'Old and new' at Nordic Fest bunad show

Two girls in bunads. Scene from Vesterheim, estimated to be Nordic Fest 1968.
 Photo courtesy Ruth Ann Sacquitne

The following copyright article appeared in a July 1997 issue of the Decorah newspapers.
Used with permission.

The 1997 Scandinavian costume show, better known as the "bunad show" will feature both the old and new in two shows during Nordic Fest.

The varied costumes representing areas from districts of Norway and Sweden will be modeled in shows Saturday, July 26 at 2 p.m. and Sunday, July 27 at 12:30 p.m., in the air-conditioned Thomas Roberts High School auditorium.

As for "old and new," two couples from Os, Norway, will bring antique bunads. One of the couples will be married in an authentic Norwegian ceremony Friday, July 25, during the Fest at Bethania Church near Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum. 

Both couples are attending Nordic Fest in an effort to research and acquire information on Os costumes that were brought to America by Norwegian immigrants. The bunads they will model will be from the late 1700's to 1800. 

Eight-month-old Sonja Marie Denholm of Fort Calhoun, Neb., could be considered the "new" of the bunad show. The daughter of Ann and Robert Denholm, she will model her baptism dress and bonnet. They are handcrafted with traditional Hardanger embroidery featuring a cross embroidered on the bodice of the bonnet. 

Sonja Marie is a fifth generation Norwegian-American and with her, this baptismal gown tradition is being initiated into her family. She will be carried by her mother, Sue, wearing a typical summer cotton bunad. 

Both programs will showcase authentic "bunader" with some costumes valued at $3,000 to $4,000, and even higher when complete with authentic Norwegian sterling silver jewlery. It is estimated the bunad show will feature about $100,000 in costumes. 

Doing Nordic Fest by the numbers: guest post from 1996

Numbers photo Creative Commons licence https://www.flickr.com/photos/eraphernalia_vintage/

The following copyright editorial by Rick Fromm appeared in the Thursday, July 26, 1996 edition of the Decorah Newspapers. Used with permission. 

Doing Nordic Fest by the numbers....

1. The minimum number of varme polse one must eat before being considered an honorary Norwegian. If you haven't eaten a varme polse, you haven't been to Nordic Fest. 

2. The number of Grimstads who are the grand marshals of this year's Nordic Fest parade. Give a big wave to Edit and her son Larry. 

3. Number of Nordic Fests one must attend to be considered a veteran Fester. Note: They do not have to be consecutive years. Also the cost of an official Nordic Fest button (in dollars). 

4. Entertainment canopies set up along Water Street. Can be found in front of Kephart's, Interstate Power, Fareway and Cafe Deluxe. 

5. Total pounds the average Fest-goer gains during the three-day celebration 

7. Motel rooms available for the 1999 Nordic Fest. 

10. Fiddlers in Bo juniorspelemannslag.

22. Seats left for the Garrison Keillor performance on Sunday.

30. Consecutive years the community of Decorah has posted this popular event. Velkommen

40. Models in the bunad show.

50. Theme quilts on display at the "Iowa: A Place to Sew" sesquicentennial quilt challenge exhibit hosted by Vesterheim.

76. Trombones that lead the big parade in the Dorian Opera Theatre production of "Music Man."

120. Entries in Saturday's grand parade down Water Street (Don's miss it - it's a dandy.) 

145. The number of times each individual will walk the length of Water Street.

321. The number of times each individual will say "hello" to a perfect stranger.

1,722. Gallons of beer consumed at the local watering holes.

50,000. The estimated crowd during the three days of Nordic Fest. No one ever knows for sure, but 50,000 sounds great. 

Fest housing coordinator says 'they're coming from all over.' 1996 snapshot

The following copyright article appeared in a 1996 edition of the Decorah Newspapers. 

Used with permission.

The number of Nordic Fest visitors seeking housing through the Fest board of directors is "up tremendously" this year, according to Jill Amdahl, housing coordinator for the past four years.

"They're coming from all over," Amdahl said of visitors to the 30th annual Nordic Fest. She fielded calls from Fest visitors from California to Florida and from Virginia to Michigan.

Amdahl said Monday that out-of-area visitors planning to attend the Fest but without lodging are now being referred to motels in La Crosse, Wis., Prairie du Chien, Wis. and Rochester, Minn.

Decorah motels are booked as much as two to three years in advance and have long been filled, she added.

The Fest housing coordinator, who as the board's vice president assumes the board presidency next year, said as early as two weeks ago she already had placed more people this year than in any other year of her tenure. She also said housing at Luther College, some of which is not air conditioned, is also full for this year's Fest.

Amdahl said there are two basic sets of people who open their private homes to Fest visitors. One set expects to be reimbursed for housing the visitors, while the other set wants to house entertainers for free to have the experience of having them stay for a short stint. 

This year, the Luren Singers volunteered to provide housing for about 70 people from Norway who will be performing at the Fest. Amdahl said the singers volunteered to house the Norwegians because they come from an area of Norway where the singers stayed during a visit to that country last year.

"They thought this was a good time to repay those people," Amdahl said. 

