Since the closing of the Red Raven, Fargo’s DIY art scene has been sorely lacking one thing: an all-ages venue. With the Raven no longer a physical storefront, there was no place to regularly hold all-ages events, and for a while there, a lot of Fargo’s music scene was behind a 21+ paywall of sorts. However, since their first show in April of 2023, Parachigo has sought to fill that void.
Housed in the former Red River Women’s Clinic in downtown Fargo, Parachigo is a nonprofit collective currently comprised of 19 artists. The physical space is a “DIY venue, art store with 31 local artists, and third space, so you don’t need to spend money to be there,” explains Anj, the person responsible for Parachigo’s inception.
Originally the sole proprietor, and now a member of the collective that runs Parachigo, Anj is a former employee of both the Red Raven and Plants for Patients who realized the incredible potential of the space when the Women’s Clinic closed. Last week I had the pleasure of speaking with them about Parachigo and learning a little more about what has quickly become one of my favorite places in Fargo.
Parachigo is home to a number of rental spaces that currently house various artists, like Almostaghost tattoo on the top floor. They also have spaces available for rent as art studios, practice spaces, and storefronts like the tattoo parlor, and with 24-hour access for renters, you can set your own business hours that don’t necessarily have to line up with Parachigo’s hours–currently Wednesday-Thursday 4 p.m.-9 p.m., Friday 4 p.m.-10 p.m., and Saturday 12 p.m.-10 p.m. There are currently two cubicle spaces open, at $115 per month, which includes free access to all events, 50% off drinks, 25% off food, and free access to all art workshops.
Anj has been active in the DIY music scene since they were 16 years old, but stepped back for a few years after a “bad encounter with predatory men in my spaces.” Upon their return in their later teens, however, they found a dearth of accessible music for those under 21. Anj wants Parachigo to be an “all-ages safe space because I feel like you can’t do all-ages without it being a safe space.”
They went on to explain that another reason they find all-ages spaces so important is that people under 21 are often some of the most creative people in the community. They are producing and engaging with more art than most adults, aided by larger amounts of time, energy, and fresh perspective. However, they also have fewer avenues to express their art, and Anj wanted to make a space for them because “we sort of commodify young people, where we buy from them and then don’t give them access to creative spaces, and that’s not super fair.”
Plus, even if you are over 21, there aren’t a lot of things to do in North Dakota that don’t involve drinking. If you really want to spice things up you can get Burger Time and then eat it in a different parking lot than the Burger Time one–to quote the movie Juno, “Whoa, dream big!”–but that’s about it.
Parachigo is also a place for anyone who just doesn’t want to be at a bar on a Friday night. I just recently turned 21, and before I was 21, there wasn’t a lot to do. Most venues were 21+ and there weren’t really dry events, save for the Red Raven and Parachigo. But when I turned 21, I found that there still wasn’t much to do if I didn’t want to drink. All those venues were 21+ because of the presence of alcohol, and in addition to a lack of spaces for young people, there’s a distinct lack of spaces for sober people.
With shows of every kind, community events, craft nights, and even LGBTQ+ support groups, Parachigo has something going on for everyone. And in a town characterized by depression, brutal winters, and beer, spaces like Parachigo are essential–and doubly so as winter comes and the number of places unhoused people can warm up without paying anything dwindles.
The biggest thing Anj wants people to know about Parachigo right now is, “Please come and hang out!”
There are shared art supplies, tarps, and lots of room for people to work on any projects they might have. As a Parachigo enjoyer myself, I can vouch for this space as a great place to hang out and do homework, as well as pick up some excellent local music and art.
Parachigo is always booking if you want to put on any sort of show, with a base price of $25 per hour, but accommodations can be made if you can’t swing that. “We’d rather have people come and play than not play, especially if it’s something smaller where you don’t think you’re going to draw a big crowd,” Anj explained.
As of this publication, the next event at Parachigo is a Poetry Open Mic from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. on Thursday, October 12, which I will be reading at if you just can’t get enough of that good old Marie Sayler writing. To inquire about booking, renting a space, selling your art in the storefront, or really anything about Parachigo, you can direct message them on Instagram @parachigo4 or email parachigo4@gmail.com. A full event schedule is available on the Instagram account, along with a link to their freshly launched Patreon page.