Calendar
Special Events
Syttende Mai — Constitution Day
Midtsommer Gala — 20th Anniversary
Crossings 2025 — 200 Years of Norwegian Immigration to North America
Check this out!
On Display at Norway House
Travel with Norway House
Events at Mindekirken
Make a Recyled Gnome with Lynn Hjelman - The Skier
Make the Skier, a Recycled Gnome by Lynn Hjelman. Register here.
Vibrant Traditions: Scandinavian Weaving in the Midwest
Experience the rich legacy of Scandinavian weaving right here in the Midwest! Norway House is proud to partner with the Scandinavian Weavers Study Group of the Weavers Guild of Minnesota to bring you Vibrant Traditions: Scandinavian Weaving in the Midwest, an extraordinary exhibit showcasing both traditional and contemporary weavings crafted using Scandinavian techniques.
This special exhibit, hosted in the Mondale Galleri, celebrates nearly 30 years of collaboration, friendship, and shared expertise within the Study Group. Through exhibitions, workshops, and an enduring passion for weaving, this community has not only preserved traditional Scandinavian weaving but also infused it with fresh creativity to keep the craft alive—and vibrant.
Paint and Sip at Norway House
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!
Paint and Sip at Norway House
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 a Recyled Gnome with Lynn Hjelman - The Winter Hiker
Make the Winter Hiker, a Recycled Gnome by Lynn Hjelman. Register here.
Introduction to Spoon Carving with Erik Vevang
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.
Scandinavian Enamel Jewelry - A talk by Dwight and Lois Olson
Experts Dwight and Lois Olson share their love and knowledge of Scandinavian enamel jewelry in a free talk .
Ask Carol: LIVE in Minneapolis
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
Make a Recycled Gnome - The Lefse Gnome - Sold out
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.
LEIF Presents: Musical Smörgåsbord
Mindekirken’s annual Leif Erickson International Festival (LEIF) premieres this year with a special concert at Norway House. See more LEIF cultural events here.
An eclectic afternoon of music, ranging from Norwegian folk songs to opera arias. Sopranos Maggie Burr and Ariel Wilberg will be joined by pianist Jordan Buchholtz and the Mindekirken Band.
Register below.
Tickets $15
Lørdagsfilm: Norwegian Film Saturday – Victoria (2013)
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.
Make a Recycled Gnome with Lynn Hjelman - Sold Out
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.
Colonel H.C. Heg Civil War Remembrance Day (Free Day-long Event)
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.
Decorate Mushroom Cookies With Amy Decker
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.
Decorate Mushroom Cookies With Amy Decker
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.
Sámi Inspired Pewter Thread Bracelet Class with Liz Bucheit
We will explore the traditional techniques of triple braiding coiled pewter wire and sewing the finished braid to softened reindeer hide.
Learn to Draw Urnes-style Viking Knotwork (Two-Part Class)
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.
Spring Dinner: An Evening to Celebrate Spring Grove
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.
Spring Grove Expo at Norway House
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.
Introduction to Spoon Carving with Erik Vevang
Learn how to craft a greenwood spoon and finish the class with your own hand-carved serving spoon!
ONLINE: Unraveling the Knot: Shared and Divergent Designs in Celtic and Viking Knotwork
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.
Primstav for Modern Times — The Summer Side
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.
Viking Knotwork in the Mammen Style with Jeanine Malec (Day 2 of 2)
Learn how to draw zoomorphic Viking designs — for all experience levels.
Viking Knotwork in the Mammen Style with Jeanine Malec (Day 1 of 2)
Learn how to draw zoomorphic Viking designs — for all experience levels.
Pysanky with a Nordic Flair - Sold out!
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.
Decorate Påskris (Easter Switch) with Kari Tauring
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.
Make a Recycled Gnome— Fisherman or Hiker - Sold out!
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.
A Gathering of Knots: Viking Knotwork Open Drawing Session
This class will offer an opportunity for students of any previous Viking Zoomorphic Knotwork class to come together for facilitated drawing time to help build skills and community. Come with sketchbooks and drawing media of choice, and we will work through fine-tuning techniques together, sharing successes and challenges we’ve found along the way.
Drawing Ringerike Viking Knotwork with Jeanine Malec (Day 2 of 2)
Learn how to draw zoomorphic Viking designs — for all experience levels
Drawing Ringerike Viking Knotwork with Jeanine Malec (Day 1 of 2)
Learn how to draw zoomorphic Viking designs — for all experience levels
Recycled Gnomes with Lynn Hjelmen
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” Gnome with a Bird Friend. All the materials needed for the class will be provided.
Introduction to Spoon Carving with Erik Vevang
Learn how to craft a greenwood spoon and finish the class with your own hand-carved serving spoon!