Norsk Hostfest

Minot has been host of North America’s largest Scandinavian festival for 29 years starting today. Norsk Hostfest many thousands visitors from all over the country and all over Canada for a four day event of cultural music, food, art, and much more. With over 200 vendors and dozens of stage performances each day there is more than enough to see in a single day.

Some of the musical performances I saw include Ringling 5 (a group of Montana ranches that sing some comedy country songs, and even one country rap song), Leah Durelle (a 14-year old Canadian country singer), and everyone knows the legendary Oak Ridge Boys. Some of the artists and craftsman I talked to included Mary E. Staby who hand-colors black and white photographs; Sidonka Wadina who is a master of straw weaving and participated in Washington D.C. as one of the best folk artists in the country; Nancy Schmidt who is a renown Vesterheim gold medalist rosemaler; Becky Lusk who specializes in woodwork and wood carving; and also Agnes and Ossian Kidholm who are from Norway and bring their wool weaving talents to the festival. This is just a brief selection of the variety of people that fill the arena. It’s an eclectic group of people, some who come dressed in traditional Scandinavian clothes and even one couple who dress as goblins from folk stories.

Giving a rough estimate I would say that the average age of the festival-goers is at least 50 if not 60. Hundred of them travel in the RVs and set up for the week here at the North Dakota State Fair grounds. One couple I talked to took a bus from the most northern part of Manitoba. Many of the people come back every year. One of the bands was in their 24th year attending Hostfest.

This was the first festival I’ve been able to attend on the trip so far. It’s neat to see how people who attend make friends at the festival and meet up with each other every year. There’s an eclectic group of Americans embracing the heritage and culture of the Scandinavian people.