Palatine festival celebrates Norwegian heritage

A demonstration of traditional Norwegian dance helped kick off the Sons of Norway Skjold Lodge’s 32nd annual Norwegian Heritage Festival Saturday at All Saints Lutheran Church in Palatine.

Wearing traditional Norwegian clothing, dancers performed several folk dances for audience members.

Bruce Carlson of Wheeling said most members of the group, including himself, have been dancing for 50 years, and the group itself has been in existence for nearly twice that long.

“In March of next year we will have our 100th anniversary as a group,” Carlson said. “Think about the Norwegian immigrants who came in, and they still wanted to practice their culture.”

“We still love dancing,’ Carlson said.

A craft sales table included dozens of Santa-like Nisse items, which can be described as the “Elf-on-the-Shelf” of Norway. A Krumkake baking demonstration (a Norwegian waffle-cookie) rosemaling painting, displays related to Viking ships and knife-making, and food items also were part of the festival.