Hidden Stories: WinterFest 2025 - A Celebration of Community and Tradition

For more than three decades, Kidder County WinterFest has brought families, friends, and neighbors together in the heart of North Dakota. This year marks the 31st annual celebration, and the excitement is already building as the WinterFest committee, led by co-chair Erin Dewitz, prepares for another unforgettable weekend of tradition, fellowship, and giving back.

Erin knows a thing or two about the power of community. A farmer, business owner, and nurse practitioner at the Steele clinic, she and her husband are raising their three children, 8-year-old twin boys and a 5-year-old daughter, in Kidder County. For the past five years, she’s helped lead WinterFest, and her commitment reflects what makes small towns thrive: people coming together with a shared purpose.

“WinterFest started as a way for our community to gather and celebrate,” Erin explained. “After COVID, it became a way to raise funds, not only for our swimming pool project, which opened this July, but also for our fire department, ambulance service, 4-H, and so many other groups. Every organization can take part and raise money for what they’re passionate about. That’s what makes it so special.”

This year’s festival, taking place December 5-7, will feature something for everyone. And while the agenda is still being determined, fans can count on things beginning Friday evening with the beloved tree lighting on the courthouse lawn, followed by the lighted parade, carolers, fireworks, and a community meal.

Saturday promises to be just as full. A vendor show draws businesses and artisans from across the state, spilling into two locations due to its size. The Lions Club will serve lunch, with proceeds going right back into community projects, like clean-up efforts and events. Kids will have their own Santa’s Workshop, complete with crafts and a visit from Santa himself, while adults can join in special crafting classes. Saturday evening features a new twist on the annual dinner event, with this year’s theme being Ladies’ Night, offering a boutique-led crafting experience, dinner, and shopping. Throughout the weekend a silent auction, featuring more than 100 community-donated items, will raise vital funds for local causes.

The festival wraps up on Sunday, December 7, with the “Candlelight Cowboy Christmas” event. This evening of live music by Beni Paulson also includes a 4-course supper, Adult Bingo, beer tasting by Dialectic Brewery and more drinks from The Depot. Attendees are encouraged to dust off their boots and wear their favorite western best! More information and tickets are available online. All proceeds will benefit the KCSP New Pool Fund.

WinterFest is more than food, fun, and fundraising. It’s a reminder of why small towns matter.

“Our small towns are going through some tough times,” Erin says. “A lot of them are dying out. That’s why it’s so important to create events where people feel connected, especially the kids. When young people see their community thriving, they’re more likely to come back. WinterFest helps showcase our businesses, gives families a reason to gather, and makes sure our organizations get the support they need.”

What Erin values most is the diverse group of more than 20 volunteers who make it all possible. “Our board is made up of people from every walk of life, including a pastor, a nurse, a librarian, a city worker,” she shared. “Everyone brings their passion to the table, and I just try to place them where they shine. That’s what makes WinterFest special.”

WinterFest is living proof of what BEK Communications Cooperative stands for: community, cooperation, and the belief that we’re stronger together. It’s a place where neighbors lift each other up, where traditions are kept alive, and where the next generation sees the value of small-town life.

As Erin puts it, “When you see a couple hundred people singing Silent Night together under the tree lights, you know you’re part of something bigger.”

The WinterFest committee invites everyone to join in, whether by sponsoring, volunteering, donating, or simply showing up to enjoy the weekend. To get involved, email kiddercountywinterfest@outlook.com or follow their Facebook page, Kidder County WinterFest, for updates.