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From Boomtown to Stability: Watford City and St. Patrick’s Day

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Watford City, N.D., is seen at dusk along Main Street in this long-exposure photo highlighting downtown businesses and development that followed the Bakken oil boom. The McKenzie County community remains one of western North Dakota’s fastest-growing cities.
Chad Ziemendorf
Watford City, N.D., is seen at dusk along Main Street in this long-exposure photo highlighting downtown businesses and development that followed the Bakken oil boom. The McKenzie County community remains one of western North Dakota’s fastest-growing cities.

Today's Segments

Watford City’s Next Chapter After the Bakken Boom - Part 1
Watford City has been one of North Dakota’s fastest-growing communities during the Bakken oil boom. Mayor Phil Riely joins Main Street to discuss how the city is transitioning from rapid growth to long-term stability—addressing housing, workforce shortages, childcare and infrastructure while maintaining the quality of life that continues to attract families and workers to western North Dakota.

Mayor Phil Riely, Watford City, ND

St. Patrick’s Day at Fargo’s Blarney Stone
St. Patrick’s Day is one of the busiest celebrations of the year in downtown Fargo. Mikael Engebretson from the Blarney Stone at the Hotel Donaldson joins Prairie Plates to talk about corned beef and cabbage, Irish traditions, and what it takes behind the scenes to pull off one of the city’s biggest holiday gatherings. You can hear more editions of Prairie Plates here.

North Dakota Promotes Sober Rides for St. Patrick’s Day
As St. Patrick’s Day celebrations ramp up across the state, officials are expanding the ND Sober Ride program to help prevent impaired driving. Prairie Beat explores how partnerships with Lyft and Uber aim to get people home safely, and how the state’s Vision Zero campaign is working to reduce alcohol-related crashes on North Dakota roads. You can hear more editions of Prairie Beat here.

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