It would have been the best day ever at the good ol' Chat 'n' Chew.

People rushed through the door all day Saturday, stomped the snow from their boots and shoved their gloves into their coat pockets. The place smelled like it does at noon in the cafe in Wing - or any other small North Dakota town - with fresh coffee, kuchen, soup and homemade bread competing for the right to make your mouth water.

It smelled like small-town goodness, but looked like a Minneapolis marketplace.

That's the point of the annual Pride of Dakota Holiday Showcase. It's a way for local retailers to sell North Dakota-made products to an audience eager to get some shopping done. Win-win, you know?

Saturday's snowfall did little to deter shoppers from the Bismarck Civic Center's Exhibit Hall. In fact, it probably helped. More than 4,000 people had turned out by mid-afternoon, which put the two-day event on a pace to reach a record attendance.

"I think the snow got people in a holiday mood, reminded them that Christmas is just around the corner," state agriculture commissioner Roger Johnson said. "They can get their Christmas shopping done here, and support their local companies. Every year this gets bigger and better."

This weekend's showcase - which also runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today - is the biggest in the event's 14-year history. The Exhibit Hall is filled with 193 booths, set up by 170 different Pride of Dakota companies. Pride of Dakota, a program run by the state ag department, is 22 years old.

Bismarck's showcase is the last of four held across the state. Last year, retailers sold nearly $900,000 worth of food, merchandise and services. The exposure is invaluable for most of the small companies, which can do the bulk of their sales at the yearly shows.

In addition to providing a "showroom," Pride of Dakota also gives businesses tips on everything from product development to distribution.

"We wouldn't be where we are today without Pride of Dakota," said Monica Hartsoch, co-owner of Thunderbird Ranch Gourmet Foods. "Their training programs and the promotion we've gotten are unbeatable."

Hartsoch started Thunderbird Ranch, which is based in Ray, in 2000 with friend Mary Schmidt. The farmers' wives began by selling produce, but their business grew quickly. They develop their own recipes and sell mixes for soups, dips and dressings, as well as breads, cheese and marinades. Thunderbird Ranch uses a lot of local products, from Dakota Mill flour to lentils from Ray to barley and potatoes from Grand Forks.

Schmidt said their company now sells its products in 16 states.

"North Dakota people really support their state - it's been awesome," Schmidt said.

Forty percent of the state's Pride of Dakota companies are represented at this year's showcase - more than enough to find good Christmas presents.

"We got a lot of Christmas shopping done," Becky Lingle, of Bismarck, said. "The show was very good."

Her husband, Steve, said the showcase was definitely larger than the last time the couple attended, about five years ago.

"There are a lot more different food items, especially," he said. "It's worth coming out for, definitely."

Admission to the showcase is $2. Children age 12 and younger get in free.

For more information on Pride of Dakota, visit the program's Web site at www.prideofdakota.nd.gov.