This Saturday, March 28, the Leif Erikson Lodge, Sons of Norway in Ballard will host Tastes of Norway/Norwegian Cultural and Heritage Day, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

There will be presentations and demonstrations of many traditional Norwegian handicrafts, music, song, dance and food take place during the day. Judge local pickled herring for yourself and find out who makes the best according to your tastes. Artists demonstrate weaving, rug tying, and knitting.

Rose painting, or rosemaling, is a traditional craft dating from the 1700's and many items will be featured with this elaborate painting style of Norway. Local genealogy researchers will be available to assist you with your questions about your Norwegian ancestors.
 
See our beautiful bunader or Norwegian folk costumes which represent the unique areas of Norway at the bunad parade at 3 p.m. Entertainment includes at 10 a.m. Tre Norske with their fiddles and accordion music; at 11 a.m. Richard Svensson on his accordion; at noon the Norwegian Male Chorus of Seattle; 1 p.m. Norwegian folk dance performance by the children and families of Barneleikarringen, and at 2 p.m. the Norwegian Ladies Chorus of Seattle.
 
Enjoy some of our traditional foods available for purchase and observe how these foods are made including the delicious desserts of krumkake, vaffler, and lefse. Have a tasty lunch of open faced sandwiches, ertesuppe / peasoup, and risengrynsgraut/rice grains pudding, and more in our Auditorium.
 
During May the centennial of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition begins. This event brought thousands of people to Seattle and many of the buildings are still part of the University of Washington campus.

Largely organized by the Swedish and Norwegian communities in Seattle, it put our town on the map. As part of this celebration, the Nordic Heritage Museum is restoring a Nordland fishing boat from the early 1800's. It will represent "The Viking" ship which was a part of the 1909 event, but subsequently was destroyed many years later in a fire.

The fishing boat is currently at Pacific Fishermen. At 11:30 and 1:30 tours will be conducted so you can see the progress of the restoration and find out more about the boat which may be the oldest boat in the Pacific Northwest above ground. The tours will be handicapped accessible, too.
 
Learn about the Sons of Norway, including our sports and cultural skills medal programs and our scholarship programs.
 
Join in trying out crafts for kids and games including traditional games played by the Vikings still played today.

Admission is free and open to the public. Velkommen og vaer saa god! / Welcome to our home and table!

The Leif Erikson Hall in Ballard is located at 2245 N.W. 57th St.