This city-wide celebration starts with evening ceremonies on Thursday, July 24, and continues all day Friday and Saturday, July 25 and 26. Nordic Fest is fun for the whole family with lively music and dancing, challenging sporting events, delicious food, and lots of entertainment. It’s a great time to visit Vesterheim. There will be folk art demonstrations, entertainment, and exhibits throughout the campus!
Heritage Park:
Outside park open during daylight hours for visiting. Select historic buildings with museum guides will be open on Friday and Saturday, 12 p.m.-4 p.m., tour on your own, no admission fee. Guided tour of Heritage Park buildings on Thursday (free) is at 1:30 p.m.
Vesterheim Demonstrations, Displays, and Sales:
Folk Art and Living Heritage Demonstrations: Blacksmithing, forging, leatherwork, stave and bentwood container construction, rosemaling painting, weaving and spinning, Hedebo needlework, knifemaking, ropemaking, lucet work, silver filigree jewelry, pottery, shrink boxes and kolrosing, acanthus and dragon-style carving, beam carving, and Scandinavian instruments. Friday and Saturday, various times between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. around Vesterheim campus.
Country Gallery Antiques: Specializing in selling Scandinavian vintage and antique textiles, bunad accessories, jewelry, decorative wooden ware, sewing tools, books, knives, prints, and postcards. Friday and Saturday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. New location at 418 W. Water St.
Sylvsmidja: Sales and exhibition exploring jewelry that honors Norwegian heritage. Sylvsmidja is Norway’s largest producer of bunad (Norwegian traditional dress) silver, and company owners will share their expertise. Friday, 12 p.m.-2 p.m. Hanson Commons.
Oneota Weavers and Spinners Guild Sales Shop: Hand-felted Santa and Christmas ornaments and figures, hand-woven rugs, scarves and shawls, table runners, and more. Friday and Saturday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Third floor, Westby-Torgerson Education Center.
Norwegian-American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library: Representatives from the center, located in Madison, Wisconsin, will be on hand to offer genealogical research advice. Supported by Dean Gipp and family in remembrance of Cyndi Gipp. Friday and Saturday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Hanson Commons.
District 1 Sons of Norway: This district covers Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, and Texas. Meet representatives and find out more about the international Sons of Norway organization. Friday and Saturday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Hanson Commons.
Vesterheim Activities for Youth:
Nils the Giant Nisse and Friends: Take advantage of great photo ops with various nisse around campus. Available from 12:00 p.m.-4:00 pm on Friday and 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Crafts for Kids: (Friday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.)
Cork Boats and other crafts with Decorah’s ArtHaus. Commons Patio
Tin Whistles with tinsmith Kitty Latiné. Heritage Park.
Kolrosing Kits with woodworker Scott Johnson Heritage Park.
Craft with District 1 Sons of Norway. Hanson Commons.
Scandinavian Instruments Hands-On Display: Musician Janette Dragvold will share how to play unique instruments, and visitors can try them out. Friday 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Bethania Church.
What Immigrants Brought in Their Trunks Presentation: with Vesterheim Collection Manager Jennifer Kovarik. This program is great for school-aged children to adults. 1:30 p.m.-2 p.m. Hanson Commons
Norwegian Handcraft and Culture Kits for Kids: Vesterheim Folk Art School will offer a limited number of free kits and books for kids ages 8+ to explore Norwegian handcrafts and culture. Following the parade in Heritage Park.
Entertainment:
Friday
Activities with Skjaldborg Vikings
Battle Technique Demonstrations
11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m.
Encampment in Heritage Park Amphitheater
Coming Home Presentation – Dave Ellingsen
11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Hanson Commons
Quilt Dedication, Meet the Artists – Borderless Arts Tennessee
1:30 p.m.
Hanson Commons
From Ancient Craft to Modern Art Presentation – Sylvsmidja
2 p.m.-3 p.m.
Hanson Commons
Kransekake Presentation – Darlene Fossum-Martin
3:30 p.m.-4 p.m.
Hanson Commons
Scandinavian Hymn Sing
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Bethania Church
Saturday
Concert – Rochester Flute Choir
1:30 p.m.- 2:30 p.m.
Bethania Church
Activities with Skjaldborg Vikings
Battle Technique Demonstrations
2 p.m., and 4 p.m.
Encampment in the Heritage Park Amphitheater
The Norwegian ‘Mayflower’: The Voyage of the Restauration Presentation – Dale Goodman
12 p.m.-1 p.m.
Hanson Commons
What Immigrants Brought in Their Trunks Presentation – Jennifer Kovarik
1:30 p.m.-2 p.m.
Hanson Commons
Concert – Erik Sessions and Joshua Vorvick
3-4 p.m.
Hanson Commons
Scandinavian Instruments Presentation and Concert – Jeanette Dagvold
4:15p.m.-5 p.m.
