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.