Central ND News

On May 10, 1969, the small town of Zap became the unexpected epicenter of a student-led spring break event known as Zip to Zap. Originally intended as a lighthearted gathering, the event escalated and prompted the deployment of the North Dakota National Guard.

According to Minnesota State University, the festival began as a humorous suggestion in North Dakota State University's (NDSU) student newspaper, The Spectrum. This followed Student Body President Chick Stroup's observation that students couldn’t afford spring break in Florida. Promoted through tongue-in-cheek advertisements and embraced by both students and the town of Zap, the idea gained momentum. Zap’s 350 residents prepared by stocking beer and selling "zapburgers," with Mayor Norman Fuchs supporting the event in hopes of putting the town on the map.

Minnesota State University reported that about 2,000 students arrived in Zap expecting a lively festival but found little entertainment and limited resources. Tensions rose as beer prices doubled, fights broke out, and students lit a bonfire using wood from an abandoned building to stay warm. As the situation escalated, Mayor Fuchs called in the National Guard. Most students fled before troops arrived, and the remaining few were cleared out peacefully the next day.

Some attendees, like Bruce Christianson, remembered a fun night of socializing. Others witnessed chaos as beer prices spiked, students rioted, and the National Guard was called in to restore order, according to Minot Daily News. Reflecting on the event, Stroup said: "It’s unfortunate that instead of forcing students from the streets, the Guard didn’t simply move the bonfire to a safer location and shut down the bar where trouble started."