The beginning of September brought the 48th Annual Potato Bowl back to Grand Forks. One of the week’s activities was the French Fry Feed, which took place Thursday night.

The event, sponsored by Simplot, was officially named the largest french fry feed in the world in 2011, having served 5,010 pounds of fried taters.

“As many as 10,000 people (came) to the French Fry Feed over the evening,” Potato Bowl Committee member Ted Kreis said. “There’s no way to put an exact number on it, but it has to be around 6,000 to 10,000.”

The French Fry Feed transformed the park into a stage area, where children cheered for a performing magician. A large inflatable castle and slide could be seen down the hill. Families, students and children of all ages roamed the area, stopping by booths to play games.

Grass littered with french fries led to a large tent with lines of people all around. Fries were continually served from a large fryer seated in a truck, while smaller tents provided hotdogs and drinks to complement the french fries.

Many UND athletes were in attendance to help out as volunteers and participant in a meet and greet with fans.

“It was a lot of fun, I went with three or four other guys,” McVey Hall Resident Assistant Scott McDaniel said. “I think the Potato Bowl is a way for Simplot to give back to the community, and just a way for the community to grow together.”

Despite the crowds, the French Fry Feed did not break their previous record.

The night ended at Memorial Stadium with a performance from the Pride of North Dakota marching band and the ROTC color guard. Students, football players, cheerleaders, and children laid in the football field to get the best view of the fireworks show, presented by Rydell Auto Center.

Kreis says the origin of the Feed was a collaborative effort.

“There was a connection between one of the UND coaches. He came from a potato family, and thats how it all got started in the mid 60’s,” he said. It’s a good promotion for both the potato industry and the university.”

Freshman Theresa Odden sees it as a, “big town event.”

“It brings people together,” she said. “It gets them out and about, to see other people and be a community.”

Paula Kaledzi is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected]