February brings new opportunities to explore Nordic culture both virtually and in-person.

This month, the indigenous Sámi people from across northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Kola Peninsula of Russia celebrate their National Day. It is always on February 6, the date of the first Sámi congress in 1917 in Trondheim, Norway, when Sámi from Norway and Sweden met to discuss common issues.

Coinciding with the Sámi National Day is the annual Sámi Film Festival which will run February 6-13 with both in-person and online streaming options. This year’s program is curated by acclaimed visual artist Matti Aikio and will combine short films and feature films from different eras. If you are local to the New York City or Seattle areas, you can enjoy the festival at Scandinavia House or Majestic Bay Theatres, respectively. Otherwise virtual screenings will be available nationwide from February 7-13.

This month also brings the annual Nordic Spirit Symposium which will take place February 7-8 in Thousand Oaks. Entitled “Before the Vikings: The Extraordinary Nordic Bronze Age”, the symposium, co-hosted by the Scandinavian American Cultural and Historical Foundation and California Lutheran University, will explore one of the most important and exciting periods in the history of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. Archaeologists from major universities in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland will give illustrated presentations on this extraordinary era in Scandinavian prehistory. For more details and registration information, visit the website.

Save the date for the Scandinavian Heritage Fair in Mission Viejo on Saturday, April 26, hosted by the Daughters of Norway, Turid Jespersen Lodge #44. There will be demonstrations of traditional crafts such as rosemaling, spinning, weaving, wood carvers, and wood burners. Watch the preparation of traditional foods such as aebleskiver, krumkake, lefse, and Norwegian waffles. Enjoy open-faced sandwiches, riskrem, soups, kransekake, and other Scandinavian desserts. The fair will also feature products from Norrdesign T-Shirts, watercolor artist Joan Johnson, and many more Scandinavian vendors. Admission is free. See their flier for details.

---

Virtual Events for February

Online book clubs continue to meet. Visit Nordic Book Club Meetings: February 2025 to see details about book selections and meeting dates this month.

Nordic Table Event: Cozy Winter Snacks with Kristi Bissell (Thursday, 2/6)

Open up those cupboards and freezers and dig out some pantry staples to whip up cozy snacks for cold winter days! Kristi Bissell of True North Kitchen will guide students through the steps for blueberry soup and a snackable spice cake using frozen berries and essential baking ingredients. This class is presented as a demonstration, so students can watch the entire process and ask questions before tackling the dishes later.

Virtual Sámi Film Festival (2/7-13)

The annual Sámi Film Festival celebrates the rich storytelling traditions of the Sámi, the Indigenous people of the northernmost parts of Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. Now in its 7th year, the festival presents a variety of newly released and classic Sámi features, documentaries, and short films, sharing Sámi film with a global audience.

FamilieTid: Folk Stories from North of the Arctic Circle (Saturday, 2/8, Free)

Join celebrated Norwegian Arctic cultural presenter and preserver Stina Fagertun to hear folktales from north of the Arctic Circle. Gather the family together to listen to Stina and be brought to the Arctic Circle with some ancient stories and folktales. The stories will delight the children and whoever else in the family loves a good story.

Intro to Swedish with Jean Hanslin (Saturday, 2/8)

Curious about the Swedish language but not ready yet to commit to a multi-date class? Looking for a quick and low-pressure way to get excited and prepare for an upcoming visit to Sweden? This two-hour introductory workshop is the perfect way to get a feel for Swedish—pick up a bit of grammar and learn how to pronounce some words as part of basic conversation.

Introduction to Norwegian Genealogy (2/12 & 2/14)

This class is for those who are familiar with genealogy basics, but haven’t dug into Norwegian genealogical research yet. The class will focus on Norwegian naming traditions, history and geography along with strategies for reading old handwriting and finding where in Norway your ancestor may have originated. This class also includes a copy of our “Research Guide for Norwegian Genealogy: For Beginning and Experienced Genealogists.” This class is two days with different material presented each day.

Intro to Northern Sámi with Áila O’Loughlin (Sunday, 2/16)

Are you curious about the Sámi language and culture? Are you looking for a quick and low-pressure way to get excited and prepare for an upcoming visit to the north of Finland, Sweden, or Norway? This two-hour introductory workshop taught by Áila O’Loughlin is the perfect way to learn some history of the nine living dialects of Sápmi, get a feel for North Sámi, pick up a bit of grammar and learn how to pronounce some words as part of basic greetings. Families welcome!

Swedish-American Newspapers: An Intriguing and Increasingly Accessible Source for Genealogists (Monday, 2/17)

Join the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center’s Genealogy Club for a discussion about Swedish-American newspapers with Jonas Björk, Visiting Professor of Scandinavian Studies at Augustana College.

Cultural Connections: Stranded Colorwork in Knitted UK Gloves (Sunday, 2/23, Free)

Join Vesterheim for their series of cross-cultural webinars exploring stranded colorwork in knitting from multiple cultural perspectives. Cultural Connections: Stranded Colorwork in Knitted UK Gloves is the second in the series and is led by Dr. Angharad Thomas, an author, researcher, and knitter from the UK. The cross-cultural series webinars will foster perspective about the way Norwegian and Scandinavian handcrafts are part of a global community.

Meet the Author with Elin Anna Labba, “The Rocks Will Echo Our Sorrow” (Tuesday, 2/25)

Sámi author and journalist Elin Anna Labba will discuss her latest publication The Rocks will Echo Our Sorrow: The Forced Displacement of the Northern Sámi (2024). The book tells the deep and personal story—told through history, poetry, and images—of the forced displacement of the Sámi people from their homeland in northern Norway and Sweden and its reverberations today. This conversation will be led by Mathilde Magga, PhD Candidate at the University of Washington.

ASI Nordic Handcraft Event: Sølje Spoon Earrings (Thursday, 2/27)

Spend an evening exploring Scandinavian silver work by creating your silver and gold-washed earrings! Ever wonder why sølje pins have those shiny dangles with silver disc drops? These discs are called “spoons” or “shells” in Norwegian. Historically, silver has long been seen as a protective element against evil and abduction by the hulder folk (hidden folk) in Scandinavian folklore. Legend has it that should you run into the devil wearing your sparkling sølje, he would see his reflection and run away! Don’t run away from a chance to create your earrings in this short class designed to introduce you to the beauty of Scandinavian silver work. Students will assemble up to two pairs of earrings using multiple disc elements suspended from sterling silver French hook ear wires.

---

Which events or experiences look interesting to you?