Bemidji dancers join worldwide line dance flash mob in Paul Bunyan plaid

Paul Bunyan plaid gave Bemidji’s dancers a hometown look as they joined a synchronized line dance flash mob at the Paul Bunyan Park plaza, linking a Saturday morning gathering in Beltrami County with hundreds of other performances around the world.

The Bemidji group met at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 2, for the annual International Line Dance Flash Mob, a free event open to all ages. Organizers at Suzy and Hondo School of Dance invited participants to help Bemidji shine on the global scene, turning a simple public dance into a local display of civic pride and community visibility.

Bemidji shared something in common with dancers in Ireland, Australia and Africa that morning as line dancers across the globe followed the same concept at nearly the same time. CBC News reported that the 2026 edition included more than 300 coordinated flash mob locations and that the project began in 2020, created by Ben Murphy and Sascha Wolf, both from Germany.

The 2026 routines included Hoedown and Heel Toe Rodeo by Gary O’Reilly, along with a charity dance by Sascha Wolf and Ben Murphy. The event website also described the year’s flash mob as more inclusive than ever before, with standard, arm-only, wheelchair and kids’ versions designed to widen participation.

Suzy and Hondo School of Dance held practice sessions on Monday, April 27, and Friday, May 1, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 1259 Tyler Ave. SE in Bemidji. Those sessions gave local dancers a chance to learn the steps before stepping into the plaza, where the flash mob blended recreation, arts and hometown identity in one of Bemidji’s more upbeat public gatherings.

In a city where Paul Bunyan imagery already shapes the local brand, the flash mob fit neatly into the community’s character. It was a small-city contribution to a worldwide event, and it gave Bemidji another way to stand out while keeping the focus on movement, music and shared public space.