POULSBO — With one week to go before their annual event, Viking Fest organizers say there’s two things they’re looking forward to most.
One’s a big boom.
The other’s a big name.
After a year’s break, the Viking Fest fireworks will once again return to the shores of Liberty Bay next weekend. Last year, the opening night light show had to be cancelled due to an outstanding debt for the Viking Fest Corporation and a lack of sponsors.
This year, they’ve been brought back by increased participation and support from community members and major sponsors like Courtesy Auto Group, Boxlight Corporation, Community Concepts, Holiday Inn Express, Central Market, Blue Sky Printing, 94.1 KMPS, Regal Cinemas, Washington’s Credit Union, Sprint, Valley Nursery, Wal-Mart, Chip’s Casino, Poulsbo RV and The Home Depot. The fireworks will take place at 10 p.m. May 14, following the Viking Fest opening ceremony at 4 p.m. the same day.
“It’s so exciting,” said Kathi Foresee of the Viking Fest marketing committee. “The group that we have put on such an awesome show and it just really kicks off the event.”
And after three years away, the crew from Seattle country radio station 94.1 KMPS will also be back to Viking Fest this year. KMPS will be broadcasting live from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. May 15, including the 2 p.m. parade, hosted by Afternoon Drive personality Flo. The visit was prompted by an invitation from the Viking Fest Corporation. The last time KMPS broadcast from Poulsbo was at the 2001 Viking Fest.
“Poulsbo is one of the top 10 zip codes for KMPS listenership across the entire Puget Sound,” explained KMPS Senior Account Manager Phil Mark of the station’s wish to visit North Kitsap.
Flo, who said she’s only been through Poulsbo before, said she’s looking forward to the event. A nearly five-year employee of KMPS, she has been working in radio for about 16 years and reporting traffic for about a decade. Flo is on air for KMPS daily with Tony Thomas in the afternoon between 3-7 p.m., DJs on KMPS occasionally and hosts the mid-morning show on its sister station “Classic Country” 1090 AM between 9 a.m. and noon.
But she said the thing she really enjoys about her job is traveling in the mobile KMPS van (which looks like a giant KMPS logo) to different community festivals like Viking Fest.
“We at KMPS really enjoy being out in the local communities and going to as many activities as we can and meeting our listeners,” Flo said. “Without our listeners, where would we be?”
In preparation for KMPS’ visit, Miss Viking Fest Lauren Hoffman and princesses Jessica Endresen and Crystal Henderson will be visiting the Seattle station next week with a very special gift from Little Norway.
The trio will be bringing morning personality Ichabod Caine a piece of lutefisk to try during the Waking Crew show, which takes place 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. daily.
“Ichabod always jokes that he’d really like to try lutefisk and no one really takes him up on it,” Foresee explained. “And we said ‘Well, we can.’”
The court will also be sampling the cod-fish specialty since all six Viking Fest contestants this year made a pact that the winners would taste the dish.
When Flo heard that Ichabod would be sampling the Norwegian delicacy, she laughed and said her trip to Poulsbo would not likely include such an experience.
“He’s braver than I am,” she said. “I love trying new things but I’ve seen lutefisk and I don’t think I want to try it.”
The 36th annual Viking Fest celebration takes place May 14-16 at the Poulsbo waterfront.
For more information, go to www.vikingfest.org.
