3 minute read
MANDAN RODEO DAYS
JUNE 30 - JULY 4, 2023
FOUR CHANCES TO CHECK OUT THE BRAND NEW DALE PAHLKE ARENA IN MANDAN.
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Chancey Williams Concert
FRIDAY, JUNE 30TH | GATES: 5 PM
It’s the first LIVE concert at the brand new Dale Pahlke Arena on the dirt, headlined by country music sensation Chancey Williams, featuring Southerland and Zach Thomas. Williams, a former saddle bronc rider, was named iHeartRadio’s 2022 Rocky Mountain Country Music Awards Entertainer of the Year.
FAMILY NIGHT
SUNDAY, JULY 2ND
GATES OPEN: 5 PM | RODEO: 7 PM
Patriot Night
MONDAY, JULY 3RD
GATES OPEN: 5 PM | RODEO: 7 PM
FIREWORKS NIGHT
TUESDAY, JULY 4TH
GATES OPEN: 5 PM | RODEO: 7 PM
Tickets
FRIDAY $100 VIP • $25 GENERAL
SUNDAY (PRESENTED BY H.A. THOMPSON & SONS)
$100 VIP • $22 GENERAL • $20 FAMILY
MONDAY (PRESENTED BY EIDE CHRYSLER)
$100 VIP • $45 ROUGHRIDER • $30 COWBOY • $22 GENERAL
TUESDAY (PRESENTED BY KX NEWS)
$100 VIP • $45 ROUGHRIDER • $30 COWBOY • $22 GENERAL
Advanced tickets available at mandanrodeo.com. Have questions? Call us at (701) 877-4386 or visit our office at: 201 W Front Ave. Bismarck, ND 58503
Advanced tickets save $8 off gate price.
Heroes
Who: Heather Jacobson-Bauer, president of Mandan Rodeo Days and Jason Mittlestadt, past president of Mandan Rodeo Days
What: Mandan Rodeo Days
Why: Mandan Rodeo Days is one of the biggest rodeos in Northern America, the biggest one in North Dakota, and arguably one of the oldest. This year marks the rodeo’s 144th year. What started as horse races and baseball games has grown into a well-known rodeo. The 40s and 50s saw the largest numbers in the rodeo’s history, drawing 10,000 people every year at the old rodeo grounds. The rodeo dipped in numbers in the 90s but has been steadily growing over the last 20 years thanks to the efforts of volunteers like Heather Jacobson-Bauer and Jason Mittlestadt.
Jason Mittlestadt has been involved in Mandan Rodeo Days for 18 years now. He started by volunteering, then coming to meetings, and slowly became an integral part of the event becoming the first VP, then chairman for three years. “The minute I was voted in as chairman I looked at what can we change, what can we make better, because to me it felt stagnant at that time,” explains Jason. It was at this time that Heather Jacobson-Bauer become the first VP. Together, they worked on rebranding the rodeo, making the rodeo its own entity (now a 501c non-profit), and building a new arena. The new arena is finishing up construction and will be open for the first time for the 2023 season. “We’re looking ahead at the future, what does the future hold. We need to set this up so it’s easier for the people behind us,” says Jason. Jason also wants to give a huge thank you to all their sponsors, especially Dale Pahlke and Dakota Community Bank. “Dale stepped up in a big way,” says Jason. “Not only was he our biggest sponsor, he also helped raise the money… And to all the sponsors that helped and the contractors, architects, and engineers. Everybody that was involved gave back to make this possible.”
In order to focus on the new arena, Jason stepped down as chairman after three years, and Heather took over. Heather was first on the board in 2017 but has been participating in Mandan Rodeo days for much longer than that. “I had at one time
144th Year | 7,000-8,000 attendees per year | 600 contestants | Chancey Williams in Concert June 31st | Slack Day July 1st | Performances July 2nd-4th participated in the Mandan Rodeo Days, but also coming and watching the rodeo and seeing it… I got on the board and really enjoyed the people I was working with, the team effort, and that we all want to better the community,” says Heather. Heather hopes to keep seeing the rodeo grow. “It would be nice to see it grow into even more days versus just threeday performance. It would be nice to make it larger. Someday even as big as Calgary… it would be fun,” says Heather.
The rodeo always hosts a number of events such as barrell racing, breakaway roping, and rough stock timed events. People come from far and wide to watch this annual event, drawing an average of 7,000-8,000 people and 600 contestants. “It brings in people throughout the United States. We’ve had people come in from California. We’ve had people come in even from Canada and Europe,” says Heather.
This year, performances start July 2nd and run through the 4th. Like last year, July 1st will be Slack Day. New this year is a grand opening concert with Chancey Williams to kick off Mandan Rodeo Days a day earlier on June 31st.
Want More?
mandanrodeo.com
