Syttende Mai

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courtesy Inna Larsen

Fykerud'n Spelemannslag Hardanger Fiddle Group

May 17 is Norway’s Constitution Day, and if you can’t make it to Norway, head to Stoughton, where they pull out all the stops. The Stoughton Village Players will be performing It’s a Blunderful Life, starring characters called Sven, Ole, Lena, Lars and Torvald, at 7 and 8:30 p.m., May 18-19, and 2:30, 4 and 7 p.m., May 20, SVP Theater. Plus, plenty of Norwegian dancing and traditional costumes, the Edvard Grieg Chorus (11:30 a.m., May 20, Stoughton Opera House), and lots of traditional foods, including the Sons of Norway-Mandt Lodge bake sale with lefse, rømmegrøt, riskrem and more (all three days). The big parade (1:30 p.m., May 21) is always a good time. Find a schedule below and updates at stoughtonfestivals.com.

media release: Stoughton's Syttende Mai festival is a weekend-long celebration of Norwegian heritage featuring fun activities and cultural experiences for the whole family. Come join us for three days of parades, amazing food and drink, arts and music, athletic competitions, and kids’ activities steeped in centuries of Norwegian culture.

The city-wide festival takes place every year on the weekend closest to Norway’s May 17th Constitution Day, also known as Syttende Mai. From the late 1800s to the early 1900s, Stoughton enjoyed an influx of Norwegians, and at one time, as many as 75 percent of its residents spoke Norwegian. These immigrants celebrated Syttende Mai unofficially, but it became an annual, city-wide tradition in the 1950s. 2020 would’ve marked the 67th consecutive year the festival has been organized by the Stoughton Chamber of Commerce.

We’ll see you May 19 - 21, 2023!

All weekend:

Rosemåling Exhibit and Sale, Fire Station Training Room • 401 E. Main Street, 9 am – 4 pm Friday-Saturday, 9 am-noon Sunday

Quilt Show and Hardanger Embroidery Exhibit, Chorus Public House • 154 W. Main Street, 9 am – 5 pm Friday-Saturday, 9 am-noon Sunday

Livsreise,  Norwegian Heritage Center, 277 W. Main Street, 11 am – 6 pm Friday, 9:30 am – 5 PM Saturday, 10 am-2 pm Sunday

Exhibit: Holiday Collections from 1800’s - Present! Stoughton Historical Museum, 324 S. Page Street, 1 pm – 5 pm Friday, 10 am-5 pm Saturday, 11 am – 1 PM and 3-5 pm Sunday

Friday:

10 am – 8 pm Food Stands, Throughout Festival Grounds. See Festival Map in the middle of this brochure.

4 pm – 9:00 pm Syttende Mai Entertainment Tent Entrance • S. Division near W. Jefferson Street

4 pm - 6 pm Chamber Bucks Matching Bucks! One Community Bank Plaza

5 pm – 7 pm Taste of Stoughton Happy Hour, Syttende Mai Festival Tent • S. Division and Main Streets

5 pm – 8 pm Roadhouse Chiefs, Syttende Mai Entertainment Tent • S. Division near W. Jefferson Street

6 pm – 6:30 pm Opening Ceremony, Syttende Mai Festival Tent • S. Division and Main Streets

6 pm Viking Duck Draw, Division Street Park • Forton Street and N. Division Street

6:30 pm Canoe Race Start, Yahara River • Next to 2714 Yahara Road

6:30 pm Stoughton City Band, Division Street Park • N. Division and Forton Streets

7 pm Canoe Race Portage, Division Street Park • N. Division and Forton Streets

7 pm and 8:30 pm Stoughton Village Players Performance, Stoughton Village Players Theater • 255 E. Main Street

Saturday:

7 am 17-Mile Walk Start, 7:30 am 20-Mile Run Start, 7:45 am 10-Mile Run Start, all at Mandt Park • 400 Mandt Parkway, Stoughton. 20-Mile Run, 10 Mile Run 17 Mile Walk and Lil Community Run

7:45 am Lil’ 2-Mile Community Run (Finish at Mandt Park 9:45 am), Yahara Trail Entrance, 1599 Progress Way, Stoughton

