Celebrating 200 years of Norwegian immigration to America on Oct. 3-5
Celebrating 200 years of Norwegian immigration to America, hundreds of Chicago area residents are expected to gather for a Nordic culture weekend Friday through Sunday, Oct. 3-5.
Events will take place in and around the Viking Museum and Norway Community Center in Norway, Ill., an unincorporated community in Sheridan in LaSalle County. Features include Norwegian-style food, music, craft demonstrations and educational displays.
Activities commemorate the 1825 voyage of the sloop Restauration that brought 52 Norwegian quakers from Stavanger, Norway. Launched July 4, 2025, a replica Restauration is preparing to land in New York to coincide with the arrival of Norwegian immigrants 200 years earlier. The modern Restauration is sailing through the Bahamas, Wilmington, N.C. and Atlantic City, N.J, before reaching the Statue of Liberty on Oct. 9.
Celebration co-sponsors are Sons of Norway Polar Star Lodge 5-472, Montgomery; SON Cleng Peerson Lodge 5-525, Ottawa; Norsk Museum, Norway, Ill. and Slooper Society of America.
Yorkville resident Barb Johnson, Polar Star Lodge culture director, said activities begin Friday, Oct. 3, at 1:30 p.m. in the main room at Norway Community Center, 3667 E. 2603d Road in Sheridan.
SON Lodge 5-472 president Ken Johnson of Yorkville will give opening remarks. The schedule continues with:
• 1:45 p.m. — Norwegian American Women and their influence on Illinois Communities
• 3 p.m. — Looking at Norway culture
4:15 p.m. — The Ship Called Viking
Community center back room:
• 1:45 p.m. — Rosemaling demonstration
• 3 p.m. — Needle felting, handcraft demonstrations, waffle tasting
Norway United Methodist Church, 2642 N. 3650th Rd., Sheridan:
• 2 p.m. — Stamping Christmas cards
• 6 p.m. — Boiled codfish dinner
• 7 p.m. — Game night and movie
Saturday, Oct. 4, at Community Center main room:
• 9 a.m.--“Orkenen Sur” documentary movie
• 10:15 a.m. — Rosemaling history
• 11 a.m. — Reindeer in Illinois
Community Center back room
• 10:15 a.m. — Needle felting, waffle tasting
• 11 a.m. — Rosemaling demo/display, Nordic walking, running, skiing
Norsk Museum
• 9 a.m. — One-mile walk around Norway
• 9-11:45 a.m. — Museum visit hours, hardanger embroidery demo/display, Krumcake demo
Norway UMC
• 9 a.m. — Sami bracelet making
• Noon — Lunch, $20
Saturday, Oct. 4, afternoon
Community Center main room
• 1:15-4 p.m. — Museum visit hours
• 1:15-2:45 p.m. — History of Sloopers and Fox Valley Settlement
• 3 p.m — Music and stories of Norway
• 4 p.m. — Viking history, artifacts display, book signing
• 5 p.m. — Fox Valley Settlement 1840
Community Center back room
• 1:15 p.m. — Rosemaling demo, display, sales, waffle tasting
Norway UMC, 2642 N. 3650th Rd., Sheridan
• 1:15 p.m.--Making Sami bracelets
• 6 p.m. — Dinner, $20
• 7 p.m. — Barn dance
Sunday, Oct. 5
• 10:30 a.m.--Worship service at Stavenger Lutheran Church, 2904 N. 32nd Rd., Seneca
Community Center main room
• 12:30 p.m.--Slooper Society of America annual meeting
• 1 p.m. Luncheon, $20; historic photo display