Ballard Seafood Fest

The Nordic Spirit will be featured at this weekends 35th annual Ballard Seafood Fest! Come find us on Nordic Roe, right by the Ballard Library.

The New Nordic Heritage Museum

Did you know that the Nordic Heritage Museum is moving? Well, after over 25 years in its current home, the Museum is embarking on a journey to build a new facility with the space, location, and stature to engage future generations in learning about the Nordic immigrant experience in the Northwest and Scandinavian art and culture—past, present, and future. Contributions made to the campaign are directed toward acquiring nearly 75,000 square feet of property on Market Street in downtown Ballard and funding the construction of a state-of-the-art building in which the Museums exhibits, programs, and audiences will have the room to grow.

Viking Days!

The Nordic Heritage Museum’s annual Viking Days festival celebrates its 26th anniversary on July 11 and 12, 2009. This eventful weekend offers unique Scandinavian entertainment, food, arts & crafts merchants and real live Vikings only seen in Ballard! Our Taste of Scandinavia will represent each of the five Nordic countries featuring delectable edibles such as Swedish meatballs, Norwegian lefse, Danish æbleskiver, and a variety of Finnish and Icelandic goodies. Also enjoy our Traditional Swedish Pancake Breakfast and Famous Salmon Barbeque Dinner.

The Ravenstead Vikings will be on hand all weekend clad in their authentic costumes. They will show Viking Days visitors all aspects of Viking life in their small encampment. Viking arts and crafts such as weaving, spinning, woodcarving and cooking will be demonstrated, and will take you back to an earlier time. The Vikings will also lead discussions about many aspects of Viking life on both Saturday and Sunday. Visitors will also be able to view live performances of Viking battles!

Extraordinary, traditional folk music will be performed both days on multiple stages during Viking Days, including Nordic dance music from TinnFelén, as well as Corky Dragland performing accordion acrobatics. Also performing will be Sammamish Sublimation, and many more!

High quality Nordic crafts will be for sale at an array of merchant booths on site and kids can take part in hands-on crafts, try on Viking costumes and other activities during the festival.

On Saturday, Living Voices will present two unique and stirring presentations combining video and an interactive performer that will capture both your minds and your heart. Come learn what it was like to live in another time and experience the dynamically changing Northwest at the turn of the century. The expansion of the railroad, the discovery of gold, labor struggles, and world war - these are the passages experienced by a young Swedish immigrant and her community. As she interacts with her African, Asian, and Native American neighbors you'll discover the diversity of the American experience.

The very popular Traditional Swedish Pancake Breakfast takes place from 9 am to 12 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets: $6 children, $8 members, $10 non-members.

Our famous Salmon Barbeque Dinner will be on Saturday from 5 pm to 7 pm. Tickets: $10 children, $12 members, $15 non-members.

Ages 21+ can visit our special Valhalla Beer Garden for exclusive music and Nordic Heritage Museum brewed Viking beer!

Admission to Viking Days and the Museum is free, so take advantage of this very special weekend and see what goes on inside the Museum as well as on the grounds outside! Families and all ages are welcome.

All programs are subject to change without prior notice.

For general questions and information, please call 206-789-5707, or visit our website: www.nordicmuseum.org

See you at the Nordic Heritage Museum!