POULSBO— Since 1982, the Sons of Norway’s Leikarringen dancers have been a familiar sight at community events from Viking Fest to Julefest and everything in between.

In celebrating its 25th anniversary, the current Leikarringen group is inviting members from its past to join in a potluck celebration from 6-9 p.m. at the Sons lodge in downtown Poulsbo.

“We’re hoping a lot of the former members will come back and dance with us,” Sons social director Joanne Graves said.

Some of the children currently dancing in the group have parents who danced in the group in their youth, Graves said.

“A lot of people in the community can remember as kids having Midsommer Fest and dancing around a Christmas tree during Julefest,” she said.

Those memories are rekindled when grandparents and parents see their children and grandchildren dancing in the traditional Norwegian style to tunes from their native land, she said.

“They are helping keep a tradition alive and are doing something that is also very contemporary,” she said.

In addition to parents and grandparents passing on the steps, older members of the group are also active in teaching the younger ones how to dance, she said.

With performances ranging from events in Little Norway to some as far away as Victoria, British Columbia, Graves said the group has social benefits as well.

“It’s a very positive environment to interact with boys and girls in a very positive, supportive environment,” she said.

“Everyone dances with everyone.”

When dancers make mistakes, other dancers readily step up and provide a kind word of support instead of being overly critical or mean-spirited, she said.

Despite the numerous changes in the group throughout the years, the one constant has been the commitment of the volunteers, who make it happen every year, she said.

“It’s all volunteer,” Graves said. “For a city the size of Poulsbo to have something like this is pretty significant.”