Viking takeover of Ballard this weekend

Correction: Viking Days is happening on Saturday and Sunday, August 19 and 20, starting at 10 am each day.

Original: This weekend is the annual Viking Days festival at the Nordic Heritage Museum, a free and all-ages two-day event. On Friday and Saturday (August 19, 20) they’ll have Nordic food, music, crafts, educational demonstrations and as always, a Viking encampment. This will be the last Viking Days festival at their current location; the new Nordic Museum will open in early 2018 on NW Market St.

The festival starts at 10 am each day with a Swedish Pancake Breakfast. According to museum staff, “Delicacies from each of the five Nordic countries are available throughout the festival, from Danish æbleskiver to Swedish meatballs to Icelandic vinarterta. You can enjoy grilled sausages and salmon burgers at the Viking Grill, aquavit and craft beer from Odin Brewing Company in the Valhalla Beer Garden—and make sure to stop by Saturday for our Salmon BBQ, which starts at 1 p.m.”

One of the most popular parts of the festival is the Viking encampment, where visitors can see what a day in the life of a Viking was like. There will be opportunities to participate in demonstrations on weaving, woodcarving, weapon-forging, games and more. “But watch out — a battle may erupt at any moment!”

There will be traditional Norwegian music on three different stages, local artisans selling handcrafts, and Viking-themed craft booths for kids. There will also be a raffle for prizes such as a week-long stay at the Eagle Crest Resort (April 8–15, 2018), a new Museum naming plaque, a Mariners package, and more.

Because it’s the last festival at their current location, they’ll be offering docent-led tours of our original core exhibition, The Dream of America, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day, as well as tours of the brand-new visiting exhibition, The Whimsical World of Bjørn Wiinblad, at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Photo courtesy Nordic Museum