The Energy Committee of the Williston Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce  a region-wide community celebration commemorating the 60^th Anniversary of the discovery of oil in North Dakota.

On April 4, 1951, drillers at the Clarence Iverson Number 1 struck oil. With this discovery, North Dakota opened its oil patch in the Williston Basin.

On April 5, 1952, the Williston Junior Chamber of Commerce sponsored "Oil Discovery Day" celebrating oil's discovery in the Williston Basin.  The event was attended by over 10,000 people. Amerada Petroleum (now known as Hess) provided 3,000 pounds of prime beef as a thank you to the community for their support. Major region-wide celebrations occurred in 1981 and 2001 also.

On September 17, 2011, Williston Area Chamber of Commerce will  host the Williston Basin Energy Festival. The day-long celebration will begin with North Dakota's largest energy industry parade. Governor Jack Dalrymple has been invited to be Parade Grand Marshall.

Following the parade, there will be a food festival serving various dishes brought to Williston from around the United States by the energy industry. Fun-filled events for families and children will follow throughout the day.

Energy industry workers will showcase their skills in individual and team competitions. After a power-packed day, families will kick up their heels at the festival's sunset dance with live music and entertainment.

Chamber Board President, Ken Callahan, says, "The Energy Committee of the Chamber is honored to welcome regional energy companies to our communities. This festival gives the community the opportunity to meet the energy companies and their employees."

Mayor Ward Koeser commented, "These are exciting times. The energy industry has blessed our community, our region, the state, and the nation."

"The public is excited to see the energy industry showcase their trucks, equipment and people," says Kevin Paschke, Executive Director of the Chamber.

The annual Williston Area Chamber of Commerce Football Pool is canceled for 2011 due to the failure of the NFL to come to a conclusion on labor issues as of July 18, 2011. Time constraints with the permitting of the event will not allow adequate time to properly administer the pool this year. 

Mercy Medical Center  held a ground-breaking ceremony Friday, July 15 to announce the addition of a new 40,000-square foot, state-of-the-art Ambulatory Care Center. This new facility will feature both a new Outpatient Surgery Center and a new Birthing Center, and will be located directly west of the Emergency Department on the vacant land owned by Mercy. This facility will be connected to the existing hospital by a fully-enclosed walkway.

Williston State College  continues its beautification project with the completion of the of its first project - landscaping in front of Stevens Hall and the statue of Sitting Bull, which was unveiled Saturday, July 16.