Sons of Norway Marks the Passing of Former Board Member
It is with and a heavy heart that we must report to our members on the passing of one of our own. Ernst Granly, a former International Director for Sons of Norway and good friend to the Headquarters staff passed away on December 15, surrounded by his loving family. Ernst, who turned 71 earlier this year, was a man of joy and many words. His laugh was unmistakable as [...]
2015 Marks 150 Years Since Cleng Peerson’s Death
Cleng Peerson Commemoration This year has been an important one for fans of Cleng Peerson, as 2015 marks the 150th Anniversary of his death on the Clifton, TX, farm where he spent the last 10 years of his life. To help mark the occasion, Thomas Mannes, a Sons of Norway member of the lodge in Haugesund, Norway has been restoring the farm. Also and he has retained the services [...]
Norway’s Coffee Culture
Did you know that Scandinavians are among the world’s top coffee drinkers? Their love of coffee is more than just about an energy boost. It’s a cultural custom that has been bringing people together for centuries. Viking magazine’s November cover feature explores coffee in Norway—from the Nordic approach to brewing and top coffee shops. Plus, it’s no surprise that Norway is home to some of the world’s best, most [...]
More With Alan Lucien Øyen
In the November issue of Viking magazine, we highlight multi-talented writer, director, choreographer and performer Alan Lucien Øyen. The award-winner runs a company called Winter Guests, which works with skilled performers to create theatrical works in English for the international stage. From Nov. 28 to Dec. 8, catch his new play, “Jingle Horse—A Christmas Special” at the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, where he’s the Artist in Residence. Read [...]
Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast Raises Nearly $15,000 for Charity
This morning close to 900 members of the Twin Cities’ Nordic American community gathered in celebration of the privileges of freedom, faith, family & friendship at the 2015 Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast. The event, which was held in Bloomington, MN, not only celebrated these privileges, but also served as a fundraiser for two important charities that serve communities in need throughout the state. In fact, attendees at this year’s [...]
Viking Magazine Dominates Competition at Publishing Excellence Awards
Last week marked a major accomplishment for Sons of Norway and Viking magazine. During the 2015 ceremony for the Minnesota Magazine Publishing Excellence Awards Viking magazine was recognized seven times! This is an all-time high for Sons of Norway and was characterized by one publishing professional as “dominating its category.” In addition to awards for design and editorial coverage, Viking was also recognized with a highly coveted Overall Excellence [...]
Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast Welcomes Ambassador
If you haven’t ordered your tickets yet for the Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast, we’ve got some news that might just change your mind. We’re proud to announce that this year’s event is also going to be attended by none other than Norway’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Kåre R. Aas! Even better—Ambassador Aas will also join this year’s speakers and MC on stage and make a few [...]
Classical Master
Born in Belarus and raised in Nesodden, Norway, Alexander Rybak is one of Norway’s top classical musicians. He started playing the violin and piano as a young boy and became a household name after winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009. In addition to being a musician and actor, Rybak is now an author. This fall the 29-year-old released a fairytale children’s book, “Trolle and the Magic Fiddle,” (Trolle [...]
And now an opportunity to support the Nordic-American community
Next week there will be a big announcement related to the 2015 Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast, but until then we wanted to let everyone know about a great opportunity to support the event. For over three decades the mission of the Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast has been to bring the Nordic community together to offer thanks for the privileges of freedom, faith, family and friends. Now, even if you [...]
The Holiday Season is Right Around the Corner!
The holiday season is right around the corner! To help get you in the spirit, Sons of Norway has partnered with the renowned choral ensemble VocalEssence on the production of a new Christmas album, Nordic Nativity. The album, which is available for download from iTunes and Amazon contains 18 tracks of beautifully traditional holiday music from Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark. Bringing together a mixture of newly recorded material and live recordings from previous VocalEssence holiday [...]
More With Ambassador Kåre R. Aas
Norway’s Ambassador to the United States Kåre R. Aas connects with U.S. students through the Royal Norwegian Embassy’s Virtual Ambassador Program. The program invites students in the United States to chat live via Skype with Ambassador Aas on topics such as The Arctic, girls’ education, NATO and peace and reconciliation. “When I came to the Embassy in 2013, one of my priorities was to strengthen what the Embassy was [...]
Espen Fadnes: Thrill Seeker
Espen Fadnes travels the world chasing adrenaline-filled experiences. The multisport extreme athlete hails from Molde, Norway, where he spent his childhood skiing, climbing and swimming. Today, he’s a professional freeride skier, base jumper and wingsuit flyer. When he’s not flying through the air, Fadnes is a motivational speaker tackling subjects such as risk management and conquering fear. Learn more about Fadnes in the October 2015 issue of Viking magazine and [...]
31st Annual Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast
The Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast returns for its 31st year on November 24th. This annual event, which is held at the Doubletree by Hilton in Bloomington, brings together people of Nordic heritage in a celebration of thankfulness for the privileges of freedom, faith, family and friends. This year’s breakfast includes three extraordinary speakers from the community who will discuss their experiences and personal feelings on each of these topics. [...]
Nordic Restaurants in North America
You don’t have to live in Norway to indulge in Nordic cuisine. In Viking magazine's September 2015 issue, we highlight wonderful Scandinavian restaurants in North America, from The Bachelor Farmer in Minneapolis to Karelia Kitchen in Toronto. Thank you to the members who wrote in to let us know about some of your favorite Scandinavian restaurants. Send your ideas and recommendations to Viking’s editor at [email protected]. Here are four [...]
Chef Trine Hahnemann
As we celebrate Scandinavian food and chefs in Viking’s September issue, we are thrilled to include Trine Hahnemann. Early in her culinary career, she ran a catering company that served rock stars, such as Elton John and the Rolling Stones. Today, the chef and cookbook author runs her own company, Hahnemann’s Kitchen, and teaches cooking classes. Hahnemann is probably best known for her book, “Scandinavian Baking.” Check out her [...]