Bunad exchange: another example of Nordic Fest strength

Norma Wagnsness and one of her daughters,  Le Wangsness-Bahr showcase their bunads in the 2014 Nordic Fest parade. Photo courtesy of Marilee Reinertson Torres, http://i-mrt.blogspot.com/

The following copyright article appeared in a June 1995 edition of Decorah Newspapers and is illustrative of the lengths the people of Decorah have gone over 50 years to ensure Nordic Fest authenticity. Many local sewing and embroidery experts have beautified Nordic Fest with their bunad creations.
Used with permission.

Nordic Fest sponsors bunad exchange

What in the world is a bunad?

A bunad -- pronounced BOO-nod -- is a Norwegian folk costume. 

Each year at Nordic Fest, you can catch a glimpse of many different styles of the bunad. The various styles of the bunad represent different geographical regions in Norway. A festival bunad is worn on special occasions like a wedding or Christmas. 

On Saturday, June 17, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., the Nordic Fest Board is sponsoring a bunad exchange and sale at the Interstate Power meeting room. If you have a Norwegian costume to tell - adult or child size - please put your price on it and drop it off at the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce office at 111 Winnebago Street by 3 p.m. Friday, June 16.

If you are looking for a bunad, new or used, plan to attend this event. Susan Mueller of Husflids Heimen will be in attendance with a supply of bunad kits available. Any cotton kits purchased June 17 will be discounted 10 percent. Mueller will be selling these kits and giving instructions on how to construction the bunad you might choose.

Nordic Fest Board members want to make this Nordic Fest the most colorful ever, and suggest dressing in a bunad this year. For more information, call Chris Evenson or Kate Kjome. 

Memories of Nordic Fest '94: guest post

The following copyright opinion piece appeared in a 1994 edition of Decorah Newspapers. The late Margaret Hanson Gulsvig's work appears for the third time in this blog series. Used with permission.

Editor's Note: The follow article was written by Margaret Hanson (Mrs. Elmo) Gulsvig of Westby, Wis. A 1938 graduate of Decorah High School, a 1942 graduate of Luther College, her father was business manager and treasurer of Luther until his death in 1952. Her husband is retired area administrator of the Westby Area Schools, and she taught English in Viroqua for about 20 years. She was also feature editor and columnist for the local newspaper for over 25 years, having recently retired. 

Nordic Fest 1994 was...

• Planning early and then waiting ages for the end of July to come
• Corresponding with old friends, making plans we hoped would pan out
• Last minute calls with "We'll see you soon!" 
• Driving to Decorah with high expectations -- and a curious lump in the throat.
• Loving every minute of reminiscing, laughing, catching up on 50 intervening years since our college days -- a miracle, since we're only in our 30's after all.
• Driving, driving, looking over our hometown, identifying the houses by names of people now long gone, homes we once lived in, homes beautifully preserved, while one had deteriorated despicably: a parsonage of elegance, painfully cast aside.
• Strolling through the cemetery, the beauty of the place softening our sorrow for parents long gone, neighbors who have joined them, and sadder, some contemporaries denied the extra years which are our privilege.
• Observing the damage Mother Nature can do in a fit of frenzied activity: trees, huge trees, decimated in fewer minutes than the time it takes to blow out a candle. Chain saw whining over their task of repairing Decorah in time for the onslaught of Norwegians -- and any other lucky nationalities. 
• Walking, walking through the build-up area which we knew as our ice staking rink in the 1930's.
• Shopping on Water Street, admitting it looks considerably better than it used to.
• Visiting a real estate office for leads on longed-for, year-round accommodations, then, discourage by their lack or distance from neighborhoods we once knew as "ours" in close proximity to the college.
• Attending an OPERA! Pleasantly surprised by its caliber.
• Walking, walking...
• Sitting on the stone fence below the stately courthouse to watch the impressive opening ceremonies; thrilled by everything, especially by the lur solo played by the grandson of Rev. George Ulvilden, who played it at the first opening ceremonies 25 years ago.
• Being entranced by the entourage from Lillesand, Norway, some 60 strong, in heavy wool native costumes, who danced and sang with poise in the hot sun as our noses turned red and we dripped with perspiration. 
• Live trolls, our favorite, zipping through the parade on a scooter.
• Driving to Washington Prairie, place of my roots, to partake of authentic Norwegian food; tempting a gastronomic revolt with extra helpings of rommegrot.
• Having a meal at a Chinese restaurant -- at a Nordic Fest?
• Attending a concert giving by an imported Norwegian at the new Decorah High School Auditorium, a very beautiful and functional addition to the Thomas R. Roberts School, the latter being named for our high school superintendent. The music? Bombastically beautiful!
• The inevitable long talks, tackling all the problems we face as years and complexities of age replace other carefree days.
• Attending Norwegian services at our "home church," actually able to follow along with what was transpiring, despite lapsing periodically into reverie over the seven Hansons, led by Pap, marching into one of the front pews every Sunday during my childhood: three family weddings, two funerals -- 
• Driving home, lost in reverie, amazed at how five or six days could slip away so quickly.