Stoughton Syttende Mai: 20 Authentic Ways To Experience Norway

Stoughton Syttende Mai: 20 Authentic Ways To Experience Norway

 

You can expect to celebrate like a Norwegian in Stoughton, Wisconsin, a small town with an extraordinary heritage. Stoughton nearly doubles its population of 13,000 residents for its annual Syttende Mai festival, the Norwegian Constitution Day. 

Whether you’re into folk art, music, dance, history, or traditional food, here are our recommendations for having the best experience at Syttende Mai. 

Rosemaling Exhibit And Sale

The folk art of rosemaling highlights Norwegian culture at Syttende Mai. Painting on wooden furniture and belongings with flower designs initially started in Norway’s lowlands and rural areas around 1750. In Norwegian, rosemaling refers to “rose painting.” Generations of families pass down their distinct styles and techniques. Each Norwegian region also has notable variations and designs. Visit the Wisconsin State Rosemaling Association to see more and find a class schedule. 

Fun fact: London’s 2012 Norwegian Olympic team wore scarfs with a rosemaling design.

The Fykerud’n Spelemannslag Hardanger Fiddle Group

Hear the haunting, resonant sounds of Norway’s national instrument, the Hardanger fiddle. The Fykerud’n Spelemannslag Fiddle Group is named after two brothers, Lars and Hans Fykerud, from Telemark County in southern Norway. They were master fiddlers who immigrated to Stoughton in the late 1880s. In Norwegian, Spelemannslag is a group of fiddlers that play folk music and teach their traditional music to the next generation by ear. Listen to the sounds of the Hardanger fiddle in the movies The Lord of the Rings soundtrack and Fargo’s main theme “Den Bortkomme Sauen.” 

Fun fact: The Hardanger fiddle has eight or nine strings, not four like a traditional fiddle.

Mouth-Watering Food

First, Stoughton’s Syttende Mai Festival is loaded with incredible non-profit food vendors. You’ll have so many great choices that trying everything on the festival weekend is impossible. But you can try! The following is a sample of some of our favorites.

Stoughton FFA Alumni

Our first stop, and many more over the weekend, was the Stoughton FFA Alumni trailer. Take our word, don’t miss this one! They only sell two things, classic Wisconsin cream puffs, and deep-fried cheese curds. By the way, THE BEST deep-fried cheese curds around. Cream puffs are another festival favorite. Watch volunteers make exceptional whipped cream from scratch in front of your eyes. Seriously, they’re amazing.

Proceeds from the FFA Alumni sales mainly support Stoughton High School’s Ag program and its students with scholarships and the Stoughton Food Pantry. So, it’s our favorite (not to play favorites, but we are).

Rotary Club of Stoughton

For a special treat get freshly roasted corn in the husk from the Stoughton Rotary Club trailer. Pull the husks back then add real Wisconsin butter and salt for a midwest favorite.

Most proceeds (30k to 50k dollars annually) go to local scholarships, the Stoughton Food Pantry, the youth center, and park shelters. As a whole, the Rotary club’s main worldwide goal is to fight Polio. Internationally, the Rotary club and the Bill Gates Foundation work together to achieve ending Polio and provide clean water for everyone.

Stoughton Lions Club

We walked through downtown Stoughton early Sunday morning before the crowds trickled in for the Norwegian parade. As we walked closer to the extended silver Lions Club food canopy, a heavy aroma of sliced onions and beer boldly marched into our nostrils. This smell marks the start of the countdown to brats searing and smoking on the grill in Wisconsin. Now, the only thing missing is a buttered bun and spicy mustard.

They also have homemade beer-battered deep-fried cheese curds. But not any cheese curds. Tom Jenny from Carr Valley Cheese volunteers with the Stoughton Lions Club. Tom is a member of the first Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker program. That’s a big deal. Outside of Europe, Wisconsin is the only place in the world where someone can become a certified Master Cheesemaker (like a cheese Ph.D.). In addition, the Lions Club will sell over 400 pounds of Decatur Dairy’s 2022 World Champion cheese curds during Syttende Mai.

Most people know the Lions Club for its work providing eyeglasses to those in need. They also help with vision screening in local schools and support a seeing-eye dog program. 

Norwegian Dancer Parents Food Trailer

Go to the Norwegian Dancer Parent’s food trailer to eat authentic Norwegian food. They are mostly known for Norwegian meatballs, Varme Polse, and lefse. They serve other snack foods and beverages too.

