The Nordic Heritage Museum Tivoli/Viking Days festival dates were mis-printed in the annual Summer Celebrations guide published recently by the Ballard News-Tribune. The correct dates for the festival are July 11 and 12.

This eventful weekend offers unique Scandinavian entertainment, food, arts and crafts merchants and real live Vikings only seen in Ballard. The Taste of Scandinavia will represent each of the five Nordic countries featuring delectable edibles such as Swedish meatballs, Norwegian lefse, Danish æbleskiver, and a variety of Finnish and Icelandic goodies. Also enjoy our Traditional Swedish Pancake Breakfast and Famous Salmon Barbeque Dinner.

The Ravenstead Vikings will be on hand all weekend clad in their authentic costumes. They will show Viking Days visitors all aspects of Viking life in their small encampment. Viking arts and crafts such as weaving, spinning, woodcarving and cooking will be demonstrated, and will take you back to an earlier time. The Vikings will also lead discussions about many aspects of Viking life on both Saturday and Sunday. Visitors will also be able to view live performances of Viking battles.

Extraordinary, traditional folk music will be performed both days on multiple stages during Viking Days, including Nordic dance music from TinnFelén, as well as Corky Dragland performing accordion acrobatics. High quality Nordic crafts will be for sale at an array of merchant booths on site and kids can take part in hands-on crafts, try on Viking costumes and other activities during the festival.

On Saturday, Living Voices will present two unique and stirring presentations combining video and an interactive performer that will capture both your minds and your heart. Come learn what it was like to live in another time and experience the dynamically changing Northwest at the turn of the century. The expansion of the railroad, the discovery of gold, labor struggles, and world war - these are the passages experienced by a young Swedish immigrant and her community. As she interacts with her African, Asian, and Native American neighbors you'll discover the diversity of the American experience.

Other programs will include “How the Vikings Got Tamed”, a lecture by Christine Ingebritsen, Professor of Scandinavian Studies at the Univeersity of Washington. The Nordic American Voices Project will be conducting interviews in an effort to record the life histories of Nordic immigrants and their descendants in the Pacific Northwest in an effort to collect, preserve, and share history “from the ground up.” Volunteer interviewers will play a crucial role in the project’s success.

The very popular Traditional Swedish Pancake Breakfast takes place from 9 am to 12 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets: $6 children, $8 members, $10 non-members.

The famous Salmon Barbeque Dinner will be on Saturday from 5 pm to 7 pm. Tickets: $10 children, $12 members, $15 non-members.

Ages 21+ can visit our special Valhalla Beer Garden for exclusive music and performances!

Admission to Viking Days and the Museum is free, so take advantage of this very special weekend and see what goes on inside the Museum as well as on the grounds outside. Families and all ages are welcome.

For more information, go to www.nordicmuseum.com.