Forksful of Potato Bowl fun for everyone

Grand Forks and East Grand Forks are going to be overflowing with flavor and fun during the 58th Annual Potato Bowl USA!

The week of September 10-14, 2024, will be jam packed with entertaining to-dos centering on our region’s top staple crop.

Expect (literally) tons of tasty food including an array of complimentary baked potato bars and the legendary World’s Largest French Fry Feed. This popular event is courtesy of the J.R. Simplot Company and invites attendees to enjoy all the free freshly fried taters they can ingest! Festivities culminate on Saturday with the KEM Shrine Parade, Tailgate Party and University of North Dakota (UND) Football Game.

On September 24, 1966, the very first Potato Bowl football game was played at UND’s Memorial Stadium. It was billed as a battle between the largest potato growing regions in the United States (Idaho and the ND/MN Red River Valley). The idea of creating a week of festivities to celebrate potatoes and football was the brainchild of University of North Dakota Athletic Director Len Marti, Head Football Coach Marv “Whitey” Helling, Assistant Football Coach Jerry Olson and Sports Information Director Lee Bohnet. While there may no longer be a Potato Bowl Queen or Best Potato Hotdish award winner, several grand new additions have taken their place.

Gather up all your family and friends, then head to Forks and experience firsthand one of the Midwest’s most iconic celebrations. When the chips are down, count on Potato Bowl to offer up spudtacular times in our two towns!

Potato Bowl USA Week Highlights

Wednesday, September 11

Hugo’s Potato Bowl Golf Tournament – 11 AM at Valley Golf Course

Thursday, September 12

Baked Potato Bar: top your very own tater with everything from butter and sour cream to chili and cheese – 11 AM to 2 PM at all local Hugo’s locations // GoHugos.com
World’s Largest French Fry Feed: FREE FRIES courtesy of Simplot, food/soda concessions, Bluepeak Fiber Internet Kids Fun Zone featuring numerous large inflatable games, potato sack races, live DJs, French fry eating contest, meet the UND Fighting Hawks athletes and coaches – Beginning at 4 PM in University Park

Friday, September 13

Baked Potato Bar: top your very own tater with everything from butter and sour cream to chili and cheese – 11 AM to 2 PM at all Hugo’s locations // GoHugos.com
UND Fan Luncheon – 11:30 AM at UND Memorial Union Ballroom
Get Wet & Run Wild! 1K & 2K Races + Free Swim for all racers and their families afterward – 4 PM (registration); 5:30 PM (races begin) at Choice Health & Fitness

Saturday, September 14

KEM Shrine Potato Bowl Parade – 9 AM in Downtown GF/EGF on DeMers Avenue
Tailgating Party: baked potato bar, food vendors, beer garden, games and live entertainment – beginning at 8 AM in Alerus Center Parking Lot
58th Annual Potato Bowl USA Football Game: UND Fighting Hawks vs. Idaho State Bengals – 1 PM kickoff inside Alerus Center

Further information, including an entire schedule of events, may be found at online. For a listing of all the grand happenings in Forks, go to GrandForksEvents.com. We also invite you to follow Visit Greater Grand Forks on Facebook and Instagram.