With more of the country beginning to open up and summer breaks on the horizon, virtual events seem to be slowing down a bit. However, there are still plenty of opportunities to cook, read, watch, make, learn, and discuss virtually with others from around the country. What interests you?

Beginning in June and continuing through the summer is a special collaboration between Scandinavia House in New York, NY, and the streaming service Topic to bring you a taste of classic Nordic Noir. Topic’s Summer of Suspense series will introduce viewers to three Danish series: Follow the Money in June, The Bridge in June/July, and The Killing in August. Viewers will get a sneak peek at the first two episodes of each season before they are released on Topic. Ticket sales will go to support Scandinavia House. All guests registered for the screenings will receive a promo code for 50% off their first 3 months to Topic.

Virtual Nordic Table Demo: Mini Swedish Celebration Cakes with Erin Swenson-Klatt (Thursday, June 3, 1:00-2:00 p.m. CT)

Get ready for summer celebrations with sweet, Swedish-inspired cakes! Taking inspiration from the traditional princesstårta (a marzipan covered cake popular for both birthdays and Sweden’s National Day on June 6) and the classic Midsommar jordgubstårta (a strawberry and cream confection), Erin will walk students through preparing a simple cake base at home and then assembling and decorating the cakes to be ready to share. These simplified mini cakes are especially perfect for small gatherings or to drop off with friends and family. You’ll leave inspired to bake up some sweet new treats! This class is designed as a demonstration, so students can watch the entire process and ask questions before tackling the dishes at home at a later date.

Summer of Suspense: Follow the Money, Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2 (Thursday, June 3 – Sunday, June 6)

In the first series of Summer of Suspense, viewers are introduced to the Danish series Follow the Money (Bedrag) which looks into the dark side of an industry where clean energy is a dirty business. Episodes 1 & 2 of Season 1 will be available June 3-6, followed by Season 2’s episodes 1 & 2 June 10-13, and then Season 3’s episodes 1 & 2 June 17-20. As part of the Summer of Suspense premiere screenings, Scandinavia House will host a Nordic Film Club discussion group online. Viewers can gather after watching each series to chat about what they’ve watched. On Wednesday, June 30, 6:00 p.m. PT, they’ll be discussing Follow the Money (details).

Cooking with Undset (Friday, June 4, 6:00 p.m. ET)

Join Paris Review’s Eat Your Words writer Valerie Stivers and wine expert Hank Zonai for virtual Undset-themed drinks on The Paris Review’s Instagram account. They will discuss food and drink in Undset’s work. Special guest Raphael Lyon from Enlightenment Wines will join them. This is a free virtual event.

Baking for a Scandinavian Midsummer with Kristi Bissell (Saturday, June 5, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PT)

Join Kristi Bissell of True North Kitchen as she teaches participants how to bake some favorite recipes for a Scandinavian midsummer get together. This class will feature Strawberry Cream Cake (Jordgubbstårta), Raspberry Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies (Hallongrottor), and Swedish Oat Crackers (Svenska havrekakar). The class is live, interactive, and hands-on. You will receive the recipes, ingredients lists, and equipment lists in advance.

Virtual Kids’ Craft: Make Your Own Ski Jumper (Saturday, June 5, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. PST)

This craft is offered in connection with National Nordic Museum’s temporary exhibition Sublime Sights: Ski Jumping and Nordic America. How far can a ski jumper jump? Kids will make their own ski jumper at home with this crafty experiment. Participation is free, but you must RSVP to receive the link.

Online Nordic Book Club: On Time and Water (Tuesday, June 8, 6:00 p.m. ET)

The Nordic Book Club at Scandinavia House in New York, NY, selects novels from some of the best Nordic literary voices. On June 8, they’ll be discussing the new book On Time and Water by Icelandic author Andri Snær Magnason, who joined Scandinavia House for a panel on “Capturing Sustainability in the Arctic” on March 24. “Based on interviews and advice from leading glacial, ocean, climate, and geographical scientists, and interwoven with personal, historical, and mythological stories, On Time and Water is a rich and compelling work of narrative nonfiction that illustrates the reality of climate change—and offers hope in the face of an uncertain future.”

Jewelry Making Workshop – Viking Knit Bracelet (Wednesday, June 9, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. PT)

Join Debra Carus from Elentari Handverk for a jewelry making workshop. Using silver and copper wire, pliers and wooden dowels, create one of the most ancient and lovely chains dating back to Viking times. Essential skills learned include: weaving fine wire around a wooden dowel (similar to looping), drawing down the wire to compress it into a bracelet form, finishing with simple wire wrapping techniques and adding a pre-made clasp.  Materials will be mailed to you in advance of the class. No experience necessary.

Stranger’s Guide: Scandinavia – Virtual Panel (Friday, June 11, 1:00 p.m. PT)

Join Scandinavia House for a roundtable discussion on the Stranger’s Guide Scandinavian edition. The Stranger’s Guide book series is an award-winning publication that focuses on improving global citizenship by providing excellent and unexpected storytelling from around the world. To celebrate the release of their Scandinavian issue, distinguished guests will talk about the changing face of the region from an environmental, societal, and cultural perspective. Editor Kira Brunner Don will also give an overview of the Scandinavian issue and the planning and thought process behind it.

Nordic Spirit Classics: Second Friday Series (Friday, June 11, 7:30 p.m. PT)

The Scandinavian American Cultural & Historical Foundation in Thousand Oaks, CA, is hosting a monthly series of Nordic Spirit Classics, a virtual program of selected presentations from 21 years of Nordic Spirit Symposia. This month they will present Gudridur, a dramatic performance from the Vinland Sagas of Gudridur, “the far traveler,” portrayed by Icelandic actress Thorunn Claussen. Participation is free, but you must register to receive the link.

Tastemakers: Effecting Change in Farming, Food Processing, and Packaging (Saturday, June 12, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. PST)

The National Nordic Museum is hosting Nordic Talks, a series sponsored by the Nordic Council of Ministers focused on the theme of food security and sustainability. In this second talk, the panel will investigate how companies in the Nordic countries and the United States demonstrate their commitment to sustainable strategies to maximize growth and minimize waste. The talk is free, but you must RSVP to receive the link.

Virtual Nordic Table Demo: Midsommar Smörgåstårta with Patrice Johnson (Wednesday, June 16, 6:30-8:00 p.m. CT)

Celebrate Midsommar this year with a fantastic smörgåstårta, Sweden’s very own “sandwich-cake!” A festive option that can be scaled up or down for parties large or small, the smörgåstårta is a savory centerpiece composed of classic sandwich ingredients, but beautifully “iced” (with whipped cream cheese) and decorated with vegetables, herbs, and meat or fish. It is a true retro classic from Sweden, and a great and filling main course at any party – including a Swedish-style Midsommar buffet. In this 90-minute demo, Patrice will walk through the process of building and serving a summery smörgåstårta inspired by classic Midsommar flavors, with a discussion of fun variations and the many options for decorations.

Vesterheim Bokprat (Book Group): An Enemy of the People (Wednesday, June 16, 7:00-8:15 p.m. CT)

Dr. Maren Johnson, Luther College’s Associate Professor of Nordic Studies and Torgerson Center for Nordic Studies Director, facilitates a monthly bokprat discussing Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. Join in June for a conversation about the play An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen, a later part of Ibsen’s collection of work that explores the tensions of economics and ethics, loyalty to family and profit. Enrollment Deadline: June 14.

Virtual Scandinavian Fest: Midsummer Market (Friday & Saturday, June 18 &19)

Scandinavian Fest brings Nordic shops and businesses together from around the globe in one online location during the absence of in-person festivals. The event will include 55+ Nordic vendors, giveaways, new products and more. To participate, visit the event’s Facebook page and mark that you are “Interested” or “Going” and keep an eye on the “Discussion” tab as soon as the event starts to join in the action. For a master list of businesses and discounts, visit the festival’s website  and click on “Shop by Category”.

Scandinavian Midsummer Dinner with Kristi Bissell (Saturday, June 19, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PT)

Join Kristi Bissell of True North Kitchen as she teaches participants how to make a gorgeous midsummer meal. The class will prepare Swedish 75 Cocktail, Mushroom Almond Spread, Scandinavian Roasted Salmon with Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce, Herbed New Potato Salad with Pickled Golden Beets and Capers, Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers. The class is live, interactive, and hands-on. You will receive the recipes, ingredients lists, and equipment lists in advance.

