The biggest small town festival in Minnesota is back with Ox Cart Days in Crookston from August 10th through 16th! Seven days of events are happening all over the city with something for everyone under the theme “In The Mix For ’26.”
Ox Cart Days Chair James Pogatshnik spoke with KROX about some of the new events for the festival this year, including the Shriners parade on Thursday, August 14. The parade, which will start on Central Avenue and work its way to the Crookston Sports Center, is one of two parades held for Ox Cart Days this year along with the Torchlight parade on Saturday, August 15. Pogatshnik has been working with the Shriners to organize this new parade for two years, as the Shriners are in the Crookston and Grand Forks area for the 95th annual Summer Session for the Midwest Shriners Association. “It’s so much fun to be working with them, with all of the outfits and the vehicles they’re going to be having and everything for the parade, and it just adds something,” explained Pogatshnik. “It adds just like a bigger element to things. We have our normal Saturday parade in its normal spot, and I’ve been handling questions about it all day, but it’s great, and I’m really excited for it. Also, the fact that we have this gigantic regional group that’ll be in town for this is so much fun, and the logistics of working with the city, with the police, with fire, with the Crookston Sports Center, Parks Department, all of that. Everybody has had their hands all over this, trying to make sure that everything works and we’re within everything. And it’s going to be worth it.”.
Other new events for Ox Cart Days in 2026 include a “Meet the Artist” reception on Wednesday, August 12, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Queen City Art Center on South Broadway and the KROX Crazy Days Auction on Thursday, August 13, at 10:00 a.m. in the Downtown Square.
Pogatshnik also spoke about some events that have moved locations for 2026. The Taste of Crookston will now kick off Ox Cart Days at the Crookston Inn on Monday, August 10, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Another event that switched locations is Timebomb Pro Wrestling, which will now be held on Thursday, August 13 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Downtown Square for the first time in Ox Cart Days history. “It should be great. We are going to have the ring down there,” said Pogatshnik. “We’re going to have the seats down there. Again, all this is weather permitting, but they’re planning on doing something cool with the stage, turning it into a bit of like a ramp to go over to the ring. They have a lot of really cool plans for this, and I’m really excited to see how the evening turns out, and being down there the whole day, kind of seeing everything kind of built into this one thing.”
Pogatshnik has been organizing Ox Cart Days for the last four years and believes that what makes Ox Cart Days unique is the music festival-like atmosphere that surrounds Crookston for the whole week. “What I like about the festival, especially the last few years, is that there’s a bunch of events, but it’s for everyone,” said Pogatshnik. “If you drink, if you’re sober, if you are a kid, if you’re an adult, there are things you can do. There are things you can be involved in that that are more tailored to your taste. We really pride ourselves in being a community festival. But you know the tagline we’ve had over the past several years is that we’re the biggest small town festival in Minnesota, and we live by that.”
The easiest way to get around the festival is with the official Ox Cart Days button, which is available for $5 at the Crookston Hugo’s Family Marketplace, Happy Joe’s Pizza Crookston, True Value Hardware in Crookston, Erickson Embroidery, the Grand Theatre, and Crookston Domino’s. While the button gets you into most events throughout the week, some do have an additional cost. Kids ages five and under will not need a button for any events.
For more information about Ox Cart Days, including a full schedule of events and updates on this year’s festivities, visit the all-new Ox Cart Days website at www.crookstonoxcartdays.com.
Included below is the Ox Cart Days schedule of events from Monday, August 10 through Wednesday, August 12.
MONDAY
The Ox Cart Days kick-off event, the Taste of Crookston, will be held Monday, August 10, at the Crookston Inn and Suites, 2200 University Avenue, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. There is a cost to get in, even with an Ox Cart Days button.
Event attendees will purchase food from various vendors and vote for their favorites to win!
The Let’s Make A Deal game show is hosted by Melanie Lessard and will be held at the Crookston Inn from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Grab your friends and a costume, and get ready to have some fun while competing in this classic game-show-style event!
TUESDAY
Activities on Tuesday, August 11 include the Ox Cart Days Cook Out fundraiser held at Hugo’s Family Marketplace from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Ox Cart Days buttons will be available for purchase along with a complimentary lunch grilled up by volunteers.
Also on Tuesday is the Road Rally, which begins downtown at 4:00 p.m. This city-wide scavenger hunt includes multiple businesses and activities, with prizes awarded to first, second, and third place teams. Pre-registration will take place at the Red Barn in the Downtown Square, and team members must all fit into one vehicle to be eligible to compete.
Tuesday’s schedule concludes with the Oldie-Wed Game at the Crookston Inn from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Face off against other married couples in this spinoff of the Newlywed Game hosted by Melanie Lessard. Pre-registration is required by contacting crookstonoxcartdays@gmail.com.
WEDNESDAY
Activities for Wednesday, August 12 include an ice cream social and STEM Mobile Lab at the UMC campus from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Kids can participate in hands-on STEM projects, and everyone can enjoy some delicious ice cream and music from Monica Kustritz.
The United Way Golf Ball Drop will take place during the ice cream social at 4:00 p.m., where participants can purchase golf balls that will be dropped from a Crookston Fire Department ladder truck. The closest ball to the target will win, with 1st place winning $100, 2nd place winning $50, and 3rd place winning $25. All proceeds from the golf ball purchases will go to the United Way of Crookston. The first clue for the Medallion Hunt (sponsored by Thrivent Garret Kollin) will also take place at UMC during the ice cream social at 4:30 p.m.
The Queen City Art Center at 124 South Broadway will host a Meet the Arttist reception from 4:00 to 7:00. Enjoy music, door prizes, food trucks, and participate in a collaborative art project.
Youth dodgeball will be held at the tennis courts at Ray Ecklund Park from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Spectators can watch for free with an Ox Cart Days button, but teams must register to play. Teams of up six players will be split into age groups and compete in one of the most popular events of the week.
A jigsaw puzzle competition will be held at the Crookston Eagles Club from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Teams of two to four people will race to complete a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle, with 1st place winning $100, 2nd place winning $75, and 3rd place winning $25. Pre-registration is required, as only 12 teams will be able to compete. All team members must have an Ox Cart Days button. The sign-up page cn be found at www.crookstonoxcartdays.com.
The Wheel of Trivia will be held at Drafts Sports Bar and Grill from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. No pre-registration is required, as teams of up to six people compete to answer trivia questions and win prizes.
