POULSBO — In her Viking Fest welcome May 15, Mayor Becky Erickson said Viking Fest “speaks to our heritage, it speaks to our roots.” Viking Fest celebrates Norway’s Constitution Day and honors Poulsbo’s earliest Norwegian settlers, who arrived beginning in the 1880s.
In 1903, boats brought several thousand visitors from Ballard to Poulsbo’s Syttende Mai – or May 17 — celebration. At the time, “there was competition between the two communities – who was more Norwegian, who was more Scandinavian,” Erickson said. “Well, you know what? We win.”
Today, people of Norwegian ancestry are the fourth-largest in population in Poulsbo, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American FactFinder, 2013. The 10 largest: German, Irish, Asian, Norwegian, English, Mexican, Swedish, Native American/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian, Danish, Arab.
(*The largest number in this group is Filipino, followed by Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and others, according to the Census Bureau. **As a group, people of Mexican, Central American and South American ancestry comprise the fourth most-populous group in Poulsbo.)
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Fact: Poulsbo’s sister cities are Namsos, Norway; and Halden, Norway.
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Organizers of the Viking Tour – a series of 3-, 35-, and 63-mile bike rides that will take place on May 17 as part of Viking Fest – were looking at a big headache going into Viking Fest weekend when the tour found itself in need of an onsite Internet connection. They turned to CenturyLink the afternoon of May 14. CenturyLink spokeswoman Kerry Zimmer reported that her company had the tour’s Internet connection operating shortly after 3 p.m. May 15.
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Community volunteer Amanda Cheatham, at Viking Fest on May 15 with Miss West Sound Cherisse Martinelli and Miss West Sound Outstanding Teen Mataya Giffey, said she may have a special edge over Councilman Ken Thomas, who she is challenging for council position 1 in the Nov. 3 election.
Said Cheatham, a fourth-generation Poulsbohemian: “I like lutefisk.” No word yet on whether Thomas, a transplant from Arizona, favors traditional Norwegian cuisine.
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One of the more interesting booth placements at Viking Fest: Visited Friday Harbor Jerky Company, which specializes in unique jerky. Among the choices: Alligator, buffalo, kangaroo, mako shark, python (“Tastes like turkey jerky,” said Baun McAleer of Redmond), and “whiskey rabbit.”
Located next to the jerky booth: Kitsap Animal Rescue & Education.
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Some first-day photos from Viking Village, where true-to-history reenactors will tell you that Viking helmets did not have horns — why give the enemy something to grab onto so they can twist your neck? — and the History Channel show “Vikings” is seen as “Viking chop suey” (a little of this, a little of that).
Above, Alice Stephenson, whose reenactment name is Hroswitha, demonstrates how to make lacing cord, May 15 at Viking Fest’s Viking Village. Photo: Richard Walker / Herald
Above and below, Joel Smith, whose reenactment name is Thorbjorn, works on a traditional wooden spoon May 15 at Viking Fest’s Viking Village. Photo: Richard Walker / Herald
Below, Dusty Worthington, whose reenactment name is Stonebreaker, carves a miniature replica of Thor’s hammer from soapstone, May 15 at Viking Fest’s Viking Village. Photos: Richard Walker / Herald
