Party like a Viking in Santa Rosa

The Freya Lodge's Sons of Norway Hall in Santa Rosa will fill with the aroma of Norwegian food at the annual Vikingfest on Oct. 10.

In the backyard of the hall at 617 West Ninth St., the well-traveled Vikings of Bjornstad will honor Norwegian Leif Erickson, the first European to land on the shore of North America around 1000, 500 years before Columbus, with two re-enactments of the event and of Viking life.

'It's very popular. They are very true to the history and facts of the era, except there are no Viking helmets with horns. That's Hollywood,' said Norwegian-born Anne-Marie Winterhalder, Vice President of Freya Lodge Sons of Norway.

The free 10 a.m.-3 p.m. event has been held for 27 years and draws hundreds of people. It's the biggest event of the year for Freya Lodge and is open to all.

The Sons of Norway was organized as a fraternal society by 18 Norwegian immigrants in Minneapolis on Jan. 16, 1895. Its mission was to protect its members and their families from financial hardship during sickness or death, and to expand and protect Norwegian culture and heritage.

Members pay annual dues and are offered but not required to purchase financial services, including insurance and fixed annuities. The Sons of Norway is the largest Norwegian organization outside Norway.

Freya Lodge was established in 1951. It has 160 members and welcomes all people of Scandinavian descent and all others interested in its heritage. The Hall was built in the early 1960s by the lodge's founding members. It seats 110, can accommodate 200 for an assembly, and has a kitchen and a bakery.

The interior is decorated in the Scandinavian manner with rich wood paneling. Its exposed timbers are hand-painted in the colorful Rosemaling style of folk art of Norway most popular between 1700-1850.

In addition to several social annual events, weddings and anniversary celebrations, the hall holds classes in Norwegian language, genealogy, folk dancing, crafts and cooking. Freya Lodge holds a Juletrefest with caroling around a Christmas tree and an arts and crafts fair in December, a Lutefisk codfish dinner in January and a Vikings in Ireland corned beef dinner in March.

The Norwegian national holiday Syttende Mai celebration takes place in May.

'We always enter a Viking float in the Santa Rosa Rose Parade,' Winterhalder said.

In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson and the United States Congress proclaimed Oct. 9 as 'Leif Erickson Day.' Erickson, who lived from 970-1020, made three landfalls in North America but never established a settlement because there was friction with the North American natives. He stayed a year and returned home to Greenland, according to an account of his exploits in 'Norwegian Explorer.'

Winterhalder and Marne Olson, Wisconsin native and President of Freya Lodge Sons of Norway, said there are misconceptions about the Vikings aside from the horns supposedly on their helmets.

'You'd think all they would do is rape and pillage. They settled in England and Scotland. The men wore war paint and the women did the farming,' Winterhalder said.

'It was a violent time,' Olson said.

The Vikingfest will include a photo booth for those who want pictures of themselves in battle attire. A Norwegian lunch will include meatball, shrimp, smoked salmon and roast beef open-face sandwiches in the Scandinavian tradition; and Lefse, a tortilla made with potatoes and served with butter, sugar and cinnamon.

Bakery items include waffles, kringle and krumkake, Julekake and Norwegian cookies.

Other specialty foods and imported items from Scandinavia will be for sale. There will be accordion music and a genealogist on site. A Norwegian meatball dinner for eight is the grand prize in an auction, and prizes in a raffle include Scandinavian clothing and wood crafts with Rosemaling decoration.

Proceeds will go toward the youth summer camp in the Sierra and the fund for Freya Lodge repairs and remodeling.

Sonoma County residents may not be aware of the annual Viking fest in west Santa Rosa.

'It's been under the radar for a long time,' Winterhalder said.