Chokecherry Festival

View on map
Food & DrinkWilliston
DatesDates TBA · Usually AugustCheck locally before booking
DurationSummerEstimate from available data
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forRegional food & drinkChokecherries, a tart
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: USD
CategoryFood & DrinkFestival type
The story

Chokecherry Festival in Williston

The North Dakota Chokecherry Festival is a family-oriented August celebration at Davidson Park in Williston, North Dakota, with the 2026 edition running August 8 to 9. The festival centers on the region's wild chokecherry harvest, featuring a pancake breakfast, a fun run, a pit-spitting contest, Chokecherry Express mini train rides, live music, and chokecherry-flavored treats.

Chokecherries grow wild across the riverbanks, coulees, and shelterbelts of northwestern North Dakota, a tart, astringent fruit that has been harvested by both Native communities and settler families in the region for generations, transformed through cooking and sugar into jams, syrups, and the wine-like preserves that make an otherwise nearly inedible raw fruit into a genuine regional delicacy.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

Chokecherries, a tart, dark wild fruit that grows abundantly along North Dakota's riverbanks and coulees, have long been used by both Native and settler communities in the region for jams, syrups, and traditional foods, and Williston's festival gives that specific regional foraging tradition a genuine public celebration rather than letting it remain a private, family-scale practice

02

The mystery stays covered

The pit-spitting contest is a distinctively playful, hands-on event tied directly to the fruit itself, an unusual and memorable competitive category not found at most fruit-themed festivals

03

The city starts moving

The Chokecherry Express mini train rides add a specifically family-oriented, whimsical touch that sets the event apart from more straightforward vendor-and-music festival formats common elsewhere in the region

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The pit-spitting contest and the Chokecherry Express mini train rides are the festival's most distinctive and closely held traditions

Water and renewal

Living ritual

alongside the pancake breakfast that has become the event's traditional community-gathering centerpiece each August

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually August

Getting around

For Chokecherry Festival, plan transport around the exact Williston venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.

What to wear

Casual summer outdoor wear: shorts or light pants and comfortable shoes for the fun run and walking the park grounds, plus sun protection for daytime August hours in northwestern North...

Safety

Use normal food-market caution, hydrate, and leave time between crowded stalls.

Where to stay

For Chokecherry Festival, stay near the part of Williston you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Tickets/cost

Entry may be free while tastings, meals, or special tables are paid locally.

Language/currency

USD

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map48.15 N, 103.62 WOpen in Google Maps

Williston, ND

Nearest airportXWA — Williston Basin
TransportFor Chokecherry Festival, plan transport around the exact Williston venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.
Stay areaFor Chokecherry Festival, stay near the part of Williston you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Williston via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Williston, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for August.Compare faresFestival gearCasual summer outdoor wear: shorts or light pants and comfortable shoes for the fun run and walking the park grounds, plus sun protection for daytime August hours in northwestern North Dakota.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for United States and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

We may earn a small commission from trusted travel partners at no extra cost to you.

FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Chokecherry Festival?

Chokecherry Festival is listed for August · Summer. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Chokecherry Festival take place?

The festival is listed in Williston, United States. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

Summer is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Williston, ND

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLkeyzradio.com
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually August
Source statusOfficial source linked
Related festivals

Continue the route.

Photo pending

Qingdao International Beer Festival

17 July–16 August 2026

Qingdao, China
Photo pending

National Cherry Festival

July · Summer

Traverse City, United States
Photo pending

National Cherry Festival

4–6 December 2026

Young, Australia
Photo pending

Oktoberfest

19 September–4 October 2026

Munich, Germany

Spotted something out of date? Submit a correction →