Midsummer Fest in June

Join us for our 26th Annual Midsummer Festival
Saturday June 19th 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.; and Sunday, June 20th 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.


God dag! Join us for the 26th annual Midsummer Festival. Midsummer is the second most important yearly celebration in Norway, after 17 May. It is a happy day that marks the full return of the light. It is also a sad day because the next day we begin the descent into darkness.

Rain or shine there is fun for the entire family at Midsummer Fest. Norskedalen is bustling with activity throughout the weekend. Read on for what all we have planned for you this year!

  • Pancake Breakfast! Saturday Morning come early and enjoy a yummy pancake breakfast complete with sausage from 8AM to 10AM for $5 for adults and $3 for kids under 10.
  • Baking demonstrations! Lefse baking, butter churning, flatbread, donuts, stroll, krumkake, and waffles. And delicious hand-cranked ice cream.
  • Food! Delicious a la carte food available all day includes Smorbrod (Norwegian open-faced sandwiches), barbeque sandwiches, varme polse (sausage wrapped in lefse), strawberry shortcake, homemade pie, lefse, rommegrot (cream pudding) and more.
  • Woodcarving! The 13th annual Lloyd Thrune Woodcarving Show, competition, and sale. Enter your creation by category: caricature, birds, figure, acanthus, chip or novice. Demonstrations by the Coulee Region Woodcarvers Club and ribbons will be awarded. Carvers will also have their creations for sale.
  • Heritage Crafters! Watch heritage craft demonstrations such as: soapmaking, blacksmithing, carding, spinning, rope making, broom making, and shake making, rosemalers and hardanger embroidery. Monroe Johnson will be acanthus carving, Clinton and Beverly Bagstad will be baking flatbread, Joyce Abernathy will be flower pounding, and Pat Eggers will be dipping candles.

  • Fun for Kids! Children's activities will include troll and nature hikes, face painting, a visit from the trolls by the bridge, fish pond, scavenger hunt and other old-time games.
  • Animals!The Fjord Horses and other barnyard friends
  • Music! Entertainment throughout both days by the Norskedalen Trio, the Three Norskies, Brian Rude, the Sons of Norway Wergeland dancers, Westby band members, and many others
  • Raffle! And don't forget the raffle, lots of good prizes for a good cause. Throughout the years at Norskedalen we have been privileged to have many artisans who have demonstrated, taught, or otherwise shared their artistry. Norskedalen's raffle this year includes many items donated by local artisans that commemorate our Scandinavian heritage and immigrant past including: a beautiful mirror with acanthus carved frame by Monroe Johnson, hardanger by Hjordis Helgestad, pottery by Robert Fritz, caricature woodcarving by Jean Hammes, a night at the Paulsen Cabin, a Norskedalen Folk Bunad kit and much, much more.

Regular admission prices to Norskedalen get you into this enjoyable summer event ($6 for adults, $3 for kids or $15 for familes). Admission for Friends of Norskedalen are free.

Midsummer Logo designed by Evelyn Larson

Wergeland Dancer photo by John Zoerb