Beginning Oct. 26, the Bismarck Event Center will welcome more than 500 county officials, vendors and guests for the NDACo Annual Conference & Expo—a three-day gathering that turns our capital into the state’s local government hub.

This year’s conference—dubbed “Step Right Up to the County Fair: 50 Years of Community”—celebrates NDACo’s golden anniversary with a county fair motif filled with workshops, vendor displays, policy sessions, and networking.

While state-level in scope, the conference is grounded in Bismarck. The Bismarck Event Center will host both indoor vendor halls and an outdoor large-equipment display, bringing a tangible economic ripple to local hotels, restaurants and small businesses.

For locals, this means extra traffic, but also opportunities to rub shoulders with key decision-makers—county commissioners, planners, and legislators—in your own backyard.

What to Watch & What It Means

• Workshops & Training: The event includes ILG-credit qualifying educational sessions aimed at county officials.

• Vendor & Equipment Expo: Local vendors and state-wide exhibitors will display everything from tech tools to heavy machinery—some of which may end up in new use here.

• Policy Decisions & Resolutions: County delegates will debate and vote on legislative resolutions that may directly affect Bismarck and Burleigh County.

• Local Business Lift: With hundreds of attendees in town, hotels, eateries and service businesses across Bismarck and Mandan should feel the bump.

• City Logistics: The city may reroute some traffic, shuffle parking, and adjust public transit schedules to accommodate the influx.

“We’re gearing up: extra staffing, street plans in place, and a warm North Dakota welcome,” — City Manager of Bismarck (name withheld), on preparations for Oct. 26–28

With NDACo in town, now’s your chance to attend a public session, meet visiting officials, or pitch your services or projects. Restaurants, hotels and retailers should prepare for a surge—stock up, staff up, promote specials.

Be aware of potential parking restrictions, traffic detours near the Event Center, and busy streets during those dates.

The NDACo Annual Conference & Expo is more than a conference—it’s a moment for Bismarck to step into the state’s view as a hub for civic leadership. For three days, our city becomes ground zero for county policy, innovation, and networking. Locals who engage can leave with connections, ideas, and maybe new opportunities right at home.