Tastes of Norway and Norwegian Cultural and Heritage Day

Join the Sons of Norway Leif Erikson Lodge of Seattle, Wash. for the annual Norwegian Cultural and Heritage Day on March 27. The festivities start at 9 a.m. with the Leif to Leif 5k Fun Run/Walk at the Leif Erikson Hall in Ballard

The Leif to Leif 5K Fun Run/Walk kicks off at 9 a.m. followed by Tastes of

Norway/Norwegian Cultural and Heritage Day starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 27, 2010. The events are hosted by Leif Erikson Lodge 2-001, Sons of Norway, in Ballard.

Highlights include:

• Presentations and demonstrations of traditional Norwegian handicrafts, music, song and dance, featuring folk dance troupe Leikarringen.
• Crafts and food will be available for purchase throughout the day.
• Pickled herring taste-off. Let your taste buds judge who makes the best.
• Artists will demonstrate weaving, rug tying and knitting.
• Rosemaling, or rose painting, a traditional Norwegian craft dating to the 1700s, will be on display.

Also, kids can have fun testing their skills at traditional Viking games still played today.

Local genealogy researchers will be available to help answer questions about your Norwegian ancestors.

See beautiful bunader — Norwegian folk costumes – that represent different regions of Norway in the bunad parade at 2 p.m.

Enjoy traditional foods and see how they are made, including such delicious sweets as krumkake, vafler and lefse. Have a tasty lunch of smørbrød (open-faced sandwiches), ertesuppe (pea soup), rømmegrøt (sour cream porridge) and more. All are available at reasonable prices.

Heritage Day is also an opportunity to learn about Sons of Norway community programs, including our sports and cultural skills medal programs and scholarships.

Entertainment lineup:

• 10 a.m. – Richard Svensson, accordion
• 11 a.m. – The Norwegian Ladies Chorus of Seattle
• Noon – Richard Svensson, accordion
• 1 p.m. – Thor Christiansen, accordion
• 2 p.m. – Bunad parade of traditional Norwegian folk costumes
• 3 p.m. – Leikarringen, Norwegian folk dance troupe

All are welcome and admission is free. Velkommen og vær så god! – Welcome to our home and table!

The 5K Leif to Leif Fun Run/Walk starts at 9 a.m. near the Leif Erikson bust at the lodge entrance, 2245 N.W. 57th St., and proceeds to the Leif Erikson statue at Shilshole Marina near Golden Gardens Park, then back to the lodge.

Registration fee is $10 adults and $5 children ages 12 and under (registration forms are available at Leif Erikson Hall). Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Sons of Norway Humanitarian Fund. For information, call 206-783-1274.

Registered participants will receive a Norwegian flag to carry on the run and traditional Norwegian heart waffles afterward. Ribbons will be awarded to the top three runners. Participation counts toward a Sons of Norway sports medal.

Leif to Leif 5K course:

• Start at Leif Erikson Lodge, 2245 N.W. 57th St.
• Proceed west on N.W. 57th St. across 24th Ave. N.W. to 37th Place N.W.
• Turn right on the Burke-Gilman Trail
• Cross Seaview Ave. N.W. at the crosswalk!
• Continue north on Seaview until you reach the Leif Erikson statue (7001 Seaview Ave. N.W.)
• Return to the lodge via the same route

Lykke til! – Good luck!

For more information, contact Glenn Eriksen at (206) 427-2005 or Gwen Weinert at (206) 367-0469. You can also contact the Leif Erikson Lodge directly at (206) 783-1274, leiferiksonlodge@qwestoffice.net, or on the Web: www.leiferiksonlodge.com.