Vesterheim Museum at the 45th annual Decorah Nordic Fest

Click here for a printable schedule of Vesterheim events during Nordic Fest.

Vikings, folk-art, theatre productions, costumes, storytellers, art demonstrations, and more—Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum will be a center of activity during Decorah’s 45th Annual Nordic Fest, “Take a Liking to a Viking,” which kicks off with opening ceremonies on Thursday evening, July 28, and runs through Saturday, July 30. Vesterheim will have special events all day on Friday and Saturday, July 29 and 30.

Be sure to stop by the new Bruening Visitor Center in the museum’s Westby-Torgerson Education Center at 502 W. Water Street, where you can buy museum admission tickets and gather information for your visit. There is also a computerized catalog of objects, touch-screen access to video presentations and virtual galleries, and commissioned paintings by Norwegian artist Sigmund Aarseth.

Highlights

• Vesterheim’s National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition will be on view July 23-30, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, in the new location of the museum’s Main Building. Visitors can enjoy this exceptional exhibition of knifemaking, rosemaling, weaving, and woodworking by some of the best contemporary American artists. Many of the pieces will be for sale by silent auction. The exhibition is sponsored by Infastech, Decorah operations and the Des Moines Area Friends of Vesterheim.
• This year, the original children’s theatre production Where All Directions Face North: Journey to the South Pole—a collaboration between Vesterheim, Upstart Crow Theatreworks, and Arthaus—will investigate the dramatic race between Englishman Robert Falcon Scott and Norwegian Roald Amundsen to reach the South Pole in 1911. The program is sponsored by Robert E.A. and Elaine Lee.
• Returning from Knox City, Missouri, is Sam Shoults and his Viking ship replica. The Viking longship called “Yrsa” is 27 feet long and six and a half feet wide. Shoults will tell visitors about his many adventures, including sailing “Yrsa” down the Mississippi River. Sponsored by Viking Bank & Trust of Decorah.



• Vesterheim welcomes back the re-enactment group, “Skjaldborg,” from Elk Horn, Iowa. “Skjaldborg” is an old Norse word that means “fortress of shields.” Come and visit their full Viking camp in the museum’s Open Air Division to see how Vikings lived. They will entertain with full combat demonstrations. Sponsored by Voltmer Inc. of Decorah.



• The museum’s Open Air Division will come to life with the Living Heritage Demonstrators from Minnesota and Wisconsin. Watch experts show their crafts of blacksmithing, figure carving, leather work, knifemaking, turning wooden plates and bowls, chair-making, and more. Sponsored by Hagen & Kallevang PC; Hacker Nelson & Co. PC; Kwik Star #629 of Decorah; and Sons of Norway, Valdres Lodge #1-503 of Decorah.



• Of course you won’t want to miss the museum’s folk-art demonstrators and sales; the exhibition Norwegian-American Lutheran Colleges; the display Polar Exploration; and special presentations!

Nordic Fest is a celebration of the spirit of Scandinavia, and includes fun activities for the whole family. Traditions, new and old, abound throughout the weekend. There will be lively dancing, challenging sporting events, delicious food, and lots of other entertainment. To learn more about other aspects of the fest, call the “troll-free” hotline at 1-800-382-FEST, or check out the Nordic Fest website at www.nordicfest.com.