Norsk Høstfest was founded in 1978 by the late Chester Reiten and a group of friends. All of them were Scandinavian Americans who were interested in celebrating their Nordic heritage. What started as a rather modest celebration of Nordic culture has grown to become a major cultural event that attracts thousands of people from all other the United States and abroad.
Although Norsk Høstfest is billed as a Scandinavian festival, it would be more precise to say that it celebrates the culture of the Nordic countries. Historically, the term Scandinavia includes only Denmark, Norway and Sweden, while the broader term Nordic countries also encompasses Finland, Iceland, the Åland Islands and the Faroe Islands. The festival has also celebrated the culture of other countries and regions in the Northern Europe, such as Estonia, Greenland, the Netherlands, and German-speaking countries.
However, the primary focus of Norsk Høstfest is the culture and heritage of the five Nordic countries: Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, and Finland. The festival venue has five halls, each representing one of the counties and named after its capital.
Norsk Høstfest offers a rich and diverse program. It includes numerous events and activities whose main task is to showcase all aspects of Nordic culture, including music, dance, clothes, food, handicrafts, etc. Every year the festival features several headlining acts. Past headliners have included performers from the United States, Canada, and Europe. Headliners don’t necessarily have to represent Nordic culture. For example, one of the editions of Norsk Høstfest was headlined by Celtic Thunder, an Irish singing group that focuses on Celtic music.
One of the festival’s main highlights is the announcement of the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame inductees. The Hall of Fame was established in 1984 to honor outstanding persons of Scandinavian descent in North America for achieving greatness in their field of endeavor and/or for contributing to the betterment of mankind.
Photo: hostfest.com
