve pitched a number of story ideas that feature people and places that are unique and that make our area stand out. There are lots of choices and we know they can’t cover everything, but we know that whatever they choose to feature will be wonderful.

Saturday, Sept. 18 will be jam-packed with things to do. Please do mark your calendar and plan to be a part of all the fun and festivities. The day will begin with a 5K Fun Run at 7:30 a.m., followed by a special Ceremony of Remembrance at the Mayville State Military Honor Garden at 9 a.m. People who attend the Ceremony of Remembrance are encouraged to bring a lawn chair so they can be seated and also to stay on the grounds of the Larson Center to watch the Farmers Bowl parade, which will pass by following the ceremony.

Led by the local color guard, with Small Town Big Deal hosts Rodney and Jann on tractors following right behind, the Farmers Bowl Parade will begin at 10 a.m. Lineup for the parade will begin at 8 a.m. at the corner of Center Avenue and Main Street in Mayville. Parade entrants will line up from the west, going east. Parade chairman Jay Henrickson and his committee are encouraging people to get pre-registered as soon as possible by emailing Stacy at stacy.buchl@mayvillestate.edu.

The parade committee is working hard to make sure this is the biggest and best Farmers Bowl Parade yet. Will you help them in their efforts by joining the parade with your vehicle or farm equipment of interest, old or new? Rally the troops and make sure your organization or business is represented. This is a time to go all out and let your Comet and Community Pride show!

There is a bit of a change to the traditional parade route this year. The parade will head east down Main Street, then turn north on Fourth Avenue, making its way to the front of MSU Old Main. After a short jog to the west, The parade will head north on Third Avenue and past the Edson and Margaret Alumni and Leadership Center. The final leg will send the parade east at Stan Dakken Drive, ending outside of Jerome Berg Field.

Immediately following the parade, our athletic teams will be ready to serve corn on the cob and hot dogs for all. During this time, there will be games, including corn hole, inflatables, and more. In addition, the local farmers market merchants will be set up and selling their homegrown and homemade products.

The Comets will be sporting their Farmers Bowl helmets that feature the wheat motif when they take on Dickinson State in the Farmers Bowl football game. Game time is 1:30 p.m. at Jerome Berg Field.

We’re hoping for a great crowd at the Lindaas Barn Dance which will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Elroy Lindaas farm east of Mayville. Put on your dancing shoes and enjoy a grand finale to the Farmers Bowl celebration.

The Comet Athletic Club Sportsmen’s Raffle Event and Farmers Bowl Silent Auction will begin with socializing at 5 p.m. at the Norsemen Hall in Portland. This is a major fundraiser for Mayville State and promises to provide an evening of entertainment, all for a great cause. See more at www.mayvillestate.edu/sportsmensraffle.

Farmers Bowl was established years ago as a celebration and recognition of the agricultural way of life in our area, all centered around a Mayville State football game. We have much to celebrate in our special little corner of the world. Don’t miss this special opportunity to celebrate the gifts that are ours. See the full Farmers Bowl schedule and all the details at www.mayvillestate.edu/farmersbowl.