National Nordic Museum’s Virtual Northern Lights Auktion (June 19–26)

Join National Nordic Museum for the 2021 Virtual Northern Lights Auktion as they toast their incredible supporters and community. Vacation stays and trip packages, luxury goods, Nordic antiques, inspired gift baskets—you’ll be able to bid on them all online June 19–26. Then tune in on the evening of June 26 at 6:30 p.m. for a special live-streamed Auktion with special guests, toasts, and live auction lots. RSVP to the live virtual event here.

Virtual Teen Class: Nordic Landscapes Painting with Pratt Fine Arts Center (Monday, June 21 – Friday, June 25, 1:30-4:30 p.m. PST)

The National Nordic Museum has partnered with Pratt Fine Arts Center to create a virtual landscape painting class and exhibition program for summer 2021. Students enrolled in this summer camp with Pratt Fine Arts will get a virtual tour from the curator of the Museum’s temporary exhibition, Among Forests & Lakes: Landscape Masterpieces from the Finnish National Gallery. During the week-long program, students will then create a landscape masterpiece of their own in response. Afterward, paintings will be displayed in a virtual exhibition on the Museum’s website. This program is specifically for teenagers aged 13–18.

Norway House’s Midtsommer Gala: Not-So-Late Show and Silent Auction (Tuesday, June 22, 7:00-8:00 p.m. CT)

The Midtsommer Gala is Norway House’s annual celebration, dinner, awards, and fundraising event, a centerpiece of their community celebrations for almost 15 years. This year Norway House’s signature event has been transformed into a late-night talk show for 2021—a festive online show jam-packed with Norway House highlights, interviews, musical guests, and more. The silent auction, to be announced by email as the Gala date nears, is a varied assemblage of Nordic treasures, vacations, getaways, and gifts. For more information and to register for this free online event, visit the event page.

Summer of Suspense: The Bridge, Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2 (Thursday, June 24 – Sunday, June 27)

In the second series of Summer of Suspense, viewers are introduced to the Danish series The Bridge (Broen) which follows Detective Saga Norén as she and her colleagues investigate a series of crimes committed around the bridge connecting Sweden and Denmark. Season 1 (episodes 1 & 2) will be available June 24-27, Season 2 (episodes 1 & 2) will continue from July 8-11, followed by Season 3 (episodes 1 & 2) from July 15-18, and Season 4 (episodes 1 & 2) from July 22-25.

Summer 2021 Virtual Folk School Series: Rosemaling with Lise Lorentzen (Sunday, June 27, 10:00-10:30 a.m. PST)

Welcome to Rosemaling with Lise Lorentzen. What is rosemaling, you may ask? Rosemaling is the beautiful, Norwegian decorative folk art painting style that thrived in Norway from the late 1600s through the late 1800s. In this presentation, Lise will demonstrate the lyrical stroke work of rosemaling and discuss some of the history and fine points of this artform. Lise truly believes that for rosemaling and other art forms to survive they must be shared as much as possible. This class is a part of National Nordic Museum’s summer-long series of mini classes highlighting traditional Nordic craft. You do not need materials or supplies for these classes.

Vesterheim “TVprat” – Atlantic Crossing (Monday, June 28, 7:00-8:15 p.m. CT)

With a twist on Vesterheim’s monthly bokprat discussions of Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life, join Dr. Maren Johnson, Luther College’s Associate Professor of Nordic Studies and Torgerson Center for Nordic Studies Director, for a “TVprat” discussion of the popular series Atlantic Crossing. Inspired by a true story of a friendship forged in wartime, Atlantic Crossing explores politics and ambition as Norway’s Crown Princess Martha flees to America for safety when her country is invaded by the Nazis, and is taken under the wing of the U.S. president, Franklin Roosevelt. Registrants should have viewed all eight episodes of Atlantic Crossing discussion before the meeting. Enrollment deadline: June 24.

Which June events or experiences look interesting to you?

Be sure to visit previous months’ listings of virtual Nordic events. Many of the events are now available to view as saved recordings.

It was a year ago this month that virtual events started making an impression on me. Norway’s national day was coming up on May 17 with nowhere to celebrate. However, I soon discovered virtual events were being hosted by various organizations which allowed me to celebrate in a new way. I published my How to Celebrate Norway’s Constitution Day, May 17, during Coronavirus Times with a list of virtual events and activity ideas. My favorite event was Norway’s own day-long virtual celebration where they shared footage of traditions and Norwegians all over Norway celebrating interspersed with food, music, and interview segments.

Little did I know there would be virtual events for the 17th of May in 2021 as well, though maybe not as many since this year there is some reopening and 17th of May falls on a Monday instead of a Sunday. Scroll down for a listing of current virtual Syttende mai events. More will added as I learn of them. Once again, Norway’s national television station will be broadcasting a day-long program of festivities from all over Norway. On Monday, May 17, starting at 7:50 a.m. Central European Time, you can watch along. In the meantime, watch highlights from last year’s broadcast here.

In case you missed the news, Denmark’s Another Round directed by Thomas Vinterberg won the Oscar for Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards on Sunday, April 26. It’s a comedy about four high school teachers who consume alcohol on a daily basis to see how it affects their social and professional lives. Interestingly, English language remake rights have been sold and the remake may star Leonardo DiCaprio. If you haven’t seen it, you can rent, buy, or stream through Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Hulu, and other services.

What events interest you?

New Nordic Cinema Week 10: Diana’s Wedding (Norway) (Friday, April 30 – Thursday, May 6)

The tenth session of the New Nordic Cinema series features the film Diana’s Wedding (Norway, 2020; dir. Charlotte Blom). On July 29, 1981, Lady Diana Spencer is marrying Prince Charles in the majestic St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. And on that same day, another celebration is taking place in the canteen of a Norwegian small-town factory: the wedding party of Liv and Terje, attended by their newborn daughter Diana. While less glamorous than those of the royal counterpart, the wedding and its following years are indisputably more fun — for all but the young Diana, who sees it as a rollercoaster filled with chaos, inflicted by the worst parents in the world.

The Fairytale World of Elsa Beskow (Premieres Saturday, May 1, 11:00 a.m. ET)

On Walpurgis Day on May 1, join Scandinavia House in New York, NY,  to welcome in the spring with a special celebration of the iconic Swedish author Elsa Beskow! Special guest Ingrid Kullberg-Bendz (Scandinavian American Theater Company) will introduce Beskow’s world of beautiful illustrations and children’s literature, which Swedish children have grown up with for over 100 years, and have since made the author known internationally as the “Beatrix Potter” of Sweden. Ingrid Kullberg-Bendz will introduce her work with examples of illustrations, followed by a virtual art workshop based on Beskow’s literature. The video will premiere at 11:00 a.m. ET on May 1 and be available through Saturday, May 8.

Virtual Book Talk: Meet the Author w/Patrik Svensson (Sunday, May 2, 10:00-11:00 a.m. PST)

Join National Nordic Museum in Seattle, WA, on May 2 for a virtual book talk with Swedish author Patrik Svensson to discuss his book The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World. “Drawing on a breadth of research about eels in literature, history, and modern marine biology, as well as his own experience fishing for eels with his father, Patrik Svensson crafts a mesmerizing portrait of an unusual, utterly misunderstood, and completely captivating animal.” Dr. Elizabeth DeNoma moderates the talk and the session includes an opportunity to ask questions.

Thursday Night Soup: Fish Chowder with Patrice Johnson (Thursday, May 6, 5:30-6:30 p.m. CT)

Join celebrated Nordic cookbook author and food historian Patrice Johnson (AKA the Nordic Food Geek) to make a traditional Nordic-style fish chowder. Fish is an important part of many food traditions around the world and particularly in Scandinavia with its abundance of lakes, rivers, and seacoast. To accompany the course, we will make a loaf of simple rye bread. Patrice will also discuss the differences in fish soup across the region. This Vesterheim cooking class is designed as a small-group cook-along and Vesterheim invites exchange between the instructor and students in order to build community around food traditions. Enrollment Deadline: April 29.

