Join us for a special celebration marking the opening of Vibrant Traditions: Scandinavian Weaving in the Midwest! This event offers a unique opportunity to experience the beauty and craftsmanship of Scandinavian weaving while connecting with fellow enthusiasts, artists, and community members.

Craft Beauty from the Ordinary

Discover the art of decorative carving in this hands-on class with master woodcarver Jock Holmen, affectionately known as “The Norwegian Termite.” Turn ordinary wooden bowls and plates into stunning works of art while learning how to upcycle and elevate items you already own. Whether you’re hiding chips, adding intricate flourishes, or creating something entirely new, Jock will guide you every step of the way.

Make the Skier, a Recycled Gnome by Lynn Hjelman. Register here.

Unleash your inner artist at Norway House with our exciting new Paint and Sip experience, led by the talented Your Bearded Artist! Whether you’re a seasoned painter or a beginner, this guided painting session is designed for everyone. With step-by-step instructions, you’ll walk away with a beautiful canvas painting—and plenty of good memories.

During the class, you’ll paint a vibrant “Vase of Sunflowers” using acrylic on canvas. All art supplies are provided, so all you need to do is show up and get creative! Enjoy soothing music throughout the session, and if you need a break, delicious snacks and beverages are available for purchase at our Kaffebar.

Date & Times:
• Thursday, November 21st | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
• Thursday, November 21st | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Ages: 13+ welcome
What’s Included: All art materials (food & drinks sold separately)

Bring a friend or come solo for a cozy, creative evening. Reserve your spot today and take home a vibrant masterpiece to brighten your space. Spaces are limited, so register soon to ensure your place at this fun-filled event!

Unleash your inner artist at Norway House with our exciting new Paint and Sip experience, led by the talented Your Bearded Artist! Whether you’re a seasoned painter or a beginner, this guided painting session is designed for everyone. With step-by-step instructions, you’ll walk away with a beautiful canvas painting—and plenty of good memories.

During the class, you’ll paint a vibrant “Vase of Sunflowers” using acrylic on canvas. All art supplies are provided, so all you need to do is show up and get creative! Enjoy soothing music throughout the session, and if you need a break, delicious snacks and beverages are available for purchase at our Kaffebar.

Date & Times:
• Thursday, November 21st | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
• Thursday, November 21st | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Ages: 13+ welcome
What’s Included: All art materials (food & drinks sold separately)

Bring a friend or come solo for a cozy, creative evening. Reserve your spot today and take home a vibrant masterpiece to brighten your space. Spaces are limited, so register soon to ensure your place at this fun-filled event!

Make the Winter Hiker, a Recycled Gnome by Lynn Hjelman. Register here.

Join us for a 3-hour introduction to the craft of greenwood spoon carving. You will finish the class with your own hand-carved serving spoon. For the first part of the class, we will study safety, knife grips, and traditional techniques for carving. For the rest of the class, you will apply what you have learned to transform a spoon blank provided into your completed spoon.

Experts Dwight and Lois Olson share their love and knowledge of Scandinavian enamel jewelry in a free talk .

Get ready for an electrifying evening of alt-pop with Ask Carol, a dynamic Norwegian duo known for their bold, grungy sound. Hailing from the mountains of Auma, Norway, Ask Carol blends alt-pop with a fierce, guitar-based edge, drawing comparisons to bands like The Kills and Yeah Yeah Yeahs with a Nordic twist. Their high-energy performances feature a unique mix of guitars, drums, and synths, making this power-duo sound like a full band.

Having toured across the globe—from Scandinavia to SXSW—they bring their high-octane music to Minneapolis for one night only. Don’t miss this chance to support Norwegian artists and experience their Nordic melancholy meets rock-pop sound live

Step into the whimsical world of Norwegian folklore and sustainable crafting with Lynn Hjelmen! In this hands-on workshop, you’ll bring to life a charming gnome dedicated to the art of lefse making. The mateials used are recycled; the end result is charming, everything you need is provided in the class.

Join us for a watch party at our Sundet Family Aula for one of Norway’s most beloved films, every 3rd Saturday of the month. Whether you’re a film buff, looking for another fun way to learn Norwegian, or just looking to have a great time watching movies with friends, Norway House has saved a seat just for you! Our inaugural film is Victoria (2013) based of the work by Knut Hamsun, Nobel laureate.

