Kim Fundingsland/MDN David Reiten, president of Norsk Hostfest, announces at a news conference today the 2020 festival has been canceled.

The Norsk Høstfest Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 festival. This step has been taken due to uncertainty over the COVID-19 virus and its global impact, both now and in the fall. The health and safety of guests, volunteers, and performers is our utmost priority. Norsk Høstfest will be back in 2021.

Høstfest has operated for 42 consecutive years up until the difficult and painful decision was made to cancel this year’s event.

Some may believe the decision is premature; however, Norsk Høstfest is a year-long effort that depends on early ticket sales and extensive planning that is well underway. Given the current disruption in regular activity, we are unable to fully staff and execute our sales efforts now. We have no answers to what might be the situation in September. In response, we have chosen to follow the path of minimizing risk to all involved.

Norsk Høstfest is an international event with attendees, vendors, entertainers, and chefs coming from all corners of the US, Canada, and Scandinavia. It relies on volunteers and visitors from an older-than-average demographic, labeled currently by CDC as a higher risk from COVID-19. Because the event requires the mobilization of volunteers on a year-long basis, the Board of Directors deemed it prudent to cancel the 2020 festival.

It is a heartbreaking decision, and we are aware that this will impact our fans, guests, tours, volunteers, entertainers, sponsors, hotels, chefs, international partners, donors, the City of Minot, and the State of North Dakota.

For those who have purchased tickets, refunds will be forthcoming. Please keep watching hostfest.com for more news as we navigate our course of action.

We appreciate your support and understanding. The staff is excited to begin working immediately on the 2021 Høstfest. Volunteers, sponsors, and fans are welcomed to join in this effort. We will see everyone in 2021.