The Board of Directors of Norsk Høstfest Association on Thursday, Jan. 29, announced that the annual Norsk Høstfest festival, long recognized as North America’s largest Scandinavian festival, will no longer continue after the conclusion of the 2025 event.

According to a news release issued Thursday:

For more than four decades, Norsk Høstfest brought together millions of attendees to celebrate Nordic culture through community, music, art, food, and education. The festival was founded in 1978 by the late Chester Reiten and a group of friends who shared his interest in celebrating their Nordic heritage. The decision to end the festival was not made lightly. After careful evaluation, the Board determined that rising operational costs combined with declining attendance have made it financially unsustainable to continue the event at the scale and quality expected by patrons, artists, and partners.

“In recent years, the festival has faced significant increases in the cost of nationally recognized performers, as well as insurance, facilities, labor, and logistics,” said festival leadership. “At the same time, attendance levels have not rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, creating ongoing financial challenges that cannot be responsibly overcome.”

While the festival, as we know it, is ending, its spirit lives on in Minot through the Scandinavian Heritage Association (SHA). As the creator and steward of the Scandinavian Heritage Park, the SHA remains committed to this legacy through ongoing education and community engagement. We invite the community to help shape this future by volunteering, joining a society, or contributing their time and talents; to learn more or get involved, please visit scandinavianheritage.org.

Norsk Høstfest has been made possible through generations of volunteers, staff, performers, donors, vendors, sponsors, and supporters whose passion and dedication built the festival into a beloved international tradition. The organization extends its deepest gratitude to the community of Minot and to the people of North Dakota, as well as to supporters across the United States, Canada, and the Nordic region. We also offer special appreciation to Minot’s sister city, Skien, Norway; to the many dignitaries who have joined us over the years; and to the Royal Family of Norway, whom we were honored to host. Together, these individuals and communities were instrumental in making Norsk Høstfest a cherished and enduring success.