9 am – 6 pm Norwegian Dancer Parents Luncheon, River Bluff School • 235 N. Forrest Street

9 am – 10 pm Food Stands, Various Locations

9 am – 4:30 pm Stoughton Opera House Tours, 381 E. Main Street (except during performances)

9 am – 4 pm Scandinavian Skill Demonstration, Stoughton Public Library • 304 S Fourth Street

9 am - 11 am Rosemåling Demonstrations, Stoughton Opera House • 381 E. Main Street

9 am - 4 pm Flat Plane Carving, Stoughton Public Library • 304 S Fourth Street

9 am - 4 pm Krokbragd/Rosepath Weaving, Stoughton Public Library • 304 S Fourth Street

9 am - 4 pm Pole Lathe Turning, Outdoors* (weather permitting)* • 315 E Main Street

9 am - 4 pm Posaments & Whipcording, Stoughton Public Library • 304 S Fourth Street

9 am - 4 pm Spinning & Fiber Preparation, Stoughton Public Library • 304 S Fourth Street

9 am - 5 pm Oseberg Wagon Replica, Chorus Public House • 154 W. Main Street

9:30 am - 10:30 am Nordic Fiddles, Stoughton Opera House • 381 E. Main Street

9 am - 4 pm Sami Bracelet Making, Stoughton Public Library • 304 S Fourth Street

9:30 – 6pm Shuttle Bus Service, Parking at Stougton High School ∙ 600 Lincoln Ave

10 am – Noon Stamp Cancellation, Downtown Post Office, 246 East Main St

10 am – 9 pm Syttende Mai Entertainment Tent, Entrance • S. Division near W. Jefferson Street. Music, Activities, Beer and Seltzer

10 am – 4 pm Syttende Mai Bake Sale and Sit-Down Meals (Select Menu) Menu, Sons of Norway Lodge • 317 S. Page Street

10 am – 6 pm Arts & Crafts Fair, River Bluff School • 235 N. Forrest Street

10 am – 5 pm Viking Games Strongman Competition, Syttende Mai Entertainment Tent

11 am - 2 pm Fab Lab at Stoughton High School Open House, 600 Lincoln Ave Door #1

11:30 am – 12:30 pm Edvard Grieg Chorus, Stoughton Opera House • 381 E. Main Street

2 pm Norwegian Dancers Street Performance, Syttende Mai Festival Tent • S. Division and W. Washington Streets

2 pm - 4 pm Nottingham Mead Tasting, Syttende Mai Entertainment Tent

2 pm - 2:30 pm Scandinavian Old Time Dance Music Ensemble, Stoughton Opera House • 381 E. Main Street

2:30 pm Norse Costume Style Show, First Lutheran Church • 310 E. Washington Street

2:30 pm, 4 pm, 7 pm Stoughton Village Players Performance, Stoughton Village Players Theater • 255 E. Main Street

3:45 pm Norwegian Dancers Performance, Community Building • 320 North Street

5 pm - 8 pm Rusty Hearts, Syttende Mai Festival Tent • S. Division and Main Streets

5:30 pm Norwegian Dancers and Alumni, Community Building • 320 North Street

6 pm Norwegian Bingo • food served at 5pm, Sons of Norway Lodge • 317 S. Page Street

Sunday:

7:30 am – 11:30 am Sunday Breakfast – American Legion Post 59, 803 N. Page Street

9 am – 2 PM Arts & Crafts Fair, River Bluff School • 235 N. Forrest Street

9 am – 5 PM Food Stands, Various Locations

10:30 am Norwegian Church Service feat. Edvard Grieg Chorus,Christ Lutheran Church, 700 County Hwy. B

10:30 – 6pm Shuttle Bus Service, Parking at Stoughton High School ∙ 600 Lincoln Ave

11 am – 2 PM Syttende Mai Bake Sale (*as supplies last!), Sons of Norway Lodge • 317 S. Page Street

Noon - 3pm Handicapped Accessible Parade Viewing, Livereise Parking Lot, next to 277 W. Main St

1:30 PM Norwegian Parade, Starts at S. Fourth St. Westbound on Main St

3:45 PM Norwegian Dancer Alumni Performance, Community Building • 320 North Street