Downtown Frosty Forks Fest Brings Community Together for Winter Fun

Annual event in Grand Forks features winter sports competitions and activities despite slightly lower attendance due to colder temperatures.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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The Downtown Frosty Forks Fest, an annual winter event held in Grand Forks, North Dakota, took place on Saturday with a variety of activities and competitions catering to all ages. While attendance was slightly lower than previous years due to colder temperatures, the event still brought the community together for a day of outdoor winter fun, including a 5K run, 10K fat-tire bike race, skating, food and drinks, and the Fourth Annual Average Person Winter Olympics featuring challenges like broomball, dodgeball, and a "penguin waddle" race.

Why it matters

The Frosty Forks Fest is an important community event that encourages residents to embrace the winter season and get outside, rather than staying indoors. It provides opportunities for people of all ages to participate in fun, social, and active winter activities, helping to build a sense of community in Grand Forks.

The details

The Frosty Forks Fest featured a variety of events and activities throughout the day, including a 5K run, 10K fat-tire bike race, skating at the First Community Credit Union Downtown Ice Rink with appearances by Olaf from "Frozen" and Pikachu, food and warm drinks from local vendors, and the Fourth Annual Average Person Winter Olympics. The Olympics included challenges like broomball, dodgeball, a "Hungry, Hungry Hippos"-style game on ice, a potato sack race, and a "penguin waddle" race. The winning team, "Incognito Mode", was composed of brothers Brody and Connor Hjelmstad, Brody's wife Maggy Fermo, and friend Adam Diedrich.

  • The Frosty Forks Fest took place on Saturday, February 21, 2026.
  • The Average Person Winter Olympics started at 1 p.m. during the festival.

The players

Svea Benefield

The vice president of marketing for the Downtown Development Association, which hosts the Frosty Forks Fest.

Brody Hjelmstad

A member of the winning "Incognito Mode" team in the Average Person Winter Olympics.

Maggy Fermo

Brody Hjelmstad's wife and a member of the winning "Incognito Mode" team.

Adam Diedrich

A friend of the Hjelmstad brothers and a member of the winning "Incognito Mode" team.

Brian Michaels

The master of ceremonies for the Average Person Winter Olympics.

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What they’re saying

“We had participants put one of those ball-pit balls between their knees, and then they had to waddle. All four team members went across the ice and then handed it to the next teammate; whoever was fastest won.”

— Svea Benefield, Vice President of Marketing, Downtown Development Association (grandforksherald.com)

“That was hard, actually.”

— Brody Hjelmstad (grandforksherald.com)

“People should come out next year and do it; it's a lot of fun.”

— Maggy Fermo (grandforksherald.com)

What’s next

The Downtown Development Association plans to host the Frosty Forks Fest again next year, encouraging more community members to participate in the winter activities and competitions.

The takeaway

The Frosty Forks Fest demonstrates how a community can come together to embrace the winter season and find creative ways to stay active and engaged, even in colder temperatures. The event's mix of sports, games, and social activities helps bring people together and foster a sense of community pride in Grand Forks.