Out of town visitors enjoy the low prices

The following copyright article appeared in the Decorah Newspapers 

following the 1997 Nordic Fest. Used with permission.

When Diane Davis of Indianapolis passed through Northeast Iowa while returning home from visiting relatives in North Dakota last year, she learned about Decorah's Nordic Fest. 

Davis, who has a Norwegian background, decided that 1997 would be the year she and her parents and three children would attend the Fest.

"There's just so much to see we're going to have to come back next year," Davis excitedly said moments after competing in the just-for-fun lutefisk eating contest Saturday.

And Davis was just as appreciative that prices were low enough that families could sample food and all the activities without going broke.

Another out-of-town visitor favoring the low prices and numerous activities is Douglas Gabrielson of Rockford, Ill. 

"I like to come every year," Gabrielson said, adding that he is half Norwegian.

Gabrielson, who serves as lay minister at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Rockford, said that he would make the four-hour drive to Nordic Fest even without the annual lutefisk eating contest, an event he has won or placed second in previous years

Vesterheim

At the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, Kare Herfindal of Voss, Norway was enjoying his third Nordic Fest. 

"I like the atmosphere around the Fest and I like the students I meet in my classes I teach before and after the Fest," said Herfindal, who demonstrated bentwood box making ad Kolrosing. 

"I especially like the way people here take care of their Norwegian heritage and traditions from Norway. For Norwegians, it's important that we contribute to that," he continued.

Deborah Mills of Decorah, who displayed her Viking-style woodcarving remarked on her second year at Vesterheim: "It's an incredibly enthusiastic crowd. I feel fortunate to be invited to exhibit. It gives me artistic encouragement to keep going."

Mills lived in Norway for 4 1/2 years so she enjoyed refreshing her Norwegian with many Norwegian-speaking visitors to her display. 

Eight-year-old woodworker Ole Odden, whose parents, Phillip Odden and Elsie Bigton, have a Norwegian woodcarving and furniture business in Barronett, Wis., was one of the youngest demonstrators at Vesterheim. 

"He's been to Nordic Fest every year since he was six months old," Bigton said. "He said Decorah is almost like heaven to him."

First-time fester Jeremy Cook of Dayton, Ohio was led on a tour of Vesterheim by his girlfriend, Sarah Dietz of Decorah.

"It's neat. I've never seen anything like it," Cook said of Nordic Fest in general.

Despite having grown up with it, Dietz hasn't tired of the event.

"I like looking around. I do it every year. I like meeting new people," she said.

Dietz and Cook said they both enjoyed the Nordic Dancers' performance.

'A great fest' 

Ann Denholm of Fort Calhoun, Neb., participating in the bunad show with her 8-month-old daughter Sonja, said, "Since we found this festival, we've come every year. Both my husband and I are of Norwegian heritage. It's a great fest. The local people do a great job, it's just too bad they're working and can't have time to enjoy it more."