New Nordic Cinema Week 11: Run Uje Run (Sweden) (Friday, May 7 – Thursday, May 13)

The 11th session of the New Nordic Cinema series features the film Run Uje Run (Sweden, 2020; dir. Henrik Schyffert). The autobiographical story of Uje Brandelius, a family father, radio host and keyboard player in his pop band Doktor Kosmos, Run Uje Run stars Uje and his family in their initially harmonious and ordinary suburban life outside Stockholm: where family dinners, homework, negotiation on drop-offs to the kindergarten, and his daughter’s chess and fencing training are their main concerns. But Uje finds himself faced with a life-changing crisis upon learning that he has Parkinson’s disease — which he at first keeps as a secret, while also reflecting on many of the the big questions in life.

Virtual Nordic Table Workshop: Bake Your Own Kardemummabullar with Erin Swenson-Klatt (Friday, May 7, 10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. CT)

This class is sold out, but you may be added to the waitlist. New to baking and want to make a batch of cardamom buns start-to-finish with a (virtual) helper right in your kitchen? Join Erin for this three-part class (10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., 1-2 p.m. & 3-4 p.m. with breaks for the dough to rise) to make these Swedish classics at home. This is a participatory class and spots are intentionally limited to allow interaction between students and the instructor.

Growing Up in Iceland (Friday, May 7, 7:30-8:30 p.m.)

Join Nordic Northwest virtually and listen to Dr. Líney Árnadóttir share about her lived experience growing up in Iceland. Dr. Líney Árnadóttir is an Associate Professor in Chemical Engineering at Oregon State University. Líney was born in the late seventies and grew up in Reykjavik. Like many children her age she spent summers on a farm in the south of Iceland with her grandparents. Líney got her B.S. in chemistry from the University of Iceland after which Líney moved to Seattle for graduate school and has lived in the Pacifc Northwest since. Líney visits Iceland often to see family, hike and go horseback riding with her father. This is offered as both an online streaming event and in-person program.

Tradition for Inspiration – A Contemporary Interpretation of Traditional Folk Art with Artist Siri Bergløff Berrefjord (Saturday, May 8, 12:00-1:00 p.m. CT)

Join Vesterheim and celebrated artist Siri Bergløff Berrefjord, author and mother of the artform bunadsplast, as she and Vesterheim Collections Manager Jennifer Kovarik discuss her journey of examining and questioning the traditions of Norwegian jewelry and textiles and reimagining them for the modern world. Norwegian cultural heritage has been defined by centuries of tradition and is made visible in the crafting and wearing of bunader and søljer. Today, there is growing interest in applying modern materials and techniques to traditional artforms, combining both the past and the present into new and innovative jewelry and clothing. Enrollment deadline: May 6. Program is free but you must register.

Virtual Nordic Table Demo: How to Make Kardemummabullar with Erin Swenson-Klatt (Saturday, May 8, 1:00-2:30 p.m. CT)

Swedish cinnamon rolls get a lot of press, but even more unique are their cousin – the kardemummabulle, or cardamom roll. These sweet yeasted rolls are flavored exclusively with Sweden’s favorite spice, with the cardamom acting as the main event in the dough, the filling and the glittery sugar topping! This class is designed as a demonstration, so students can watch the entire process and ask questions before tackling the dishes at home at a later date. The recipe packet will be available for download one week in advance and a recording will be shared after class, offering the ability to re-watch as needed.

Virtual Lecture: Among Forests and Lakes Curators’ Talk (Saturday, May 8, 2:00-3:00 p.m. PST)

Join Anu Utriainen, Senior Researcher, and Hanne Selkokari, Curator, from the Ateneum Art Museum, the Finnish National Gallery in Helsinki, for an in-depth look at National Nordic Museum’s new exhibit, Among Forests and Lakes: Landscape Masterpieces from the Finnish National Gallery. Selected scenes cover more than 150 years and 800 miles, with artworks capturing the splendor and grandeur of Finland from the coast and archipelago in the south to Sápmi and the Arctic Ocean in the north.

Online Nordic Book Club: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (Tuesday, May 11, 6:00 p.m. ET)

The Nordic Book Club at Scandinavia House in New York, NY, selects novels from some of the best Nordic literary voices. On May 11, they’ll be discussing Fredrik Backman’s new book Anxious People.

Sámi-Inspired Sparkle Hoop Earrings (Wednesday, May 12, 6:30-8:00 p.m. CT)

Join Vesterheim and Liz Bucheit to explore a new “twist” on a traditional craft! Using pewter wire thread and a macramé style weave, students will create a pair of hoop earrings with a silver drop and sterling silver French hook ear wires. Finished hoops are approximately 1 inch in diameter and display a soft shimmery sparkle in sunlight and candle light. No previous experience is necessary, but a willingness to use hand tools is required. Kits come with all supplies needed (an $80 value!) with the exception of pliers. This class is also offered on Friday, May 14.

Travel Seminar – Spectacular Mountains, Waterfalls, and Fjords of Norway (Wednesday, May 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m. CT)

Join Magne Hatlevik of Mindekirken Norwegian Language & Culture Program in Minneapolis, MN, for a tour across beautiful landscape as you visit some of Norway’s most important national symbols featured in Eidvoll, Hamar, Lillehammer, Åndalsnes, and Trollstigen. We will also travel through Western Norway’s rugged terrain winding our way from Sunnmøre all the way back to Oslo.

Virtual Poetry Reading and Discussion: Outgoing Vessel and Sense Violence (Thursday, May 13, 2:00 p.m. ET)

On May 13, see a virtual poetry reading and discussion with Nordic poets and translators Helena Boberg, Johannes Göransson, Katrine Øgaard Jensen, and Ursula Andkjær Olsen, moderated by Paul Cunningham (The House of the Tree of Sores). Helena Boberg and Johannes Göransson will present readings of works from Boberg’s new book Sense Violence, now out in English translation by Göransson from Black Ocean, and Ursula Andkjær Olsen and Katrine Øgaard Jensen will present readings from Olsen’s new book Outgoing Vessel, now out in English translation by Jensen from Action Books. Following the readings, they will discuss new topics in Nordic poetry and translation.

Rick Steves – Travel to the Nordic Countries (Thursday, May 13, 7:00-8:15 p.m. PT)

Join Nordic Northwest for lively evening with Rick Steves, widely considered America’s most respected authority on travel to Europe. Steves will highlight travel to the Nordic countries with special sites to visit, travel tips and how to have a fun, affordable and culturally broadening experience. We will also learn from Steves how to discover the Nordic countries through the backdoor. This event will include an extensive Q & A period where you can ask Steves your burning questions.

Nordic Spirit Classics’ Second Friday Series: Viking Archaeology in Saga Iceland (Friday, May 14, 7:30 p.m. PT)

The Scandinavian American Cultural & Historical Foundation in Thousand Oaks, CA, is hosting a monthly series of Second Friday Nordic Spirit Classics, a virtual program of selected presentations from 21 years of Nordic Spirit Symposia. This month join them for Viking Archaeology in Saga Iceland, a fascinating illustrated talk by Professor Jesse Byock, UCLA. Participation is free. Register here to receive link.

Norwegian Strawberry Cream Cake for Syttende Mai with Kristi Bissell (Saturday, May 15, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CT)

This class is sold out, but you can join the waitlist. Join Kristi Bissell of True North Kitchen to make a show-stopping Norwegian celebration cake filled with roasted strawberries and pastry cream and topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Perfect for Syttende Mai or any summer occasion! This Vesterheim cooking class is designed as a small-group cook-along and they invite exchange between the instructor and students in order to build community around food traditions.

🇳🇴 17th of May Celebrations 🇳🇴

NRK’s Gratulerer med dagen! (Monday, May 17, 7:50 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Central European Time)

Program hosts Nadia Hasnaoui og Christian Strand will be filming from Akershus festning overlooking the Oslo Harbor. In addition to seeing how Norwegians all over Norway celebrate, you will also get a glimpse of how the royal family celebrates. For details on the program, visit Slik blir 17. mai 2021 på NRK.

Norway Day: A Virtual Celebration from New York City & Washington DC (Monday, May 17, 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 4:00 p.m. ET)

Norway Day is a collaboration between Sjømannskirken in New York and Norwegian groups and organizations in New York and Washington, D.C. At 10:00 a.m. ET, join the Raising of the Flag ceremony with a speech by the Norwegian Ambassador to the US, Anniken Ramberg Krutnes, and music from Rockville Brass Band. This is followed by a church service from the Norwegian Church in New York at 11:00 a.m. ET (service in Norwegian). Finally, at 4:00 p.m. enjoy a 17th of May concert with musicians from both Norway and USA.

