MAY 2008

Experience Norway In San Francisco

An overwhelming success in years past, the Norway Day Festival returns to Fort Mason Center this year. The festival begins with the 4th Annual 10k Run for Arctic Awareness which serves to introduce the Arctic region as a barometer to measure the status of global warming. Genealogy, food, and a full stage fill the weekend. Comedy acts, fashion shows, cooking demonstrations, music and dancing, storytelling, and art exhibits make this annual event appealing to anyone wanting to have a Scandinavian experience right here in San Francisco.

A special treat this year is a performance by Arve Tellefsen, one of the most highly regarded violinists in Europe. Tellefsen, who collaborates with leading orchestras across the globe and broadcasts regularly on the BBC, performs at the Friday night opening concert at the Cowell Theater accompanied by pianist Sveinung Bjelland.

Norway Day is a great time to discover contemporary and traditional Norwegian cuisine. At the cooking demonstrations some of the old favorites are presented, including Rosettes and Rommegrot (sour cream porridge). Guests can also enjoy tasty waffles, chocolate, cheese, cookies, and more at the Tabitha Café operated by the San Francisco Norwegian Seaman’s Church Auxiliary.

Among the other demonstrators and exhibitors is architect Wenche Selmer. Her wooden cabins and houses blend effortlessly into their surroundings whether set along the picturesque coast of Norway or in its remote mountains and forests. Combining local building traditions with modern conveniences, her designs evoke Norway in all its rugged beauty and smart Scandinavian pragmatism. For fine art check out the exhibit “Norway Remembered” celebrating the country’s breathtaking landscapes and architecture in photographs, paintings, and digital art.

The Genealogy and Heritage Center, a big attraction for those in the Bay Area with some Norwegian heritage as well as those just interested in genealogy in general, is once again on hand. This year they are pleased to have the Norwegian American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library from Madison, Wisconsin participating.

For more information on the Tellefsen concert see May 2 in the calendar. For more details on the rest of the festival see May 3 in the calendar and visit www.norwayday.org.

— Bradford Gregory

Images:
Norway Day 2008: Moods Of Norway Fashion Show, Arve Tellefsen, Children's entertainment