Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival

So far we've had a great time at the Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival. Yesterday was the first day of the event and there was a lot going on. The morning started with a welcome ceremony where various dignitaries and sponsors gave messages of congratulations and, of course, welcome. On hand were some folks from the local media, the honorary Finnish counsel and yours truly.

It was a fun experience standing in front of a packed room, welcoming everyone and discussing how the goals of the festival and Sons of Norway were very much in sync. "The Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival is committed to the celebration of all Scandinavian cultures and the preservation of their unique traditions, but at the same time the festival builds a bridge that spans the differences between the cultures. This event connects us by our common experiences and strengthens our shared Nordic pride." Just as the Sons of Norway's mission is to celebrate our relationship with other Nordic countries, so too is it the mission of the Scandinavian Hjemkomst festival.

After that, it was back to booth, where I talked with a lot of different people from all over the U.S. It was very cool to meet folks from as far as California and Florida who had made the trip north just for the festival.

Then, today it was more time at the booth meeting with current and prospective members. Each had their own story about how much they were into their Norwegian heritage and culture. Even District 1 President, Bob Hoover, stopped by for a bit to say hello and to help recruit some new members. Good times had by all.

Oh, and as if that weren't enough, our booth backs up against the IcelandAir booth, which was staffed by some corporate folks and Linda from Borton Overseas. So even during the slow times, it's been nice to have good people like them around to chat with and discuss ideas for the future.

Well, it's late and I have the early shift tomorrow at the booth. I'll write more tomorrow or Monday to wrap up the festival.

Remember how I was talking about the cool stuff planned for the upcoming Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival? Well, I've got an update with more info about what's going to be going on.

As part of the festival's “Nordic Spirit Rocks!” theme, the teenage band KEHO, from Finland, “ROCKS” and will be in Fargo-Moorhead for a week holding workshops, working with Trollwood students and participating in the Festival. Along with new music styles, there’ll be the traditional Finnish sounds of Kanteleen Soittajat kantele group and Järvenpää Singers; the sweet vocals from Saana Ensemble and the danceable music of Finn Hall Band. Kisaret Finnish Folk Dancers will make your toes want to dance and the Sumolainen Sisters (the Finnish version of Those Lutheran Ladies) will laugh you “off of your rocker”.

Lively Danish folk music will make you hop with Denmark’s fiddle-accordion duo Jensen & Bugge. Icelandic-Canadian multi-media performance artist Freya Olafson will intrigue you with her interpretation of the life of her ancestors. Arna Rennan will sing sweet ancient and traditional Norwegian songs of the past. Swedish fiddle tunes by a group of the American Swedish Institute’s Spelmanslag will make your heart sing. The ancient sounds of Saami Yoik music will be shared by Nathan Muus and the Saami Siida Camp will feature the Lake Crystal Reindeer, Saami lavvu (tents) and displays.

If that weren't enough, Beatrice Ojakangas, author of many amazing Scandinavian and other cookbooks including Scandinavian Feasts, will whet the appetites of attendees by sharing genuine recipes during the Cooking School and be the guest chef for a dinner at HoDo Restaurant during Nordic Nightlife in Downtown Friday night. Musicians will also be featured in downtown establishments during Nordic Nightlife Take the Traditions Tour and fill up your passport with stamps as you explore the Nordic cultures.

I'm pretty stoked about this event! Any readers out there who are planning on coming to the festival should stop by one the Sons of Norway booths and say hi!

Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival: It's almost that time of year again!

It's almost that time of year again when Nordic folk from around the Midwest will be come together and celebrate their shared heritage at the 32nd Annual Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival, being held from June 26-28 at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead.

It's always been a fun event for me, partly because the the variety that the festival is known for. Not only do vendors and entertainers change from year-to-year, so does the national focus. This year, for example, Hjemkomst is bringing some great programs highlighting Finnish culture and traditions.

I know, I know, you're probably asking yourself why the Sons of NORWAY blog is participating in an event that's focusing on Finnland, right? The answer is simple: our mission, beyong preserving Norwegian heritage and culture, is to celebrate our relationship with other Nordic countries. We all have a shared heritage and a shared pride in where we/our ancestors came from and Hjemkomst is a great event that focuses on that fact.

This year will be no different in that Hjemkomst is bringing in a lot of great traditional and modern programming and music. Think about the rocks of Scandinavia’s geology, steamy sauna rocks, stories told by grandparents in the heirloom rocking chair and electrified traditional Nordic instruments that rock! Deeply rooted Nordic arts and traditions along with the modern Scandinavian cultures will be showcased.

A variety of Scandinavian music genres from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Saamiland will provide something for everyone at the Festival. One can hear the ancient sounds of the drum and Saami Yoik, to the traditional and electrified Finnish Kantele; as well as fiddles, accordions, and songs by one voice to a full chorus.

It's going to be a really exciting event and Sons of Norway is proud to be a Festival Sponsor of this year's festival. We're all over the place at this year's event--Kringen lodge will have a booth on level 1, the Heritage Stage/Sons of Norway stage are on level 2 and Sons of Norway International will have a booth on level 3. Be sure to stop at one of our locations and say hello!