Join Lynn Hjelmen, author of The Recycled Gnome, to learn how to make an appealing Scandinavian gnome from recycled materials. The class project is a 12” Hiking gnome with a walking stick. All the materials needed for the class will be provided.

Historians and experts on the Civil War will be in Sundet Hall to talk with you and to share their perspectives on a War in which Scandinavian immigrant soldiers played a significant and pivotal role.

The real amanita muscaria is toxic, but the only side effect of this almond sugar cookie version is to make people smile. Learn to paint with royal icing so you can make shading and t dimension on your cookies, learn to texture icing so it looks like grass, to hand-cut the dough for the bases, and how to balance and stand the cookies up. Teacher Amy Decker will start you with prebaked almond sugar cookies so you can concentrate on decorating during the two-hour class. You will leave the class with decorated cookies, recipes, a step-by-step guide to making these cookies at home, and a mushroom cookie cutter.

The class is suitable for children 10 years and above; children require their own ticket.

The cookies include flour, eggs, and nut flavoring.

The real amanita muscaria is toxic, but the only side effect of this almond sugar cookie version is to make people smile. Learn to paint with royal icing so you can make shading and t dimension on your cookies, learn to texture icing so it looks like grass, to hand-cut the dough for the bases, and how to balance and stand the cookies up. Teacher Amy Decker will start you with prebaked almond sugar cookies so you can concentrate on decorating during the two-hour class. You will leave the class with decorated cookies, recipes, a step-by-step guide to making these cookies at home, and a mushroom cookie cutter.

The class is suitable for children 10 years and above; children require their own ticket.

The cookies include flour, eggs, and nut flavoring.

We will explore the traditional techniques of triple braiding coiled pewter wire and sewing the finished braid to softened reindeer hide.

This class is an invitation to explore the elements and archetypes of Viking artwork through hands-on drawing exercises with artist Jeanine Malec. This two-session class will focus on the Urnes style. The class will meet May 7 and May14 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. Drawing supplies will be provided, though you are welcome to bring your own.

Norway House is partnering with the Giants of the Earth Heritage Center in Spring Grove to bring a taste of Minnesota’s first Norwegian settlement in Minneapolis! A charming and vibrant town in Southeastern Minnesota, Spring Grove is a perfect focus as we work to highlight the many vibrant historically Norwegian communities around the United States. Onsite security provided.

Peruse displays from Giants of the Earth, comic strip characters Han Ola og Han Per, and other Spring Grove organizations and destinations, and see some of the stories from the Giants Oral Histories Project.

Learn how to craft a greenwood spoon and finish the class with your own hand-carved serving spoon!

In this seminar and discussion, teaching artist Jeanine Malec will highlight the overlapping motifs as well as unique characteristics that unite and define these two fascinating historical traditions in knotwork and design. Rounding out our panel, Carstens Smith, Director of Education at Norway House and Steve Griffith, Education Chair and history instructor at Celtic Junction will share their insights on the overlapping histories between Norway and Ireland and how they intersect in America.

In this class you will make a summerside primstav with symbols relevant to your life and gain an appreciation of the calendar's history and the many tasks of farm life that it was used to put in order.

Learn how to draw zoomorphic Viking designs — for all experience levels.

Learn how to draw zoomorphic Viking designs — for all experience levels.

Learn to make pysanky, ornately decorated eggs from Eastern Europe and the Baltic countries with Nordic-inspired designs. The artwork is created by repeatedly outlining designs in beeswax and dying the eggs. Renata Fossett will walk you through the steps so you will end the class with a completed egg.

Learn about the Nordic Easter tradition of decorating pussy willow switches. When Christianity came to rural Norway, Finland, and Sweden around 1200 A.D., the ancient land-based traditions were kept in families and blended with the new church practices.

Join Lynn Hjelmen, author of The Recycled Gnome, to learn how to make a delightful Scandinavian gnome from recycled materials. The class project is a 12” Hiking or Fishing Gnome. All the materials needed for the class will be provided. When you are at home, you can create your own gnomes using Lynn’s ideas and sweaters, pillows, sheets, and cardboard, items that you probably already have. Kits for other gnomes will be available from the teacher after class. Her book will be available at Also Ingebretsen’s, located in Norway House.