Fosdal Bakery

Of course, Fosdal Bakery, on Main Street, is well known in Wisconsin for traditional Norwegian bakery items year-round and excellent American favorites.

Stoughton Norwegian Dancers

You can’t help but smile when you see Stoughton Norwegian Dancers perform. Energetic and acrobatic, the group performs traditional folk dances from Norway. Dancers are sophomores, juniors, and seniors from Stoughton High School. They have performed in front of millions of people, mainly in America, Canada, and Norway. The Stoughton Norwegian Dancers perform Scandinavian folk music four times during the Syttende Mai festival. You’ll have fun watching Stoughton’s Good Will Ambassadors.

Guys wear the same traditional bunads (costumes) while the girls wear different bunads representing each Norway region. Bunads must be as authentic as possible, so all thread, patterns, fabrics, buttons, shoes, and jewelry are imported from Norway.

Stoughton Historical Society Museum

Visit the Stoughton Historical Society Museum for a glimpse into the town’s past. Along with period items, the museum displays include an abundance of rosemaling, traditional bunad costumes, and Norwegian folk crafts.

Scandinavian Skill Demonstrations And Music At Stoughton Opera House

• Krokbradg Weaving. The Norwegian translation means weft-faced weaving technique. Because of its thickness, a krokbradg would cover walls and windows where drafts would occur or be used as a bed covering.

• Hardanger Embroidery. The traditional embroidery style received its name from the southwest Norwegian region close to the Hardanger Fjord. Needlecrafts like cut work, drawn work, and needle weaving created satin stitch blocks formed into geometric patterns.

• Posaments. Braided and flat woven knots used for trim.

• Rosemaling Demonstrations. See demonstrations and learn about rosemaling in greater depth.

• Norwegian Knitting And Spinning. Watch fiber artists demonstrate different Norwegian knitting styles.

• Noon Chevalets, Marquetry, And Viking Weaponry. See Viking weaponry and how to use a chevalets saw and marquetry close-up.

• Sami Bracelet Making. Watch a jewelry artist make Sami bracelets. Sami nomadic tribes live in the furthest northern regions of Scandinavia.

Norse Costume Style Show

Learn about the meanings and differences of each region’s bunads with an explanation for each person’s traditional costume.

Ornamental Wood Carving

Watch a woodcarver create traditional Norwegian designs.

Edvard Grieg Chorus

By all means, plan on attending the Edvard Grieg Chorus, named after the Norwegian Composer. The all-male choral ensemble performs Norwegian, sacred, and secular pieces to preserve the choral music and traditions the immigrants brought from Norway. Norwegian dignitaries usually attend, so this is an excellent event to experience.

Quilt Show And Hardanger Embroidery Exhibit

With an average of 75 to 100 quilts entered each year, The Piecemaker Quilter’s quilt show displays handmade works of art of all skill levels from local people. Quilters create various patterns, colors, and geometrical shapes in hopes of winning a ribbon. After viewing the quilts on display, the public can vote for the award winners.

Livsreise Norwegian Heritage Center

A visit to Livsreise Norwegian Heritage Center will help visitors understand Norwegian immigrants’ life as they began their new journey in America. In addition, people from across the nation can learn about their Norwegian heritage and gain an appreciation of customs and traditions passed down to modern times. Admission to Livsreise is free.

Important: No photos are allowed at any time inside the building. 

Syttende Mai Bake Sale At The Sons Of Norway Lodge

If you want to experience authentic Norwegian treats, go to the Syttende Mai Bake Sale at Stoughton’s Sons of Norway Lodge.

We suggest trying these Norwegian foods at the bake sale:

• Lefse
• Rommegrot Bars
• Pizzelles
• Rosettes
• Kransekaka fingers
• Sandbakkles
• Kransekaka rings (traditionally made with 18 rings)
• Krumkake

Oseberg Wagon Replica

Don Rorvig and Rodger Hansen are replicating the 9th-century Oseberg Wagon, circa 800 AD, on display in the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, Norway. The horse-drawn cart was hand-carved with illustrations of Norse Mythology. For instance, cats on the back and the front have a man lying on his back, possibly being attacked by serpents.

Norwegian Parade

The pinnacle of the weekend’s celebrations is the Norwegian parade. So make plans to stay through Sunday for all things Norwegian.

 

Final Thoughts

Nothing compares to a tremendous small-town festival; you shouldn’t miss Stoughton’s Syttende Mai. 

 

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