Norwegian Culture
The annual Syttende Mai Stoughton festival is the best place to experience Norwegian culture in Wisconsin. If you’re a music lover, you’ll enjoy the Edvard Greig Men’s Chorus and the haunting Hardanger fiddle performances. Like art? There’s plenty to see at the art exhibits and to buy at the arts and crafts fair. Visitors can even see the artists at work when they demonstrate the rosemaling painting techniques and Hardanger embroidery methods. You’ll see acanthus wood carving, eat authentic Norwegian food and even see the heritage dog, chicken and horse breeds that are still popular in Stoughton, WI.
The following events are located at different locations throughout the festival!
Stoughton High School Norwegian Dancers
Be sure to catch the Stoughton Norwegian Dancers at the Syttende Mai festival! For 70 years, this talented high school group, composed exclusively of Stoughton Area High School students, has delighted audiences with their lively, athletic performances and stunning traditional bunad costumes. Accompanied by skilled musicians playing authentic Norwegian folk music, the dancers bring the rich cultural heritage of Norway to life. Membership is a prestigious honor, with rigorous selection and a significant time commitment. These dedicated students often travel across the country, sharing their vibrant performances with audiences nationwide. Their authentic and energetic shows are a must-see highlight of the three-day festival!
Division Street Festival Tent:
Saturday 2:00
High School Gymnasium Performances:
Saturday 3:45
Saturday 5:30 (with Alumni)
Sunday 3:45 (final performance)
Bunad Style Show
Stoughton’s 50th annual bunad style show is an opportunity to see these beautiful costumes including bunad jewelry called “sølje” up close, and hear about how and when it was designed in each region of Norway. More importantly the story of each model’s bunad is told and why it is so cherished and passed down to future generations.
Saturday 2:30 pm
First Lutheran Church
What is a bunad?
[²bʉːnɑd], plural: bunader/bunadar) is a Norwegian umbrella term encompassing, in its broadest sense, a range of both traditional rural clothes (mostly dating to the 19th and 18th centuries) as well as modern 20th-century folk costumes. They may be elaborate with embroidery or use expensive fabrics such as damask or brocade. In Norway today, bunads are worn by both men and women for special occasions such as confirmations, weddings, and of course on Syttende Mai
Edvard Grieg Chorus
For over 90 years, Madison’s Edvard Grieg men’s chorus has performed Norwegian, spiritual and secular songs for the public. The choir is named for one of Norway’s most famous concert pianists and composers. Grieg’s Romantic-era music borrowed from Norway’s traditional folk music themes and gave the country a national music identity. Modern listeners know Grieg’s work from television, video games and movie scores. 2025 will mark the 100 year anniversary of the chorus! Come and celebrate with them!
Saturday 11:30am
Stoughton Opera House
Norwegian Hertiage Center - Livsreise
The Norwegian Heritage Center, also known as Livsreise- Meaning “Life’s Journey,” in downtown Stoughton with its new Scandinavian inspired building, opened its doors in May of 2015. This idea for this center was conceived of and is sponsored by the Edwin and Janet Bryant Foundation of Stoughton.
©The Kubala Washatko Architects Photo
Its purpose is to tell the Norwegian immigration story between 1825-1910. The Norwegian Heritage Center includes the following elements:
Interactive map highlighting Norway’s Districts
Large Gallery area with 19th century immigrant artifacts, many with ties to local families
Interactive electronic story books with personal stories of early local area Norwegian families
A Genealogy lab allowing guests to work on their family history. This is linked to the Norwegian –American Genealogical Center in Madison and gives access to their vast data base. Other links such as the Digital Achieves of Norway and immigrant ship information is available to all guests.
Hours:
Friday 11am - 6pm
Saturday 9:30am - 5:00pm
Sunday 10am - noon
Exhibits are regularly updated with new information, ensuring every visit offers a fresh and exciting experience that will keep you coming back!
Sons of Norway-Mandt Lodge
The Sons of Norway-Mandt Lodge (317 S. Page St.) is one of 380 lodges across North America and Norway that belong to the Sons of Norway international fraternal benefit society. The society’s mission is to promote Norwegian heritage, culture and traditions and its worldwide membership is over 58,000 people. Anyone who is interested in Norway, its people and its culture is welcome to join the society, attend meetings or participate in its events.
Over 90 years ago, Stoughton’s Mandt Lodge (#314) was established and it is still an active organization today. The lodge hosts many cultural and community events including rosemaling classes, a Spring Fish Boil and bingo nights. Visit the Sons of Norway-Mandt Lodge Facebook page for more group and event information.
Hours: Saturday 10am - 5pm | Sunday 11 am - 2pm* (as supplies last)
Ala carte luncheon buffet including Norwegian and American items. We’ll have varme pølse (wieners in lefse), potatoes, barbeque, meatballs, herring, baked goods, lefse, rømmegrøt, søt suppe (fruit soup), riskrem (rice pudding), cucumber salad, fish chowder, warm red cabbage, and beverages! Complete list of menu items available until we run out!
Reservations are not needed for the inside meals. All items are priced individually. We are handicapped accessible with a lift located on the south side of the building. Carry-out containers will be available for the parade on Sunday, if you want to take food home, or eat downtown in the Entertainment Tent (just over the bridge in the back of the lodge)!
Sons of Norway Norwegian Bingo
Join the Sons of Norway-Mandt Lodge for a night of bingo, Norwegian style. Food is served at 5 p.m. and again during the bingo break. Players can expect an evening of fun and cash prizes.
Norwegian Church Service
The public is invited to attend the Sunday worship service at Christ Lutheran Church. Listen to the sounds of Norway while the celebrant sings part of the traditional Norwegian liturgy. The Edvard Grieg men’s chorus of Madison, will have some recorded performnces replayed during service.
The service ends with the singing of one of Norway’s patriotic songs “Ja,Vi Elsker Dette Landet,” or “Yes, we love this land,” also known as “Song for Norway.”
After the service, the church will serve a lunch with meatballs, herring, cucumber salad, red cabbage, Swedish rye bread, fruit salad, rømmegrøt (pudding), rice pudding, kringle (filled pastry), krumkake (waffle cookie), lefse (flatbread), coffee and still more Norwegian goodies.
There is no admission fee, but goodwill donations are welcome.
Sunday, 10:30am
Nordic Fiddles
Celebrate your Norwegian heritage listening to folk tunes played on the Hardanger Fiddle, often called Norway’s National Instrument. Nordic Fiddles is a group of talented local students, taught by Carlyce Skjervem, who enjoy playing this very special music from Norway.
Saturday 9:30am
Stoughton Opera House
Scandinavian-American Old Time Dance Music Ensemble
The Scandinavian-American Old Time Dance Music Ensemble, based out of Madison, Wisconsin, will perform traditional music from Scandinavian immigrants who settled in the Driftless region.
The Scandinavian-American Old Time Dance Music Ensemble is a new group that was organized last January by the Sustaining Scandinavian Folk Arts in the Upper Midwest at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. They brought in Beth Hoven Rotto from Decorah, Iowa as an Artist-in Residence who (among other things) assembled our group, taught us tunes, and lead us in three Scandinavian Dances sponsored by the University.
When Beth’s residency ended, many of us decided to continue and have been gathering to learn and practice this music for our own enjoyment.