The Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center continues to expand its reach beyond history programs with its first "North Dakota-made Products Showcase" on Saturday, Oct. 10.

The idea resulted from some staff brainstorming to bring a new event to the area, said intern Brianna Bohmbach.

"We've been doing a lot of concerts and things. We just wanted to shake things up a bit," Bohmbach said.

The showcase runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and features several Pride of Dakota members displaying their products.

The event also includes local entrepreneurs in an opportunity to view, sample and purchase products made in North Dakota, while taking in all that the confluence area has to offer. "The idea came about in the beginning of June. We wanted to do it during the summer, but we had different events going on," Bohmbach said. "So we thought we would just hold off and make a big event out of it and make it more of a fall festival sort of thing."

New confluence center manager Erik Holland said there are a couple of things the staff is excited about regarding the showcase. The first is getting some vendors from the eastern part of the state to come west who otherwise might not travel.

Holland said the staff also is looking at ways to increase visitation at the center that are different from only being a historical space.

"This Pride of Dakota thing is kind of interesting. The people at the (Williston) CVB said that is a good idea," he said.

Bohmbach contacted the North Dakota Department of Agriculture that coordinates the Pride of Dakota program to reach its membership.

"From there it's just been word of mouth, people I just know in the area," she added. "This is just a chance to see what we do have right here."

Bohmbach said the center staff would love to see the event become an annual item on its calendar of events.

"A lot of Pride of Dakota showcases in particular, a lot of them are held in Grand Forks, Fargo, over in the eastern part of the state," she said. "Dickinson did just have one. We want to bring it up into this corner."

The confluence center can hold about 30 vendors indoors with its current facilities, Bohmbach said. If the event were to move to a summer date, it could be held outdoors, she added.

"This is really just a trial run, but at the same time, getting our feet off the ground," Bohmbach said.

After the vendors are done for the day, refreshments are to be served. The evening is to conclude with a campfire and special historical presentation around 6:30 p.m. by local historian and actor Arch Ellwein as buffalo hunter Vic Smith.