Bethania Church
Entertainers:
Borderless Arts
Vesterheim is honored to host a dedication ceremony for a wall hanging piece of fabric art donated to the museum and made in 2025 by participants in the program Borderless Arts Tennessee. Directors and participants in the program will be present! Borderless Arts Tennessee is a statewide organization committed to inclusive and accessible arts programs for people with disabilities to enhance educational curriculum, enrich creative expression, empower career development, and encourage community engagement. The organization has donated art to places on every continent, as well as in the U.S. State Department’s Art in Embassies Program.
Janette Dragvold
A musician from Minnesota, Janette will share her love of traditional instruments with a presentation and demonstration of traditional Scandinavian music on multiple instruments. As a multi-instrumentalist she loves introducing people to traditional Nordic instruments and spreading the joys of Nordic music.
Dave Ellingsen
An expedition kayaker and author, Dave will talk about navigating the ancient waterways of his ancestors in Norway. Through stunning footage from his film Coming Home, we join Dave and his crew of kayakers as they paddle Norway’s Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord and share how travel teaches us that home encompasses place, people, and spirit.
Darlene Fossum-Martin
Kransekake (wreath cake), is the “queen” of Norwegian and Danish cakes and a traditional confection consisting of ground almonds and powdered sugar. It is served on special occasions such as weddings, confirmations, graduations, and anniversaries. In this presentation, learn about its long history, watch a demonstration of how it is made, and sample a piece of this time-honored cake. Darlene Fossum-Martin has worked and volunteered at Vesterheim for the past 30 years. She is happy that she can put her Home Economics degree to work teaching classes in traditional Norwegian baking and cooking, but says her best instructors were her mom, and the women in her family and her Norwegian community in the Midwest and Norway.
Dale Goodman
To commemorate the 200th anniversary of Norwegian emigration, this Slooper descendant tells the story of the Restauration Sloopers from its beginning in the Napoleonic Wars, through the voyage itself, and finally to the first Norwegian settlement in the United States in Kendall, New York.
Jennifer Kovarik
Vesterheim’s Collection Manager presents In Trunks, Hands, and Hearts: What Norwegian Immigrants Brought to the United States, exploring the immigrant experience through stories associated with artifacts in Vesterheim’s collection.
Rochester Flute Choir
A 12-member ensemble performs a concert of works by Norwegian composers Edvard Grieg and Ole Bull. Supported by Dawn Svenson Holland and Josh Holland, dedicated in memory of Gary and DiAnn Svenson.
Skjaldborg
This group from Elk Horn, IA, presents their Viking encampment and entertains throughout the day with full Viking combat demonstrations. Skjaldborg means “fortress of shields.” Supported by Viking State Bank & Trust.
Erik Sessions and Joshua Vorvick
Erik Sessions (fiddle) and Joshua Vorvick (guitar, vocals) have performed around the region for almost a decade. For Nordic Fest, they have worked up a special set of Scandinavian tunes, from ancient melodies to Nordic Roots favorites to Norwegian-American dance numbers.
Hymn Sing
Led by Rev. Rolf Svanoe and Kimberly Svanoe, everyone is invited to gather in Bethania Church to sing their favorite Scandinavian hymns.
Sylvsmidja
Join owners and silversmiths from Norway’s largest producer of bunad (Norwegian traditional dress) silver for a talk on the rich symbolism in Norwegian jewelry. Discover the meaning behind Viking symbols, bunad silver, and contemporary designs — all proudly crafted in Norway. Sylvsmidja has been crafting exquisite jewelry and accessories in Voss, Norway, since 1940.
Decorah’s Nordic Fest
Nordic Fest is held each year on the last full weekend in July and includes fun activities for the whole family. There is always lively dancing, challenging sporting events, delicious food, and lots of other entertainment. Whether or not you have Norwegian heritage, there is plenty to enjoy at Decorah’s citywide celebration of Nordic traditions and heritage! Visit the Nordic Fest website to learn more.
Thank you to all of our generous supporters!
Nordic Fest activities at Vesterheim are supported by Decorah Bank & Trust.
Additional support is made by:
• Dr. James Bullard for Free Admission on the Thursday of Nordic Fest.
• Pete and Kari Espinosa for Nordic Fest Youth Activities.
• Jon and Mary Hart for Nordic Fest Programming in Hanson Vesterheim Commons.
• Viking State Bank & Trust for Skjaldborg Vikings.
• Jon and Kim Nordby in memory of Dr. Eugene and Olive Nordby for Folk Art and Living Heritage Demonstrations.
• Dawn Svenson Holland and Josh Holland, dedicated in memory of Gary and DiAnn Svenson, for music events.
Volunteer!
Do you want an insider view of Nordic Fest? Volunteering at Vesterheim during the Fest is always a great way to make connections, have fun, and support the museum. We are always looking for support welcoming guests, hosting galleries, giving demonstrators a break, delivering treats to other volunteers, and more. Contact Chivonne Marlow, Visitor Services Manager, at 563-382-9681 ext. 305, or
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Also check out other Festivals in Decorah, Music events in Decorah, Entertainment events in Decorah.
