Are you looking for something extra fun to do this fall? Well make sure to check out the annual Norsk Høstfest that will be happening from September 25th through the 28th. For those that are new to the area or who haven’t heard of this Scandinavian festival yet, you need to go explore it at least once! There is so much planned for those four days, it would be quite a shame for anyone to miss out.
The Norsk Høstfest was founded in 1978 and this year will be the 45th year the festival will be held. Minot’s Norsk Høstfest has become the largest Scandinavian festival in North America. The festival is located at the North Dakota State Fairgrounds at the All Seasons Complex. Within the State-fair center are many large halls; to include the Great Hall, the Reykjavik Hall, the Oslo Hall, and the Kids Fun Zone (or Familj Fjord). While each hall offers something fun for the whole family to experience, the Great Hall is where the main stage entertainers perform.
The festival not only features some amazing world-class entertainment but also focuses on sharing the Scandinavian culture and heritage from the five Nordic countries of Demark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Norway.
This year there will be around 120 vendors and exhibitors, including 10-15 Scandinavian food booths with authentic Scandinavian dishes, 20 artisans who will be demonstrating hands on activities like wood turning, pottery and more, and various performers will be present as well. Teresa Loftesnes, the Høstfest volunteer coordinator, offered some tips on what to expect at this year’s festival.
Teresa mentioned that “the festival offers so many fun activities for families.” She shared that the family kid zone, or Familij Fjord, as well as the Viking Village areas will offer many opportunities to learn more about the Scandinavian culture as well as have various performers, some who even focus on showcasing Norsk traditions. Teresa stated, “we have people with various Scandinavian backgrounds that do presentations at the kids zone. We are hoping to expand the programming this year to give kids even more hands-on activities and learning opportunities about the various Scandinavian cultures.” Teresa mentioned, “people in various costumes also add a fun aspect to the festival.” The kids zone will also have artists, musicians, story tellers, and dancers, one performer in the line up is Koo Koo Kanga Roo. She also shared that the Viking Village is where guests get to actually watch performances that let you step back in time into the world of Vikings. Viking Village has a black smith, Viking fight presentations, Ax crafting, and anything you could imagine wanting to experience on your Nordic adventure.
Another way for children to engage in the experience is picking up a kid’s passport booklet at the entrance door. Teresa mentioned the kid’s passports are extra fun because the kids get to “go about the festival complex to find certain stops and get their books stamped and they can turn those in for a small prize.” The entire festival is geared towards giving visitors an enriching and unique experience. Guests get to immerse themselves into a different culture by exploring these different foods, clothes, arts, and traditions for a truly magical experience.
Check out Høstfest.com to purchase tickets and check out more information on the festival as well as the many volunteer opportunities. Military Day is Saturday September 28th and with a valid Military ID you are eligible for a free General Admission ticket that day. Other military discounts for a General Admission or Great Hall ticket may be offered only at the box office.
Teresa also mentioned that there are 50 different areas within the festival that are in need of volunteers. She said, “the military has stepped up for several years and helped with our volunteer needs.” If you are interested in volunteering, go to the Høstfest.com site and click on the Get Involved tab.
So what are you waiting for? Check out all the fun waiting for you at this years Høstfest!