Virtual Kids’ Craft: Collage a Norwegian Flag for Syttende Mai (Monday, May 17, 10:00-11:00 a.m. PST)

Join National Nordic Museum in Seattle, WA, and celebrate Syttende Mai with a Norwegian flag art project! Make a Norwegian collage flag. Cost: Free; RSVP required to receive the link.

Syttende Mai with Vesterheim (Monday, May 17, 12:00 p.m. CT)

Join Vesterheim in Decorah, Iowa, for a free webinar as they celebrate Syttende Mai with friends from Norway and the United States! First Norwegian storyteller Anne Elisebeth Skogen will join the webinar from Ryfylkemuseet at Sand, Norway, to tell the story, Schoolgirl and My Very First May 17th Parade in 1962. Anne Elisebeth grew up in the little town of Egersund, Norway, south of Stavanger. With an education in drama and storytelling, Anne Elisebeth runs her own storytelling business, telling stories for schools, organizations, festivals, and companies. Next, Decorah musicians Beth and Jon Rotto (playing fiddle and rhythm guitar, respectively) will offer Norwegian and Norwegian-American tunes from the Bethania Church in Vesterheim’s Heritage Park.

Syttende Mai Celebration with Seattle (Monday, May 17, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. PT)

Join an online gala celebration from Seattle’s historic Ballard neighborhood. It will begin with a pre-program lineup of entertainment and fun from 11:30 a.m. to noon. Then a virtual program from The National Nordic Museum will feature remarks from Grand Marshal Mayor Marte Mjøs Persen from Seattle’s Sister City Bergen; Honorary Marshal Eric Nelson, CEO, National Nordic Museum; and Ambassador Anniken R. Krutnes, Royal Norwegian Embassy; and His Majesty King Harald V of Norway. It will also include memories from past Syttende Mai celebrations and Syttende Mai song sing-alongs.

Syttende Mai Celebration with Minnesota (Monday, May 17, 7:00-8:00 p.m. CT)

Syttende Mai Minnesota will host an online event in honor of Norway’s Constitution Day. Connect with the Norwegian-American community and hear remarks from Her Excellency Ambassador Anniken Krutnes, Norway’s Ambassador to the United States. Afterwards, Ethan Bjelland from Norway House and Mindekirken’s Norwegian Language & Culture Program will lead us in singing a few celebratory songs! This event is complimentary and accessible to everyone. Please register by May 16.

Vesterheim Bokprat (Book Group): The Snowman (Wednesday, May 19, 7:00-8:15 p.m. CT)

Dr. Maren Johnson, Luther College’s Associate Professor of Nordic Studies and Torgerson Center for Nordic Studies Director, facilitates a monthly bokprat discussing Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. Join for a conversation about one of Jo Nesbø’s most famous novels, The Snowman, part of the Harry Hole detective series. Harry investigates the disappearance of a young boy’s mother when he comes to discover that women have disappeared on the day of the first snow for the past several years. Enrollment deadline: May 17.

Vesterheim June Family Book Adventure (Register by May 20)

Join Vesterheim for this family-fun reading and outdoor adventure! A kit delivered right to your home contains supplies for book-reading, a fun craft, a snack, and a scavenger-hunt-type adventure. In the spirit of the Norwegian concept of friluftsliv, the scavenger-hunt-type activity will get you up and moving in the great outdoors. For June, you will follow Norwegian author Håkon Øvreås through his fun and moving book, Brown, the first book in the award-winning My Alter Ego Is a Superhero series from Norway. Enrollment deadline: May 20.

Handcraft at Home with Vesterheim: Try Kroting! (Register by May 20)

Kids and parents, learn a simple technique to personalize anything made out of wood! Kroting is a type of decoration that began long ago on the western coast of Norway. The oldest examples are often geometric, but the tradition later evolved to include tulips and vines. In this at-home experience, you’ll be encouraged to be creative and make pictures and designs that are entirely your own! The price of the class includes a special folk-art class kit designed for two participants to explore kroting. Kit includes all of the specialized folk-art materials needed, some images as inspiration from the Vesterheim Collection, and a treat. Enrollment Deadline: May 20.

Norwegian Language + Genealogy with Michael Knudson (Thursday, May 20, 6:30-7:30 p.m.)

Language is a powerful tool that not only allows us to communicate thoughts and events, but that inherently transmits the context and world within which each letter, document, or record was produced. Michael Knudson, Ph.D. candidate in Scandinavian Studies–Philology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, will walk through the history of Norwegian from the earliest times to the present day and look at ways we as researchers can more fully make sense of the records we read. The session will conclude with an opportunity to ask questions to get guidance on your own genealogy research.

Virtual Folk School Class: Skolt Sámi Mittens with Laura Ricketts (Saturday, May 22, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PST)

Join this two-part class (also May 29) to knit a pair of Skolt Sámi mittens based on a pair held in the The National Museum of Finland. While Skolt Sámi knitting is normally in white or grey base yarn with red and blue accents, this mitten was knitted in grey, red, yellow, and green. The green shows the influence of the neighboring Inari Sámi peoples, who regularly use green in their traditional garments. The yellow most likely indicates the original mitten was used by a woman. Lastly, the original yarn was spindle spun. This class requires students to provide their own materials.

Nordiska Book Club: For the Love of Cod: A Father and Son’s Search for Norwegian Happiness (Thursday, May 27, 6:00 p.m. PST)

Join Nordiska as they discuss For the Love of Cod by Eric Dregni, a comic travelogue that focuses on the intergenerational relationship between Dregni and his son, Eilif, as they explore the concept of Norwegian happiness asking why this Nordic country consistently rates at the top of the World Happiness Report and how it translates into other contexts. Not only is Norway’s Constitution Day the 17th of May, but also Dregni and his son travel to Norway during the month of May in order to experience the festivals and the beginnings of the midnight sun. Therefore, this Nordic travelogue represents a perfect pick for this month’s book club as it should lend itself well to a discussion on contemporary Norway and the Nordic America connection.

Virtual Nordic Talks: Fine Dining for All: How Chefs Fed Communities during COVID-19 (Saturday, May 29, 12:00-3:00 p.m. PST)

The National Nordic Museum in Seattle, WA,  will host a series of Nordic Talks, sponsored by the Nordic Council of Ministers, focused on the theme of food security and sustainability. The first of the Nordic Talks series, this panel will explore how fine dining pivoted during the COVID-19 pandemic, serving households that are food insecure or adopting new business models. COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, curfews, quarantines, and stay-at-home orders exacted a heavy toll on fine dining restaurants. However, creative chefs and resilient restauranteurs responded swiftly with innovative solutions to continue serving the public. Among the panelists are Danish Chef Rasmus Munch from The Alchemist in Copenhagen and Finnish Chef Sasu Laukkonen from Ora Restaurant in Helsinki. Cost: Free; RSVP to receive the link.

Ongoing Events

PBS Masterpiece: Atlantic Crossing (Premiered April 4)

The Norwegian eight-part drama series Atlantic Crossing came to PBS Masterpiece on April 4. A princess steals the heart of the president of the United States in an epic drama based on the World War II relationship of Franklin Roosevelt and Norwegian Crown Princess Martha. Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks, Sex and the City) stars as Roosevelt, opposite Swedish star Sofia Helin (The Bridge) as the beautiful Martha, who flees the Nazis with her three young children and lives under Roosevelt’s protection.

Digital Exhibition: Conversations with a Shipwreck (Through June 5)

On March 4, Scandinavia House Online introduced the interactive digital exhibition Conversations with a Shipwreck, a haunting, multimedia meditation on the Swedish warship Vasa, created in word and image by ASF Fellows Joan Wickersham and Adam Davies. Through presentations of poems and large-format photographs, with short durational video and audio, this digital art and literary exhibition responds to the legendary warship — which sank only minutes into her maiden voyage — exploring themes of memory and oblivion, technological triumph and fiasco, permanence and impermanence, mortality and time.

Which May events or experiences look interesting to you?

Be sure to visit previous months’ listings of virtual Nordic events. Many of the events are now available to view as saved recordings.

