The Second Coming of the Dale

When HoDo owner Karen Burgum decided that downtown needed a summer block party, her management team brainstormed different ideas on what to call the event. Several maybes and few not-quite-rights later, assistant manager Jason Laub suggested Dalefest, a name that seems a bit odd if you don’t know the HoDo’s bar and restaurant manager Dale Powers.

But if you are a familiar with the place, chances are you probably do.

Perhaps the most universally liked figure in downtown Fargo, Powers effortlessly mixes in with any type of crowd and puts strangers at ease by looking them straight in the eye and treating them with respect. He must have bad days, but you wouldn’t know it because his fine-tuned social intelligence knows better than to bring others down by bemoaning temporary troubles. A rare example of both high confidence and zero arrogance, Dale has become the embodiment of what the Donaldson means to its patrons.

While the uninitiated often misjudge the HoDo with adjectives such as “luxury” and “pretentious,” those who venture through the doors often come to learn that comfort — rather than luxury — defines the place and that more often than not the only thing the staff and the crowd thumb their noses at is people who thumb their noses.

Friendly as your neighborhood pub but still a little suave, Dale defines the HoDo and the HoDo defines Dale, making him the perfect namesake for a laid back summer block party on Broadway. Hence, Dalefest.

“Jokingly, I always say that they named it Dalefest because Karen likes me best,” Powers said, smiling. 

Now in the second year of what they hope will become an annual tradition, this summer’s Dalefest expands upon last year’s debut. Two upbeat bands — local favorite Post Traumatic Funk Syndrome and Minneapolis based Roster McCabe — are the main attractions but certainly not the only ones.

In addition, Amanda Standalone and Catherine Falconnier’s burlesque troupe will perform in a variety show during the set break, and several of the Upfront Gallery’s artists will be on hand to display their works and to demonstrate the techniques of their craft. Standalone and the Upfront Gallery teamed up last Valentine’s day for an event that received a lot of positive audience response, so they should be an excellent addition to this year’s lineup. 

Also, the fest will feature street performers, a silent auction and the hard hitting FM Derby Girls as event security (so you better check yourself before you wreck yourself). Most likely their services will be primarily symbolic, however, as the scene should be much like the words HoDo general manager Josh Tandberg used to describe the man the event is named after: kindhearted and chill.

“Dale is kind of an icon of the place, our mascot,” Tandberg said. “People of all walks of life know him and relate this place to him.”

Having been there since the day the HoDo opened, Dale has found the rare job in which its easy to not count the minutes until the end of the day because your place of employment almost feels like a home away from home. For that he credits the atmosphere Burgum has created and the staff he gets to work with, a collection of unique team players that bring life to the term human resources.

“It’s been fantastic working in a non-franchise situation. Karen makes the big calls but she also lets us do our jobs,” Powers said. “And I’ve never had such great help. From the bar to the restaurant to the hotel, they make working here easy.”

If it sounds like there is more love between co-workers here than what seems normal, that’s because these people often function more like an extended family (including everybody’s favorite uncle — Uncle Paul). This makes Dalefest something like a summertime reunion, but if you’re not in the family yet, don’t worry. They’re a welcoming bunch and always seem to have room for one more.

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