Whidbey’s Nordic Fest a ya-sure bet for many

By Brian Kelly

Herald Writer

LANGLEY — Forget those heavily hyped Krispy Kreme donuts. They’ll be lining up for lefse this weekend on Whidbey Island.

Whidbey’s Nordic Fest is Saturday at South Whidbey High School. Although the one-day event will have entertainment, including Scandinavian storytellers, wandering flute and accordion players, the Young Skandia Dansers, as well as artists and craft vendors, people really come for the food.

"They will come from Olympia, as far north as Bellingham, and in between," said Linda Spencer, a member of the Ester Moe chapter of the Daughters of Norway and one of the organizers of the event.

Nordic Fest

In the commons at South Whidbey High School,

5674 Maxwelton Road,

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday

Now in its second year, the Nordic Fest grew out of the Scandinavian bazaar that the Ester Moe chapter has sponsored for five years.

Spencer said the event will feature Scandinavian-style open-face sandwiches piled with smoked salmon or roast beef, as well as specialty breads, heart-shaped waffles with whipped cream and strawberry topping, plus plenty of pickled herring, pea soup and salmon chowder.

A real draw will be the rommegrot, a hot, sour-cream porridge. The experts say the creamy stuff is quite filling and is a favorite warm-me-up for Norwegians on cold winter days.

A dedicated group of volunteers has been preparing the feast since Oct. 5.

By Thursday, the ladies had finished more than 30 cakes and close to 500 lefse, a potato-and-flour flat bread that’s slathered with butter, stuffed with goat cheese or cinnamon and sugar, and rolled up and quickly devoured.

"The lefse goes so fast it’s gone before the day is over," said Laverne Tiedeman, another member of the South Whidbey chapter. "There’s a lot of people who don’t get it."

"It’ll be gone by noon, no kidding," added Karen Toyne. "We have an order from Bellevue already: Please hold some for us."

Entertainment includes Seattle performers such as the Norwegian Ladies Chorus and accordionist Robert Svendsen. Demonstrators will give examples of rosemaling (Scandia painting), knitting, spinning, hair braiding and hardanger embroidery. Vendors will be selling everything from Nordic sweaters to chalet bird houses and beeswax ornaments.

A number of raffles are planned for prizes that include an authentic Norwegian girl’s folk dress purchased in Norway this summer.

The event also is a chance for people to reconnect with their roots and celebrate their culture.

"Scandinavians are a very proud people, and we’re anxious to share our heritage," Spencer said. "It’s been said that Norway is the homeland, but the Scandinavians in America are the heartland."

You can call Herald Writer Brian Kelly at 425-339-3422 or send e-mail to kelly@heraldnet.com.

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