The Nordic Culture Clubs (NCC) is once again bringing the Scandinavian Festival, with ICELAND as the host country, to the Hjemkomst Center and Viking Ship Park in Moorhead on June 23-24, 2023.
The festival is offered each year during Midsummer Weekend to promote local history in a fun way and highlight the prominent Nordic heritage of the Red River Valley. The Hjemkomst Center and Viking Ship Park will be filled with vendors, artists, musicians, historians, and demonstrators all showcasing the people, food, music, stories, and culture that crossed the Atlantic when emigrants from Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Sápmi came to America seeking a better life.
Performances and demonstrations will be held throughout both days of the Scandinavian Festival in the Viking Ship Park, Hopperstad Stave Church, and the Hjemkomst Center’s Heritage Hall, Ship Gallery Theater Room, Atrium, and Elm Board Room.
Inside the Hjemkomst Center, visitors will find the Nordic Marketplace, where they can shop for Nordic merchandise, sample Nordic foods, and enjoy performances ranging from an Icelandic Pianist to Nordic Dancers and Hardanger Fiddlers. The main floor auditorium will feature the “Tastes of Scandinavia,” Food Court, hosted by the FM Area Nordic Clubs, where visitors can indulge in both new and traditional Nordic foods, including lefse, lingonberry meatballs, viking-on-a-stick, vinaterta, aebelskiver, rømmegrøt, kladdkaka, and raparperi kiisseli.
Outside in the Viking Ship Park, NCC is hosting the Viking Encampment from Minneapolis, MN, where visitors can enjoy many of the same attractions, but with a focus on the Viking Age including crafts, storytelling, and the popular Viking battle demonstrations. Also, new this year is the Moorhead Park and Recreation’s Outdoor Trailer Stage featuring both contemporary and traditional Scandinavian performers. Kids can get their face painted and participate in storytelling and crafts.
Bud and Marlys Larson from Brainerd, MN are the 2023 Scandinavian Festival King and Queen who will reign over the Scandinavian Festival and would love to have their photo taken with Festival visitors.
The Nordic Culture Clubs is hosting the Opening Ceremony from 5:00 to 8:00 at Drekker Brewing Company, 1666 1st Ave N, Fargo, ND on Thursday, June 22. A Nordic Dinner will be held at the Garden Pavilion, 1421 7th Ave N, Fargo, ND on Friday evening, June 23rd, from 6:00 – 9:00. Tickets are available on the Nordic Culture Clubs website.
For more information on the Nordic Culture Clubs Scandinavian Festival, contact Nordic Culture Clubs at skal@nordiccultureclubs.com
