POULSBO — On Friday, May 18, Poulsbo will be invaded by Vikings again for the 50th time in the last half-century.
Fear not, though. Downtown Poulsbo won’t be sharing the same fate as those other thatch-roofed villages of yore, for which the Vikings have become such notorious immolators.
No, these Vikings will be bringing with them merriment and family fun instead of thievery and pyromania. Viking Fest returns to Poulsbo for its three-day-long, 50th-anniversary celebration starting at noon.
Honoring the spirit of Poulsbo’s Scandinavian founders, Viking Fest is a chance for the city to cut loose and pay homage to the seafaring, village-plundering raiders for which the city has chosen its nickname: “The Viking City.”
Viking Fest President Kathi Foresee said she was happy to see the festival carrying on a half-century of tradition.
“We’re really proud that we’ve made it this far,” Foresee said. “We’re basically doing the same events.”
In addition to the traditional Viking Fest fare, Foresee noted that this year’s Viking Fest Parade will feature more entries than any year before.
A new event this year will almost certainly leave participants with smelly hands. A fish-throwing contest will make its first appearance at the 2018 Viking Fest. According to Foresee, in Norway, fish-throwing contests are often done with a dogfish. The fish being thrown at this year’s Viking Fest, however, will be one of a less-spiny variety than their Norwegian counterparts.
A standup paddleboard race will also be making a triumphant return at this year’s celebration following a brief hiatus in 2017.
Foresee said most people would be surprised at how much work goes into putting the event on every year.
“Our board consists of five members … with nine volunteers,” Foresee said. “There’s 14 of us that put this on and we’re always looking for new volunteers.”
Foresee said the group meets once a month to plan the event. Held continuously since 1968, Viking Fest was originally organized as a means of helping local nonprofits raise funds and generate awareness of their causes. Today, the festival has kept its philanthropic roots by continuing to offer spaces for vendors and nonprofits and also by donating scholarship funds to local students. This year, Viking Fest will be providing more than $8,200 in scholarship funding for students.
With a plethora of carnival rides, games, food and craft vendors, and musical entertainment, Foresee said it’s hard to name her favorite part of Viking Fest. But when asked to name her three must-see events, Foresee said the parade, the musical entertainment at the Austin Kvelstad Pavilion and the eating contests were all high on the list.
When planning your visit to Viking Fest, it’s important to properly fuel up with a hearty breakfast in preparation for the day ahead, and there’s no better place to do this than at the Poulsbo Lions Club Pancake Breakfast.
From 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 19, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 20, the Poulsbo Lions Club will be whipping up the flapjacks and serving breakfast to all comers at North Kitsap High School. Admission for adults is $8 and $5 for children 12 and younger. Profits from the breakfast go toward Poulsbo Lions Club scholarship programs.
Neil Torvik has been participating in the pancake breakfast for the last 46 years. Torvik said the breakfast is a fine way to connect with both residents and visitors as well as his fellow volunteers.
“There’s a lot of camaraderie when we get together and it’s something that we all enjoy doing — it’s a good moneymaker for the club,” Torvik said. “We have been doing it for so long now that I think the community expects it of us. We get a lot of repeat customers.”
Torvik added that the volunteers at the pancake breakfast have their own roles to play. Whether they’re cooking sausages, flipping pancakes, selling tickets, pouring coffee or cleaning tables, 46 years of practice has ensured that everyone works together in harmony to feed the hungry visitors.
“It’s a really well-organized function,” he said. “It’s just been going on so long that it’s a no-brainer now.”
Viking Fest Schedule
Friday, May 18
Noon – 10:00 p.m. – Food/craft booths open on Anderson Parkway, and the Viking Village and crafts open in the Waterfront Park
3:00 – 10:00 p.m. – Carnival in King Olaf parking lot
4:00 – 4:30 p.m. – Opening Ceremony
4:30 – 5:30 p.m. – Sons of Norway Lodge #44 Liekarringen Dancers
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. – Shield wall demonstration, sponsored by Viking Village
6:30 – 7:30 p.m. – Music by Crosswing
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. – Music by Sweet T & Justice
Saturday, May 19
7:30 – 11:00 a.m. – Viking Fest Road Race presented by Poulsbo Parks & Recreation
7:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Viking Fest Lions Pancake Breakfast
10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. – Carnival in King Olaf Parking Lot
11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Sons of Norway Lodge No. 44 Beer Garden
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Poulsbo Elementary Marimba Group
11:00 a.m. – noon – Country Cloggers
Noon – 12:30 p.m. – Music by Viking Brass
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. – Boot Scootin’ Grannies
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. – Viking Fest Parade
4:15 – 5:00 p.m. – Leikarringen Dancers of Leif Erikson Lodge 2-001
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. – Shield wall demonstration presented by Viking Village
6:00 – 6:45 p.m. – Music by Skinny Blue
7:00 – 7:45 p.m. – Music by Betsy & The Boys
8:15 – 10:00 p.m. – Music by Garage Heroes
Sunday, May 20
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. – Strong Man Competition presented by Slippery Pig Brewery
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Carnival in King Olaf Parking Lot
10:00 a.m. – Complete Stand Up Paddle Board Race 1 mile & 5 mile
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Viking Fest Lions Pancake Breakfast
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Traditional Norwegian Fish Toss sponsored by Viking Fest
11:00 a.m. – noon – Shield wall demonstration presented by Viking Village
Noon – 1:30 p.m. – Donut eating contest presented by Sluys Bakery
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. – Lutefisk eating contest sponsored by Viking Fest
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Shield wall demonstration presented by Viking Village
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. – In Motion Dance
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. – Music by Black Ball Project
6:00 p.m. – Booths, Entertainment & Carnival Close
Parking:
Places to park in downtown Poulsbo are limited but parking is available at North Kitsap High School. A shuttle will be available for a fee.
Vehicles with disability placards can park at the Edward Jones investment offices at 19032 Jensen Way NE.
— Nick Twietmeyer is a reporter with Kitsap News Group Nick can be reached at ntwietmeyer@soundpublishing.com.
Volunteers toss candy to the crowd along the parade route during the 2017 Viking Fest Parade. Kitsap News Group
Volunteers toss candy to the crowd along the parade route during the 2017 Viking Fest Parade. Kitsap News Group
Volunteers toss candy to the crowd along the parade route during the 2017 Viking Fest Parade. Kitsap News Group