Happy Spring! And God påske (Happy Easter) to those celebrating. April offers a new slate of virtual Nordic events to attend. Food including full spring meals, books, film, handcrafts, dance, history, and culture… whatever your interests, there are many options. Mark your calendars now so the opportunities don’t pass you by.

In Norway, Easter is synonymous with crime fiction. It even has its own name, påskekrim (Easter crime). You can read more about this unique Easter tradition here (Life in Norway). Amazon currently has many great Scandinavian crime fiction books on sale for 99 cents as well as other good books in translation. Take a look at my Scandinavian Ebook Deals if you’re interested in adding to your kindle library or need something new to read this Easter weekend.

What events interest you?

Nordic Easter — Virtual Crafts and Celebration (Friday, April 1 – Monday, April 5)

Join the Children’s Center at Scandinavia House in New York, NY, for an Easter-themed workshop exploring unique traditions and children’s crafts from different Nordic regions! Easter in the Nordic countries is all about welcoming the long-awaited spring after the dark and cold winter months, and Nordic families head out to the countryside to enjoy the long weekend together. All Nordic people love their chocolate eggs, but children’s Easter traditions differ in each country.

PBS Masterpiece: Atlantic Crossing (Premiering April 4)

The new Norwegian eight-part drama series Atlantic Crossing is coming to PBS Masterpiece on April 4. A princess steals the heart of the president of the United States in an epic drama based on the World War II relationship of Franklin Roosevelt and Norwegian Crown Princess Martha. Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks, Sex and the City) stars as Roosevelt, opposite Swedish star Sofia Helin (The Bridge) as the beautiful Martha, who flees the Nazis with her three young children and lives under Roosevelt’s protection.

Norwegian Dancing Alone Together (Monday, April 5, 10:30 a.m. or 5:30 p.m. CT)

This is the first of three connected dance classes offered by Carol Sersland and Kari Tauring of Norway House in Minneapolis, MN. It has been a tough year for dancing and they want to give participants of all ages and abilities a chance to move to a tune called Tussen i Buchmannhaugen, or The Land Spirit in Buchmann’s Hill. This tune is a gangar from Telemark, Norway, and played on the hardingfele, or the hardanger fiddle. The second (April 12) and third (April 19) classes build upon the first one.

Skolt Sámi-Inspired Hat with Laura Ricketts (Tuesdays, April 6 & 13, 6:00-7:30 p.m. CT)

The Skolt Sámi people’s homeland is where the modern countries of Norway, Russia, and Finland meet – in the Petsamo (or Pechanga) region. This hat is inspired by several of the Skolt Sámi knitted motifs observed at the Sámi Museum Siida in Inari, Finland; the Ä’vv Skolt Sámi Museum in Neiden, Norway; and the Skolt Sámi Heritage House in Sevettijärvi-Näätämö, Finland. This class includes a kit shipped to your home with three colors of Cascade 220 100% Peruvian Highland Wool, the printed pattern, and a special treat from Vesterheim. This class is two Zoom sessions on April 6 & 13 (6-7:30 p.m. CT).

Breaking Boundaries: A Conversation with Jason “Timbuktu” Diakité and Marcus Samuelsson (Thursday, April 8, 10:00-11:00 a.m. PST)

Hip-hop artist Jason “Timbuktu” Diakité and chef and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson host the podcast “This Moment” that examines current events through the lenses of their respective current countries (Sweden and USA) and their deep roots in both places, with the thoughtfulness of two of the world’s most respected creative artists in their fields. Together, along with their vast network of compelling global guests, they are able to uniquely capture This Moment for us all. Join the four major Swedish-American Museums for a webinar that explores the road towards the creation of the podcast and a look at how the Swedish-American community can find its way forward in this global movement.

New Nordic Cinema Week 8: Aalto (Finland) and Fred Jüssi: The Beauty of Being (Estonia) (Friday, April 9 – Thursday, April 15)

The eighth session of Scandinavia House’s series, New Nordic Cinema, features the film Aalto (dir. Virpi Suutari; 2020, Finland), a documentary and love story of Finnish modern architecture/design masters Alvar and Aino Aalto; and the film Fred Jüssi: The Beauty of Being/Fred Jüssi. Olemise ilu (dir. Jaan Tootsen; 2020, Estonia), a documentary about the Estonian biologist, nature writer, and photographer Fred Jüssi. The films are available as a special double-feature package.

The Sámi People of Norway (Friday, April 9, 7:00 p.m. CT)

Vesterheim is giving an online presentation for the Scandinavian Club of Albuquerque. Former Trustee, Kate Martinson, will speak about the indigenous people of the North and the interesting story of their history and current ways of life. The Sámi people have long lived across Norway and as far as Western Russia. Their unique experiences include aspects of religious transition, stewardship of land and mineral wealth, survival after near devastation during WWII, and the development of a separate Sámi Parliament in Norway. They continue to herd reindeer, protect a unique language, and share their culture and customs. Learning about the Sámi people opens a new aspect of Norway and its history.

Nordic Spirit Classics’ Second Friday Series: The Icelandic Sagas (Friday, April 9, 7:30 p.m. PT)

The Scandinavian American Cultural & Historical Foundation in Thousand Oaks, CA, is hosting a monthly series of Second Friday Nordic Spirit Classics, a virtual program of selected presentations from 21 years of Nordic Spirit Symposia. This month they present a video presentation by Professor Merrill Kaplan about the Icelandic Sagas. Participation is free. Click here to register for the presentation. After you have done so, a screen will appear giving you the link. The link will also be sent to the email with which you register.

Scandinavian Crispbread Baking Workshop (Saturday, April 10, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. PST)

Ever wondered how that extraordinary Scandinavian crispbread is made? Join native Dane Leda Jessen of Scandinavian School in San Francisco for a traditional baking event and get the chance to learn the secrets to how the bread gets its crisp! You will be sent a list of the ingredients needed and a Zoom link at least 48 hours prior to the event.

Virtual Book Talk — My Friend Natalia (Saturday, April 10, 1:00 p.m. ET)

On April 10, join Scandinavia House in New York, NY, for a book talk with Finnish author Laura Lindstedt and translator David Hackston to discuss My Friend Natalia, the author’s U.S. debut, available from Liveright Publishing on March 23, 2021. My Friend Natalia is a linguistic sexual thriller centered on one woman’s potent affliction: Natalia cannot stop thinking about sex. The unnamed, ungendered therapist who narrates the novel has leapt at the chance to employ their most experimental methods.

New Nordic Springtime Supper (Saturday, April 10, 5:00-6:30 p.m. CT)

Join Kristi Bissell of True North Kitchen to make an easy roasted salmon supper with a zesty, fresh relish featuring cucumbers, radishes, scallions, and prepared horseradish. For a second course, you will make a versatile and delicious warm pearl barley salad with mustard, lemon juice, and fresh garden herbs. And then top it off with a simple free-form tart with rye crust and a delicious strawberry rhubarb filling. This Vesterheim cooking class is designed as a small-group cook-along and invites exchanges between the instructor and students in order to build community around food traditions.

Collection Connection: Bridal Crowns and Wedding Traditions (Monday, April 12, 7:00-8:00 p.m. CT)

Collection Connections is a series of Vesterheim-hosted conversations featuring beloved folk-art school instructors. Summer is wedding season in both Norway and America. Whether you are a practicing jewelry artist, an inspired folk artist, or planning a wedding of your own, join master jeweler Liz Bucheit as she highlights bridal crowns and other wedding objects from the Vesterheim collection.

Online Nordic Book Club: Youth & Dependency by Tove Ditlevsen (Tuesday, April 13, 6:00 p.m. ET)

The Nordic Book Club at Scandinavia House in New York, NY, selects novels from some of the best Nordic literary voices. On April 13, they’ll be discussing the books Youth and Dependency by Tove Ditlevsen, volumes 2 and 3 in The Copenhagen Trilogy, which has been recently re-released in translation by Tiina Nunnally and Michael Favala Goldman. This session follows their Online Nordic Book Club of Childhood on March 16. The trilogy was the subject of a recent panel discussion with Michael Favala Goldman, Morten Høi Jensen, Rachel Kushner, and Ben Lerner, available to stream here.

