Tracker Pixel for Entry

​More than sparkly hats and little cars

News | August 22nd, 2018

Corn Palace Hillbillies, Mitchell,  SD

Photos by Sabrina Hornung

The Midwest Shrine Association held their annual conference in Deadwood South Dakota last weekend. A total of 14 Shrine chapters were represented hailing from Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. El Zagal and Kem shrines were in attendance proudly representing their North Dakota chapters. Attendance for the summer conference usually ranges from between 2,000 and 2,500 Nobles and their Ladies.

The Shriners hosted two parades in the Black Hills this year, one in Deadwood and the other in Spearfish but they weren’t just limited to big men in little cars. Imagine groups of dune buggies, ATVs, a motorcycle corps, and of course the iconic little cars zipping past thrilled parade watchers circling each other in elaborate figure eights. The parades included horse corps from both Sioux Falls and Deadwood, antique cars, rat rods, calliopes, chanters, flag corps, a steel drum band, a fife and drum corps, a viking ship complete with vikings and a host of other unique displays establishing a distinct identity to each chapter.

There’s much more to the Shriners than little cars, circuses and sparkly hats. They raise a significant amount of money for local charities as well as for Shrine hospitals. El Zagal alone raised over $396,000 last year. 

Abu Bekr Rat Patrol, Sioux City, IA

El Riad Horse Corps, Sioux Falls

El Zagal Mystics (Jamestown ND)

El Zagal representation

El Zagal representation

Jack McGregor, Jamestown, ND

NAJA Shrine, Deadwood, SD

Osman Shrine, St. Paul, MN

Recently in:

By Bryce Vincent Haugen By his own account, Edwin Chinchilla is lucky to still be in the United States. As a 12-year-old Salvadoran, he and his brother were packed into a semi with a couple dozen other people and given fake…

February 28, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.March 1, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.1883 Stutsman County Courthouse State Historic Site504 3rd Ave. S.E., Jamestown, NDThe 1883 Stutsman County Courthouse and the 164th Infantry Remembrance Association are joining…

February 21, 6-8 p.m.Turtle River State Park, Arvilla, NDEnjoy a self-guided hike in the picturesque woods of Turtle River State Park. The trails will be lit with luminary candles. After the hike, warm those bones by the fire at…

By Sabrina HornungThe quote, "The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command” from George Orwell’s iconic novel “1984” has come up in conversation more times than…

By Ed Raymond‘Dakota Attitude’ should be read by all North Dakota studentsI have been meaning to write about this book by James Puppe for several years, but the world has been in such a mess I thought I should write about …

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick GionSince the much-dreaded Covid years, there has been much ebb and flow in the Fargo-Moorhead restaurant scene. In 2025, that trend continued with some major additions and closings. Let’s start the New Year on a positive…

Saturday, January 17, doors at 7:30 p.m.The Aquarium above Dempsey’s, 226 N. Broadway, FargoThe Slow Death is a punk supergroup led by Jesse Thorson, with members and collaborators that include members of The Ergs!, Dillinger…

By Sabrina Hornung There's a certain kind of magic to the Fargo Theatre. It’s a place to escape to for the small fee of the price of admission. It's a place of shared communal joy (or any other kind of shared emotion for that…

By Jacinta ZensIt may sound cliché, but the 90s in Minneapolis were pretty magical. Underground punk and hip-hop shows occurred weekly, zines were all the rage, colorful, exquisitely executed graffiti started popping up everywhere…

Saturday, January 31, 6:30-9 p.m.Transfiguration Fitness, 764 34th St. N., Unit P, FargoAn enchanting evening celebrating movement and creativity in a staff-student showcase. This is a family-friendly event showcasing pole, aerial…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

By Ellie Liverani In January 2026, the 2026-2030 dietary guidelines for Americans were released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. They are supposed to be revolutionary and a “reset” from the previous ones.…

January 31, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.Viking Ship Park, 202 1st Ave. N., Moorhead2026 marks 10 years of frosty fun! Enjoy sauna sessions with Log the Sauna, try Snowga (yoga in the snow), take a guided snowshoe nature hike, listen to live…

By Vern Thompson Benjamin Franklin offered one of the most sobering warnings in American history. When asked what kind of government the framers had created in 1787, he replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.” Few words…