When Linda Olson ordered a National Swedish Costume from the National Swedish Institute in Minneapolis 20 years ago to wear at the Norsk Hstfest in Minot, the outfit arrived with a little girl's dress.
"When I got the dress I had three sons and no grandchildren," Olson said.
But she thought it might be a prediction that someday she'd have granddaughters.
Article Photos
Eloise Ogden/MDN
Linda Olson, back center, of Minot, is shown Friday with three of her granddaughters. From the left are Grace Olson, 4, Ruby Olson, nearly 2, and Lila Olson, 5, in a Sami outfit. Grace is wearing a girl’s Swedish bunad that has been passed down among several granddaughters for modeling at Norsk Høstfest. Ruby will be modeling the dress in the future.
Now she has several granddaughters and grandsons.
On Friday morning, Olson and six of her granddaughters modeled Swedish and Norwegian outfits in the Norwegian Bunads and Scandinavian Folk Costumes Program held in the Skien Mezzanine at Norsk Hstfest.
Olson has modeled her Swedish National Costume for 20 years. Her oldest granddaughter, Morgan Olson, 13, modeled the girl's outfit that her grandmother received, first when she was 2. Other granddaughters have followed modeling it.
Olson's granddaughters who were in the show on Friday with her were: Morgan Olson, 13, Tessa Olson, 11, and Eden Olson, 8, all children of Brent and Brooke Olson; and Lila Olson, 5, and Grace Olson, 4, children of Matthew and Maria Olson. All are of Minot.
This was the first time 4-year-old Grace has modeled in the show, wearing the dress that Linda Olson received about 20 years ago.
Lila Olson wore an outfit from Norway that is worn by the Sami. The other granddaughters wore Norwegian bunads given by their grandparents, Roger and Bonnie Lynne, Minot.
Lila and Grace also have a younger sister, Ruby, nearly 2, who will be modeling that special girl's dress in the future.
Linda and her husband, Jerry, also have a son and daughter-in-law, Darren and Korissa Olson, of Minneapolis who have two sons, Emerson and Everett.
The Olson family is avid participants at Norsk Hstfest.
Linda Olson and her husband, Jerry, say they have a "mixed" marriage she's Swedish and he's Norwegian.
Linda also modeled a Swedish sweater in this year's Nordic Sweater Program Thursday at Hstfest.
She and her granddaughter, Grace, carried the Swedish flag during the Parade of Flag in the Great Hall Friday.
The bunad style show is coordinated by Helene Anderson, Linda's second cousin, and Tessa Nesheim, both of Minot.
Another Norwegian Bunads and Scandinavian Folk Costumes Program will be held today at 11 a.m. in the Skien Mezzanine.