Skydiving Over Mandan: the Ultimate Fourth of July Thrill

This Fourth of July weekend, you might see people falling out of the sky in Mandan. You may have seen the event post on Facebook earlier this week. Skydive Fargo is offering a series of skydiving jumps out of the Mandan Airport as a way to celebrate the 250th Fourth of July.

I reached out to the owners of Skydive Fargo to see why they chose to come to Mandan; they told me that Skydive Fargo hosts pop-up skydiving events at airports throughout North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota. Because skydiving opportunities in the Midwest can be limited, these traveling events help make the sport more accessible by bringing the experience closer to local communities and reducing some travel costs for participants. They went on to tell me that Mandan seemed like the perfect fit this year, as BisMan is a hub for big Fourth of July celebrations and events.

This year, we chose Mandan because one of our board members is from the area and has always spoken highly of the community's incredible Fourth of July celebrations. With America celebrating its 250th birthday, we thought there was no better place to be than Mandan for the holiday weekend, said Ashley Erdmann, Skydive Fargo President.

They originally opened 90 tandem skydiving appointments for the weekend, and unfortunately, all of those spots have now been sold. Don't let that bum you out, I'm told that even though they are fully booked, they are still accepting names and phone numbers for their cancellation list. They said they will contact individuals on that list if additional openings become available during the event weekend.

Out of personal curiosity, I asked Erdmann what skydiving is actually like.

People often ask what skydiving feels like, and the truth is there really isn't anything else quite like it. The moment you leave the airplane, every worry, distraction, and stress disappears. You're completely present in the moment. The freefall is an incredible rush, but it's not the stomach dropping feeling people expect, it's more like floating. Then, when the parachute opens, everything becomes slower. You can see for miles, take in the beauty of the landscape below, and enjoy a perspective very few people ever get to experience. It's equal parts adrenaline, freedom, and awe, and it's something that stays with you long after your feet touch the ground, said Erdmann.

I don't know about you, but this is definitely at the top of my bucket list. If you don't get to fly in the sky with the fireworks this fourth of July, you can always check out Skydive Fargo's website and plan your tandem jump in another North Dakota city.