Virtual Nordic Table Demo: Baking Tunnbröd (Flatbread) (Thursday, April 15, 1:00-2:00 p.m. CT)

Swedish flatbreads come in all shapes and sizes: thicker, thinner, harder, softer, grainy or full of spices. In this class, instructor/ASI staff member Erin Swenson-Klatt will demonstrate a few thin, soft flat breads – think of them as the tortillas of Sweden! The recipe packet will be provided via email one day before class with log in information. This class is recorded and shared afterwards with registrants; interested students who cannot tune in live for the weekday class may still register and watch later.

Virtual Cinema — The County (Iceland) (Thursday, April 15 – Sunday, April 18)

See a virtual screening of the film The County / Héraðið directed by Grímur Hákonarson (Iceland, 2019). Set in a small Icelandic farming community, The County tells the story of Inga, a middle-aged dairy farmer, who rebels against the monopolistic practices of the Erpsfjörður, a powerful local farming cooperative. Screenings are co-presented by Scandinavia House with National Nordic Museum and Scandinavian Film Festival of Los Angeles. It is available to audiences throughout the US (92 minutes, in Icelandic with English subtitles).

May Family Norwegian Language Adventure: Norges historie (History of Norway) (Deadline to sign up: April 16)

Join Eddy of Vesterheim this May for some family fun and learn some Norwegian language and history along the way! Through hands-on activities, fun crafts, light-hearted games, and short videos, you and your family will learn and practice your new Norwegian skills. A kit will be delivered right to your home containing supplies for these language activities, a helpful reference sheet for all the new words and expressions you will be learning, a fun Syttende mai themed craft, and a yummy treat. The adventure starts on May 1 and the vocabulary and phrases will focus on Norges historie, Norway’s history, during this special month of Norway’s Constitution Day, Syttende mai (on May 17). Enrollment deadline is April 16.

Virtual Book Talk: Meet the Author w/ Ruth Lillegraven (April 17, 10:00-11:00 a.m. PST)

Join National Nordic Museum in Seattle, WA, on April 17 for a virtual book talk with Norwegian author Ruth Lillegraven to discuss her book Everything Is Mine. The talk is in conversation with Dr. Elizabeth De Noma. Family secrets, revenge, and righteous fury collide in an international bestselling novel of psychological suspense and intrigue.

Nordiska’s Book Club: An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good (Thursday, April 22, 6:00 p.m. PST)

To broaden readers’ Nordic reading repertoire and to engage with fellow bookworms, Nordiska, a Nordic gifts and goods store in Poulsbo, WA, has created Nordiska Book Club. In recognition of Norway’s fascination with mystery and crime during Easter, they have selected a lighthearted Nordic mystery novel, An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good written by Helene Tursten and translated into English by Marlaine Delargy. For more information and to register, click here.

Painting Bryggen with Jana Peterson (Thursdays, April 22 & April 29, 5:30-7:00 p.m. CT)

Jana Peterson joins Norway House in Minneapolis, MN, to offer a two-part online painting class. Participants will learn how to make their own “Bryggen” masterpiece over the course of two 1.5-hour sessions. Jana will take you through the steps to create the pictured work of art. Each session will have an opportunity for questions to be asked and answered live. You’ll need a set of supplies to participate and they have options: purchase one of their Curated Kits with your registration if you sign up by April 8 or use the materials list to compile your own supplies.

Scandinavian Fest: Virtual Spring Market (Friday & Saturday, April 23 & 24)

Scandinavian Fest brings Nordic shops and businesses together from around the globe in one online location during the absence of in-person festivals. The event will include 55+ Nordic vendors, giveaways, new products and more. To participate, visit the event’s Facebook page and mark that you are “Interested” or “Going” and keep an eye on the “Discussion” tab as soon as the event starts to join in the action.

New Nordic Cinema Week 9: Games People Play (Finland) (Friday, April 23 — Thursday, April 29)

The ninth session of the series features the film Games People Play / Seurapeli (Finland, 2020; dir. Jenni Toivoniemi). A comedy about the tragedy of remaining forever young, Games People Play takes place over the course of a nostalgic weekend, when an old group of friends gathers to celebrate Mitzi’s birthday at an idyllic seaside villa — just as they did as teenagers. But the party gets off to a bad start when it turns out that the birthday girl isn’t so happy about the surprise; and with the addition of a new boyfriend in the group, who happens to be a Swedish Hollywood star.

A Modern Syttende Mai: An Intimate Cook-Along Class with Nevada Berg of North Wild Kitchen (Saturday, April 24, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CT)

Join celebrated food writer and author Nevada Berg from North Wild Kitchen in making a traditional 17 May meal with a few modern twists. Whether in Norway or abroad, Norway’s Constitution Day is a celebration full of lively parades and gatherings with elaborate tables of delicious spreads and outdoor grills on the ready. In this class, you’ll make the toppings from Nevada’s cookbook for two of her Nordic-inspired hot dogs – The Summer Dog and The Viking. She’ll show you how to prepare homemade strawberry ketchup and two variations of aioli. For the side, you’ll prepare a spring potato salad bursting with radishes and cucumbers. To round off the meal, you’ll make traditional potato tarts with fresh berries and whipped cream. Enrollment Deadline: April 3, 2021. This class is also offered on Sunday, April 25.

Virtual Nordic Handcraft Workshop: Posament Bracelets with Liz Bucheit (Saturday, April 24, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. CT)

Learn how to make elegant posament bracelets, which have been found in Viking burial sites, by braiding pewter thread and sewing it to a soft leather strip. “Posament” refers to knotting and braiding wire into ornaments used to decorate textiles. Students will practice creating either a “Josephine” or triangular series of braided knots on nylon cord before class, then join jewelry instructor Liz Bucheit over Zoom to construct a length of knots with coiled pewter thread and sew the finished braid to a softened leather strip to fashion a bracelet. A pewter button provides the finishing touch. Kits are included in the class fee.

Vesterheim Bokprat (Book Group): The Almost Nearly Perfect People (Sunday, April 25, 7:00-8:15 p.m. CT)

Dr. Maren Johnson, Luther College’s Associate Professor of Nordic Studies and Torgerson Center for Nordic Studies Director, facilitates a monthly bokprat discussing Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. Join for a conversation about The Almost Nearly Perfect People by author Michael Booth. An American living in Denmark, Booth explores the perception in Western media of the Nordic region as a utopic place. Through his engaging anecdotes of personal experiences and research on the social welfare state, he presents some of the realities – as he sees them – of the Nordic region today. Enrollment deadline: April 23.

Indigenous Activism in the Nordic Countries (Wednesday, April 28, 1:00 p.m. PST)

Join American Scandinavian Foundation for a virtual round-table discussion on Indigenous activism in the Nordic countries, with Sámi artist Sofia Jannok, Inuk anthropologist and Indigenous rights activist Qivioq Nivi Løvstrøm, and Sámi activist Beaska Niillas, moderated by Iñupiaq Inuit wildlife and conservation biologist Victoria Qutuuq Buschman. In their discussion, the panelists will look at what comprises activism in the Nordic countries and the issues being addressed. They will also look at common misconceptions about Indigenous peoples and their rights, how Indigenous activists today are engaging with climate change, and how others can best support activism in the Arctic countries.

Virtual Nordic Table Demo: A Valborg Fest with Patrice Johnson (Wednesday, April 28, 6:30-8:00 p.m. CT)

Get ready to grill for Valborg, Sweden’s holiday to welcome back spring! Whether we can gather with friends outside or not this year, Valborgmässoafton on April 30 has always been an opportunity for Swedes to look ahead to warmer and longer days ahead with a big bonfire and music. Patrice will demonstrate an appropriately spring-y menu that could even inspire a Minnesotan to break out their grill in April, or at least give some great ideas for dinners into May and beyond. This class is designed as a demonstration, so students can see several recipes and prepare them later.

Webinar with Norwegian State Secretary on the COVID-19 Response (Thursday, April 29, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CT)

The Norwegian Consulate will kick off their 2021 speaker series with a virtual presentation by Anne Grethe Erlandsen, State Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Care Services in Norway (equivalent to Deputy Minister of Health). She will speak about Norway’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This free event will be hosted on Zoom.

