​Inaugural ‘ONE BITE Challenge’ in downtown Fargo May 23

By Rick Gion

A brand new food event called the "ONE BITE Challenge" will launch in downtown Fargo on May 23. Rocky Schneider, executive director of the Downtown Community Partnership told us more.

HPR: Hi Rocky. Thank you for joining us for this interview. Tell us about your role at the Downtown Community Partnership.

Rocky Schneider: I’m the Executive Director of the Downtown Community Partnership, and I also administer Downtown Fargo’s Business Improvement District. Our focus is the visitor experience. Not just the big community moments people see, but the everyday stuff too — how Downtown feels when you park, head to work, meet friends for dinner, or bring your family to an event.

We’re one piece of a bigger puzzle, so we work closely with a lot of partners. Our team helps coordinate community events, support public art and placemaking and stay focused on the day-to-day streetscape and pedestrian areas so Downtown feels cared for and welcoming.

We also manage downtownfargo.com and our social media channels, which is a big part of the visitor experience too. That’s where people go to figure out what’s happening, what’s new, where to eat and how to plug into Downtown’s culture and commerce.

HPR: Please explain to our readers what the Downtown Community Partnership is.

RS: The Downtown Community Partnership (or DCP) is the nonprofit that supports and strengthens Downtown Fargo. We serve a membership of downtown businesses and community partners and our job is to improve the downtown experience in practical, visible ways.

We also administer the Business Improvement District, which helps us focus on the day to day cleanliness and hospitality required by a dense, pedestrian friendly, urban environment.

I often describe Downtown as the front door for our region. It’s where a lot of people form their first impression, whether they’re visiting for a weekend, coming here for school, considering a job, or thinking about relocating their family. So we take seriously the role Downtown plays in how people feel about Fargo-Moorhead and the region.

HPR: You’re organizing an upcoming one bite food event. Tell us more.

RS: We’re launching Downtown Fargo’s ONE BITE Challenge on Saturday, May 23 from 1:00 to 5:00 PM. With one ticket, you can sample a curated bite from 25 downtown restaurants.

Choosing a place to go out to eat is a commitment. It costs money, it costs time and most of us end up going back to the same places we already know. ONE BITE flips that. In one afternoon, you get to try over two dozen locally owned restaurants in a low-pressure way, find a new favorite and actually experience how deep Downtown’s food scene is.

HPR: Are there both sweet and savory bites folks can try?

RS: People can expect a wide variety of bites, which really mirrors the variety of restaurants we have downtown. Each chef is still developing the one bite they feel best represents their place, so the lineup will reflect a range of styles and flavors. I am hoping as the event nears to be able to release the full “menu” from each stop that will help guests be able to build their own route, try their favorites and maybe discover some new ones as well.

HPR: How does the competition work?

RS: Each participating location creates ONE BITE they’re proud of. Guests get to judge each location and ultimately vote on the best flavor, best presentation and their overall favorite. At the end, we will calculate and award the Best ONE BITE in Downtown Fargo and we’ll also recognize a couple fun categories like Best Presentation and Most Unique so different places can shine.

It’s competitive in a fun way. But the bigger win is getting people to try downtown restaurants and come back for the full experience.

HPR: How can folks find tickets to the event?

RS: Tickets are available at downtownfargo.com. It is being capped at 500 tickets to ensure the experience stays fun and manageable for the restaurants. I expect this to sell out, which I hope motivates us all to host more food-focused events in Downtown.

HPR: The amount of participation from downtown restaurants is impressive. There must be a lot of enthusiasm for this event.

RS: There really is. We’ve been holding restaurant meetups and the tone has been genuinely collaborative. Restaurant owners want to show off the district together and they also know something important: if you get someone Downtown once and they have a great experience, they come back.

The response has been immediate because the concept is simple for guests, and it gives restaurants a direct way to showcase what they do best.

HPR: Please elaborate about the local art component of the event.

RS: Our collaboration with local artists has really helped elevate a lot of our events. For ONE BITE, every ticket includes a limited-edition, handmade appetizer plate from Livin’ the Dream Pottery. Each plate is unique, so you can find one that matches your vibe and bring it home as a keepsake from the day.

We love that it ties together two things Downtown does really well: food and local creativity.

HPR: What do you hope to accomplish by organizing an event like this?

RS: Our goal is really simple: get people Downtown, give them a great afternoon by showing off what we do best and then let the experience do the public relations work. We know from Visit Fargo-Moorhead’s data that Downtown Fargo is the most visited place in the city for people who come to the region. We’ve also seen in our own event survey data that events can shift perceptions. People come for something fun, and they leave saying, “I should come down here more often.” ONE BITE is especially powerful because restaurants are one of the best entry points to reconnect people to Downtown.

HPR: In your opinion, what words best describe the food scene in downtown Fargo?

RS: Every city has food, but not every city has a food scene. Our restaurants in Downtown Fargo are creative, locally owned and honestly a real treasure that is envied by many other communities. What you don’t see downtown are chain restaurants or drive throughs. Instead, we have a passionate culinary culture in our community and we want to highlight that as much as possible.

HPR: Anything else that you’d like to add about this event, the Downtown Community Partnership, or enthusiasm for downtown Fargo?

RS: I’d tell people: come with someone who doesn’t get Downtown often. Invite a friend, bring a coworker, make it a shared experience. That’s how perceptions change.

Come hungry, try some places you’ve never tried, vote for your favorites, and enjoy an afternoon that shows what Downtown Fargo can be at its best.

HPR: Thank you for joining us for this interview. We appreciate your time.

RS: Thank you for having me. We appreciate the chance to spotlight Downtown Fargo’s restaurants and the people behind them.