2019 World Ploughing Contest… It Takes a Village
Lake of the Woods Tourism conducted a community meeting this Monday at the American Legion in Baudette around the 2019 World Ploughing Contest. The purpose of the meeting was to present information about the Contest coming to the area August 30 – Sep 1. A good number of people from both the area and as far as a few hours away attended. There was a presentation providing helpful info and updates on the event followed by Q&A. Lakeland Public Television out of Bemidji was present to cover the event. The presentation was also live streamed on the Lake of the Woods Tourism Facebook Page and is still available to view. 
It will be here before you know it. Competitors and guests from 32 countries will be converging on the area to crown a world champion. An event like this for a small community is no small task. With Lake of the Woods Tourism taking the lead, there are many people involved that make an event like this a success. As the saying goes, “It takes a village”.
Volunteers. There are many volunteers needed to support a three day World Ploughing Contest that expects thousands of guests attending each day. Efforts have been ongoing to sign up volunteers and many more are needed. Some of the comments of the generous folks donating their time really shed light on the heart of the event. “My husband and I thought it would be fun. There are people from all over the world.” “With a worldwide event like this coming to our back yard, and the fact it only comes to the U.S. once every 30 years, we felt we needed to step up.”
Volunteers are still needed for a variety of areas. Perhaps you want to volunteer for a day or all three days, there are many tasks both ahead of the event as well as during the event that need attention. Click Here to inquire about volunteer opportunities or call Lake of the Woods Tourism at 218-634-1174.
Sponsorships, an opportunity to support and gain exposure. Another aspect of putting on a worldwide event is the finances. So far, some very generous companies and individuals have stepped up to support the World Ploughing Contest. There is certainly more needed. Click Here to check out the list of generous sponsors thus far. If you as a family or company would like to support this one time event coming to the Lake of the Woods region, we certainly could use and will certainly appreciate the support. Click Here for sponsorship info and opportunities.
There were many wonderful questions from Monday nights presentation. Here were just a few…
How many people do you expect? This is a tough question as we have never hosted an event like this before, however, looking at other similar events, we guestimate around 10,000 people per day for each of the three day event.
Where will everyone stay? We knew heading into this event we are not a metropolitan area. We also believe being a vacation destination with resorts and hotels geared toward Lake of the Woods will be well received. Yes, we don’t have hotels that extend high into the sky, so we will house who we can around the Lake of the Woods area and once filled up, we are working with neighboring communities such as Warroad, Roseau, Thief River Falls, Bemidji and International Falls. Some might initially think twice about staying a ways away, but when you think about this event only coming to the U.S. once every 30 years and the fact people are traveling across the world to be here, grabbing a nice cup of coffee in the morning with a group of family or friends and driving to the event isn’t a big deal. One participant at Monday’s meeting mentioned, “We think nothing of driving to the MN State Fair and that is six hours.” Good point.
Can I still sign up to be a vendor at the event? The answer is yes, and if you have a desire to display, we welcome you. For local vendors who aren’t used to paying $950 for a 20×20 booth space, we welcome the opportunity to create win wins through providing a group of volunteers or perhaps bringing a sponsor to the table. If you want to be here, we would love to work something out in order to make that happen. Contact Joe Henry, the Director of Tourism at joe.henry@lakeofthewoodsmn.com or at 320-260-7727 if you are interested in a booth space at the event.
What else is there onsite besides the ploughing contest? Live performances by Nashville Bluegrass performers, The Clay Hess Band. Antique tractor and plows. The Northern MN Draft Horse Association will have both draft horses and mules. Vendors displaying products and services. Food and beverages. People movers to ride around the grounds on and much more.
What kind of food and beverage will be at the event? First off, there will be a beer garden area which will be a lot of fun and certainly have an international flare. In addition, there will be a wide variety of hand picked food vendors. Everything from delicious brats and sausages to hand dipped cheese curds, fresh squeezed lemonade, foot long hot dogs, corn dogs, fresh baked goods and much more. There are still a few spots open for food vendors. To apply for the event either contact Joe Henry at 320-260-7727 or Click Here for an application.
How much does it cost to attend? People attending the big event can purchase a 3 day button in advance or at the door for $25 or each day’s admission is $15. Buttons can be purchase at Lake of the Wood Tourism.
Does admission include entertainment? Yes, once admission is purchased, entertainment is included.
If you have questions or want to learn more about the 2019 World Ploughing Contest being held near Baudette, MN, feel free to contact Lake of the Woods Tourism or check out the 2019 World Ploughing Website.