New Nordic Cinema Week 10: Diana’s Wedding (Norway) (Friday, April 30 – Thursday, May 6)

The tenth session of the series features the film Diana’s Wedding (Norway, 2020; dir. Charlotte Blom). On July 29, 1981, Lady Diana Spencer is marrying Prince Charles in the majestic St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. And on that same day, another celebration is taking place in the canteen of a Norwegian small-town factory: the wedding party of Liv and Terje, attended by their newborn daughter Diana. While less glamorous than those of the royal counterpart, the wedding and its following years are indisputably more fun — for all but the young Diana, who sees it as a rollercoaster filled with chaos, inflicted by the worst parents in the world.

Which April events or experiences look interesting to you?

Be sure to visit previous months’ listings of virtual Nordic events. Many of the events are now available to view as saved recordings.

Welcome to March and a new slate of virtual Nordic events. Mark your calendars now so the opportunities don’t pass you by.

March welcomes another virtual Nordic film event, Nordic Lights Film Festival hosted by National Nordic Museum in Seattle, WA. Films will stream March 7-14. Partnering with National Film Festival for Talented Youth, they will also be presenting a shorts program that includes emerging filmmakers from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Some of the feature films have been geo-blocked by their production companies; those films will only be viewable in Washington State. However, many have no restrictions. For programming and ticket information, visit the festival website. Personally, I’m intrigued by The Birdcatcher’s Son/Fågelfångarens son, a drama from Sweden that takes place in the late 1800’s on the Faroe Islands.

Scandinavia House in New York, NY, continues to celebrate contemporary Nordic filmmaking with its virtual New Nordic Cinema film event. Festival films will be available to ticket holders all over the U.S. Each session is limited to 250 tickets. The sessions will take place over seven days (Friday – Thursday), with all films available for viewing on a virtual cinema screening platform throughout this period.

• Week 3, February 26-March 4: Maria’s Paradise/Marian paratiisi (Finland, 2019; dir. Zaida Bergroth) and The Reformist – A Female Imam/Reformisten (Denmark, 2019; dir. Marie Skovgard)
• Week 4, March 5-11: Uncle/Onkle (Denmark, 2019; dir. Frelle Petersen)
• Week 5, March 12-18: Force of Habit/Tottumiskysymys (Finland, 2019; dir. Kirsikka Saari, Elli Toivoniemi, Anna Paavilainen, Alli Haapasalo, Reetta Aalto, Jenni Toivoniemi, Miia Tervo)
• Week 6, March 19-25: Echo/Bergmál (Iceland, 2019; dir. Rúnar Rúnarsson)
• Week 7, March 26-April 1: Beware of Children/Barn (Norway, 2019; dir. Dag Johan Haugerud)

March is also when many Scandinavian language centers begin their spring semesters of language learning opportunities which are still online and available to a wider audience.

• Vesterheim’s Heritage & Language Classes (Decorah, IA): “Starter Session” and “Continuing Beginning” Norwegian classes begin in April and are filling up already.
• Mindekirken’s Norwegian Language & Culture Program (Minneapolis, MN): Online registration for the spring session, March 27-June 7, is now open. They offer Norwegian language, language & literature, and cultural classes.
• The Scandinavian School & Cultural Center (San Francisco, CA): Beginning in March, they offer beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes in Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish. They also offer private lessons.
• Scandinavian Language Institute (Seattle, WA): They offer language instruction classes to the general public in various levels of Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish.
• American Swedish Institute (Minneapolis, MN): ASI offers both Swedish and Finnish language opportunities. Spring term begins the week of March 29 and classes run for 9 weeks.

What events interest you?

New Nordic Cinema Week 3: Maria’s Paradise and The Reformist (February 26 – March 4)

Celebrate the start of Women’s History Month with this double feature, both directed by women and about strong women: Maria’s Paradise/Marian paratiisi (Finland, 2019; dir. Zaida Bergroth) and The Reformist – A Female Imam/Reformisten (Denmark, 2019; dir. Marie Skovgard). The Reformist is a documentary about Muslim leader Sherin Khankan as she established Europe’s first female-lead mosque. Maria’s Paradise is about a charismatic seer in 1920s Finland.

Nordic Women in Film – Iceland: Borders & Boundaries (Tuesday, March 2, 5:00 p.m. – Thursday, March 4, 5:00 p.m. PST)

In the final week of Nordic Women in Film, watch the Icelandic movie And Breathe Normally (director Ísold Uggadóttir, 2018). “Two women’s lives will intersect while trapped in circumstances unforeseen. Between a struggling Icelandic mother and an asylum seeker from Guinea-Bissau, a delicate bond will form as both strategize to get their lives back on track.” Q&A and panel discussion will take place Wednesday, March 3, 3:00-4:30 p.m. EST exploring the question “How do filmmakers influence physical, geographical, and emotional boundaries?” Registration opens February 15.

Digital Exhibition: Conversations with a Shipwreck (March 4 – June 5)

Beginning Thursday, March 4, Scandinavia House Online is proud to introduce the interactive digital exhibition Conversations with a Shipwreck with a haunting, multimedia meditation on the Swedish warship Vasa, created in word and image by ASF Fellows Joan Wickersham and Adam Davies. Through presentations of poems and large-format photographs, with short durational video and audio, this digital art and literary exhibition responds to the legendary warship — which sank only minutes into her maiden voyage — exploring themes of memory and oblivion, technological triumph and fiasco, permanence and impermanence, mortality and time.

New Nordic Cinema Week 4: Uncle (March 5 – 11)

In the fourth week of Scandinavia House’s New Nordic Cinema, watch Denmark’s Uncle/Onkle (2019, dir. Frelle Petersen), “a beautiful exploration of small-town Danish life that is both stunningly picturesque and quaintly endearing in its navigation of young love and complicated relationships” (view trailer).

New York International Children’s Film Festival: Sisters: The Summer We Found Our Superpowers (March 5 – 14)

Screening at the New York International Children’s Film Festival is the Norwegian live action film Sisters: The Summer We Found Our Superpowers directed by Silje Salomonsen and Arild Østin Ommundsen. Vega, 9, and her wild sister Billie, 5, are going on an overnight outdoor hike in the lush Norwegian woods. The trip is full of exciting climbs, silly jokes, and happy trekking until Dad pulls one acrobatic stunt too many, falling into a cave and injuring his leg badly. Unable to move, he asks Vega and Billie to get help. Anxiously retracing their steps, they know that everything depends on them now, as Vega tries to keep them focused on the goal despite setbacks, surprises, and Billie’s many distractions. They bravely face their fears, discover their superpowers, and find strength in their sisterhood. Recommended for ages 7+. In Norwegian with English subtitles.

Thursday Night Soup: New Nordic Ärtsoppa (Thursday, March 11, 6:00 p.m. CT)

Most Americans probably aren’t familiar with Sweden’s Thursday night soup tradition of ärtsoppa (yellow pea soup). It might be safe to say that many young modern Swedes are not as familiar with ärtsoppa as the generations that came before them, and the national dish has fallen out of fashion in more recent years. While pea soup has been around for many centuries, the ärtsoppa tradition dates back to the time when Catholic rule came to Sweden and meat was forbidden on Fridays, thus a meat-fast began Thursday nights. The soup is said to have been used to assassinate King Erik XIV who consumed a bowl laced with arsenic in the late 1500s. In class, you will learn about the traditional Thursday night soup and prepare a modern ärtsoppa flavored with Thai curry, coconut milk, cilantro lime yogurt, and fried lefse crisps, as well as ärtsoppa’s long-time partner pancake dessert (plättar). Sign up for this small-group event to be able to interact with food historian Patrice Johnson as she cooks.

Second Friday Nordic Spirit Classics: Viking Women: Valkyries and Housewives – Mistresses and Mothers (Friday, March 12, 7:30 p.m. PT)

The Scandinavian American Cultural & Historical Foundation in Thousand Oaks, CA, is beginning a monthly series of Second Friday Nordic Spirit Classics, a virtual program of selected presentations from 21 years of Nordic Spirit Symposia. The topic of the first one is “Viking Women: Valkyries and Housewives – Mistresses and Mothers” by Marit Synnøve Vea of Avaldsnes, Norway. Participation is free. A link for the virtual presentation will be given the day before the event. For access information, please contact nordicspiritclassics@gmail.com.

