Jessica Ackerman, Minot

In North Dakota, the shift of seasons is significant. Kids are back in school. The leaves are beginning to change colors. The trolls have arrived.

The Norsk Høstfest is one of Minot’s longest-running cultural staples, and apart from the past couple years’ hiatus, this Scandinavian festival feels like putting on a favorite sweater: warmth, familiarity, and embedded with smells and associated memories. Like many, I was introduced to the Norsk Høstfest through my grandparents. I wanted to connect to my family’s heritage (and our recipes). For four days, the State Fairgrounds are transformed — the halls are renamed and adorned in traditional decor. Children are transfixed by wandering trolls, dancing fish, and raucous Vikings. You can be transported to Scandinavia without leaving the state. From ABBA to bluegrass, rosemaling to woodcarving, lefse to lutefisk, there’s a performance, demonstration, dish, dance, or Norwegian sweater waiting for you.

From volunteering to stir rømmegrøt for my church’s booth, to my experience as a board member, I’ve been so lucky to experience the Høstfest as a participant and as a partner. This event has been nurtured for and attended by our community and visitors from around the globe for over 40 years. This fall marks a new phase for the festival. I like to tell folks that this year will be like stopping by your Grandma’s living room with the furniture rearranged: the aesthetic and energy of the Høstfest remains the same, but that spirit has been spruced up. From free stages with local acts (and accordions, of course), to big-name concerts, the Høstfest hopes to draw in those who are very familiar with the festival, as well as those who haven’t had the opportunity to attend in previous years. It’s an event that activates all your senses, celebrates the region’s unique heritage, and gives Minot a chance to brag–WE host North America’s largest Scandinavian festival.

Besides the educational, culinary, artistic, and entertainment experiences that the Høstfest offers attendees, it also does some incredible things for our community as a whole. The economic impact of the Norsk Høstfest cannot be overlooked: the ripples a ladle full of gravy sends across our city is immense. The Høstfest brings in visitors to fill our hotels, visit our restaurants, and shop at our stores. This festival allows for connections that pull us towards something bigger. The Høstfest is about nostalgia and tradition, yes, but also about exploration in modern times. It’s a welcoming spot for families, a place for intergenerational conversation, and a chance to get to know one another, whether you’re a local, a visitor, a long-lost-branch on the family tree, or a troll looking to cause a little mischief.

Whether you spend one afternoon or several days at the Høstfest, your participation helps sustain a legacy that has held strong for many decades. Like a Viking Saga, or a tale spun by Hans Christian Andersen, we hope to build something that lasts beyond us. Please join me and your Nordic neighbors on September 28 through October 1. Details about all that this year’s Norsk Høstfest has to offer are available online at høstfest.com. Have your ‘uffda’s’ at the ready, and prepare to feel hygge at the Norsk Høstfest. Like your favorite sweater, this festival is well-worn, well-loved, close-knit, and one of a kind.