Photo Galleries » 2025 Viking Magazine Photo Submissions

Nordkap volunteers at meatball dinner. Each year Nordkap Lodge hosts a Norwegian meatball dinner served by lodge volunteers at the Finnish Center’s Scandinavian Market in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Hundreds of Christmas shoppers come each November to buy Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, Danish, and Icelandic goods and foods and to purchase delicious meals prepared either by the Finns or by Nordkap volunteers.

Circle City - 2024 Indianapolis Interational Festival

Fagernes Juletre Fest 2024

Mandt Lodge hosts an annual Family Christmas Event with free photos with Santa (note the SN promotion!), a bake sale, Dollar Shopping store for kids only, and crafts with the Stoughton High School Norwegian Dancers. Santa and characters from the movie Frozen also make their appearances.

Mandt Lodge members hosted a bus trip to Chicago's Christkindlmarket at Daley Plaza for members and non-members. This was the third bus trip the lodge hosted with the other two going to Luther College’s Christmas Concert dress rehearsal in Decorah, Iowa. The other was a Chicago shopping trip to IKEA and Woodfield Mall.

Ostestaden member, Bradley Goplen, helps Mandt Lodge with their Family Christmas Event free photos with Santa. Bradley brings his backdrop, numerous cameras, printers and all the families can take pictures with Santa and other characters from the movie Frozen.

Members of the Music City Vikings enjoy the group’s annual 2024 Julefest event. Pictured are Sharol Hopwood, Debrah Sickler-Voigt, Norbert Voigt, Sandy Lane, Sharon Lassiter, and Carrol Lane.

2024- Art Lensgraf, President of the Music City Vikings, welcomes the crowd to our annual Julefest at the Brentwood Country Club in Brentwood, TN.

Members of the Music City Vikings gathered at the home of Sandy and Carroll Lane to make lefse to sell as a fundraiser at their annual Julefest. Pictured are Sandy Lane, Brenda Kerr, and Sharon Lassiter.

Wergeland Lodge of La Crosse rang bells for the Salvation Army on two days in November. The response was generous even though it seemed early in the year. Sweet little Chester really brought in the donations!

Valhall Lodge 2024 Juletre Fest - Julenisse and helpers

In November2024, Skjold held its annual Norwegian cultural festival open to the public. Pictured here is a view of visitors perusing the arts and crafts. Food and refreshments are also for sale. Of course, there is a bake sale, too.

Members and guests participate in a folk dance led by the Chicago Scandic Dancers during the Skjold Christmas Party.

Vennligfolk Lodge in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, recently celebrated Julefest 2024 with these wonderful norwegian desserts.

Vennligfolk Lodge in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, recently celebrated Julefest 2024 with members of all ages and wonderful norwegian desserts.

Deacon Nelson, grandson of Vennligfolk Lodge President Susan Morton, dressed in traditional norwegian bunad.

James Zawicki had a little fun at Nordkap’s Christmas party at the Kilgour Scottish Centre in Troy, Mi. He used the horned helmet and the (plastic) Thor’s hammer won in the silent auction to try to scare Counselor Bob Giles (center) and James’s grandfather, Greg Morehead. No blows were delivered and no one was hurt, but the silent auction raised over $1,000 for the Nordkap Scholarship Fund.

Mandt Lodge 5-314 has a state bingo license and offers bingo to the public every month except December. The lodge has over 100 attending and offers food along with the bingo. This has become an excellent fundraiser and a way to reach the general public.

Mandt Lodge co-sports directors, Todd Fossum and Jens Arneson, pose with a church bowler as Mandt Lodge 5-314 works with First Lutheran Church each year and co-hosts a bowling event. This year over 50 bowlers gathered in January for an afternoon of fun and fellowship.

Mandt Lodge 5-314 member, Ginnie Newkirk, who also is co-manager of Livsreise, Norwegian Heritage Center in Stoughton, helps staff the Stoughton Norwegian Summit table. A number of Norwegian based groups in Stoughton promote their activities at the annual Stoughton High School Norwegian Dancer’s Norse Afternoon of Fun.

Mandt Lodge 5-314 was happy to award $4,000 in scholarships to eight member’s grandchildren at our January meeting. Each $500 scholarship can be used for college, technical college, or apprenticeships.

Nordkap 5-378 Twin sisters Heather Vingsness (on the left) and Haley Vingsness team up serving salad for our chicken pot pie dinner at the Swedish Club in Farmington Hills, Michigan. The twins top our leadership team, with Haley as President and Heather as Vice President.

Nordkap 5-378 - "Friluftsliv"--Members Mike Jarasz and Haley (nee Vingsness) Jarasz catch a cool break in the snow outside Kirk in the Hills Presbyterian Church in Bloomfield Hills MI where they were just wed on February 15. Haley is President of Nordkap Lodge and Mike serves as Sports Director.

Nordkap 5-378 Margarita Thompson serves the aquavit cocktail created by her husband, David Thompson (in the back). The cocktail, “Michigan Norwegian,” prepared with Michigan-made Vernor’s Ginger Ale, aquavit, and lime juice with a garnish of dill, was a hit at the lodge’s Aquavit Tasting, hosted by David in February at the Swedish Club in Farmington Hills, MI.

Vennligfolk Lodge 5672 member, Karen Trzebiatowski, displays some of her Norwegian art, including her bunad, at a Scandinavian Art Collection show held recently. Other items included in the art show were family fiddles, Bibles, paintings, needlework and telescopes.

Vennligfolk Lodge 5-627 - Other items included in the art show were family fiddles, Bibles, paintings, needlework and telescopes.

Mandt Lodge 5-314 offered two lefse classes in March for people to learn how to make lefse, We had all ages attend and here Hazel and Callie LaPoint are learning how to fry from Jane Conner. The lodge also trains all the new Stoughton High School Norwegian Dancer parents as lefse is a major fundraiser for their group.

Mandt Lodge 5-314 offers two weekends a year for people to rent a table and work on any type of scrapbooking, crafts, and other projects. Lodge member Laurie Barrett chairs this fundraising project which allows people a weekend to focus on getting caught up, socializing, and having fun!