The Nordic Book Club: Exile by Jacob Ejersbo (Sunday, March 14, 4:00 p.m. PT)

The Scandinavian School and Cultural Center in San Francisco welcomes you to join their Nordic Book Club where they’ll read books by Nordic authors in English. They plan to cover writers from all the Nordic countries. March’s book is Exile by Danish writer Jacob Ejersbo. It’s the first in a trilogy inspired by his own childhood in Tanzania. The event is free of charge, but you must register.

Virtual Intro to Finnish (Sunday, March 14, 12:45 – 2:45 p.m. CT)

Are you curious about the Finnish language, but not yet ready to commit to a multi-date class? Are you looking for a quick and low-pressure way to get excited about a new language? This two-hour introductory workshop is the perfect way to get a feel for Finnish — pick up a bit of grammar and learn how to pronounce some words as part of basic conversation.

Virtual Intro to Swedish (Sunday, March 14, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. CT)

Are you curious about the Swedish language, but not ready yet to commit to a multi-date class? Are you 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. This class is currently sold out, but you can be added to the waitlist.

Seattle Jewish Film Festival: The Crossing (Sunday, March 14, 5:00 p.m. – Wednesday, March 17, 5:00 p.m. PT)

This is the story of adventurous 10-year-old Gerda and her brother Otto, whose parents are in the Norwegian resistance movement during the Second World War. Just before Christmas 1942, their parents are arrested, leaving the siblings on their own, whereupon they discover two Jewish children, Sarah and Daniel, hidden in a secret cupboard in their basement. It is now up to Gerda and Otto to finish what their mother and father started: to help Sarah and Daniel flee from the Nazis, cross the border to neutral Sweden, and reunite with their family. Directed by Johanne Helgeland with screenplay by author Maja Lunde, this is a family drama (rated PG) in Norwegian with English subtitles. Ticket sales end 2 hours before streaming period. There is no grace period after the 72-hour timeframe expires. Available for viewing throughout the United States.

Online Nordic Book Club: Childhood by Tove Ditlevsen (Tuesday, March 16, 6:00 p.m. ET)

The Nordic Book Club at Scandinavia House in New York, NY, selects novels from some of the best Nordic literary voices. At this meeting, they’ll be discussing the book Childhood by Tove Ditlevsen, which has been recently re-released in translation by Tiina Nunnally as part of the The Copenhagen Trilogy. The trilogy was the subject of a recent panel discussion with Michael Favala Goldman, Morten Høi Jensen, Rachel Kushner, and Ben Lerner, available to stream here. This event is free. For more information and to register, visit the event page.

April Family Norwegian Language Adventure: Vår i Norge / Spring in Norway (Deadline to sign up: March 17)

Join Vesterheim in April for some family fun and learn some Norwegian language and culture along the way! The theme for the April adventure Vår i Norge (Spring in Norway). Through hands-on activities, fun crafts, light-hearted games, and short videos, you and your family will learn and practice your new Norwegian skills. A kit will be delivered right to your home containing supplies for these language activities, a helpful reference sheet for all the new words and expressions you will be learning, a fun craft, and a yummy treat. Gather your family to share in the fun as you gain a new understanding of the Norwegian language and Norwegian culture. Enrollment deadline is March 17.

Panel Discussion: Seizing Symbols: Hate Groups’ Co-opting of Culture (Sunday, March 21, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. PST)

Join National Nordic Museum in Seattle, WA, for this panel discussion. Why have far-right extremist groups co-opted symbols of the Nordic countries’ pre-Christian past? What is understood and misunderstood by such groups about the culture referenced? This panel will explore the appropriation of Norse symbols by white supremacists and other types of hate groups in North America and Europe. This event is free, but RSVP is required to receive link.

Collection Connections: Dairy Production & Cooking Utensils (Tuesday, March 23, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. CT)

Join Norwegian food specialist and Vesterheim instructor, Darlene Fossum-Martin, and Vesterheim Collections Manager Jennifer Kovarik as they focus on objects in the collection that tell a story about Norway’s unique food traditions. From wooden dough bowls, to cheese molds, to milk strainers, and beyond!

Collection Connections: Gudbrandsdal Rosemaling from Past to Present (Wednesday, March 24, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. CT)

Join Vesterheim Gold Medalist and rosemaling instructor, Pam Rucinski, and Vesterheim Collections Manager Jennifer Kovarik as they highlight the journey and shifts in the painting style of Gudbrandsdal rosemaling. Pam will share some examples from the collection. She will discuss how travel to Norway has influenced the work of contemporary Gudbrandsdal rosemalers. Pam will trace the impact Jakob Klukstad and other master artists, including woodcarvers, have had on rosemaling for over 300 years.

Travel Seminar – Spectacular Mountains, Waterfalls and Fjords of Norway (Wednesday, March 24, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. CT)

Join Mindekirken’s Magne Hatlevik, a Møre og Romsdal native, for a tour across beautiful landscape as you visit some of Norway’s most important national symbols featured in Eidsvoll, Hamar, Lillehammer, Åndalsnes, and Trollstigen. Travel through Western Norway’s rugged terrain winding your way from Sunnmøre all the way back to Oslo. During a time when Norway’s borders might be closed for all but necessary travel, Magne will bring a piece of Norway to you.

Vesterheim Bokprat (Book Group): The Mercies (Wednesday, March 24, 7:00 – 8:15 p.m. CT)

Dr. Maren Johnson, Luther College’s Associate Professor of Nordic Studies and Torgerson Center for Nordic Studies Director, facilitates a monthly bokprat discussing Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. Join her in March to discuss The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave. “After a storm has killed off all the island’s men, two women in a 1600s Norwegian coastal village struggle to survive against both natural forces and the men who have been sent to rid the community of alleged witchcraft… Inspired by the real events of the Vardø storm and the 1620 witch trials, The Mercies is a feminist story of love, evil, and obsession, set at the edge of civilization.” (Description from Goodreads)

Virtual Nordic Table Workshop: Waffles for Våffeldagen with Erin Swenson-Klatt (Thursday, March 25, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. CT)

Jump right in and make some waffles to celebrate one of Sweden’s well known food holidays, Våffeldagen (Waffle Day). Students can follow along from home to make a light lunch or afternoon fika from Swedish-style waffles. Traditionally thin and heart shaped, these recipes will work with any thinner waffle iron. This is a live “cook along” class taught over Zoom. A shopping list will be shared one week in advance so students can make sure they have the ingredients on hand.

Nordiska Book Club — The Far Traveler: Voyages of a Viking Woman (Thursday, March 25, 6:00 p.m. PT)

To broaden readers’ Nordic reading repertoire and to engage with fellow bookworms, Nordiska, a Nordic gifts and goods store in Poulsbo, WA, has created Nordiska Book Club. In recognition of International Women’s Day in March, they have decided to highlight a lesser-known woman’s narrative from Nordic history. They will be discussing The Far Traveler: Voyages of a Viking Woman by Nancy Marie Brown. Join them in reading and discussing this Viking woman’s story. For more information and to register, click here.

The 45th Annual Kalevala Day Festival – The Healing Power of Singing (Saturday, March 27, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. PST)

The National Nordic Museum together with the Finnish Choral Society invites you to the 45th Annual Kalevala Day Festival—The Healing Power of Singing. The Kalevala Day tradition goes back to 1835, when the national epic of Finland, the Kalevala, was published for the first time by Elias Lönnrot. The Kalevala epic played an important part in developing Finland’s national identity and Finnish language, art, and music. The first Kalevala Day was celebrated on February 28th, in 1885. The Kalevala Day celebration continues to this day in Finland with cultural events. The event will be shown on YouTube Live on the Museum’s website starting at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 27.

Meet the Author: The Copenhagen Trilogy (Sunday, March 28, 10:00 a.m. PST)

Join National Nordic Museum in Seattle, WA, to discuss The Copenhagen Trilogy by Danish author Tove Ditlevsen. In this talk, translator Michael Favala Goldman as well as Professor Marianne Stecher-Hansen will discuss this courageous and honest trilogy from literary icon Tove Ditlevsen—a pioneer in the field of genre-bending confessional writing—which explores themes of family, sex, motherhood, abortion, addiction, and being an artist. The talk will be moderated by Elizabeth DeNoma.

Which March events or experiences look interesting to you?

Be sure to visit previous months’ listings of virtual Nordic events. Many of the events are now available to view as saved recordings.