Norsk Høstfest

Norsk Høstfest (Norwegian language: "Norwegian Autumn Festival") is an annual festival held each fall in Minot, North Dakota. It is North America's largest Scandinavian festival. The event is held on the North Dakota State Fair grounds in Minot, North Dakota. Tens of thousands of people attend the Norsk Høstfest to celebrate and partake in the Scandinavian culture and entertainment. Altogether it has hosted cultural touchstones from Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Greenland, Åland, Faroe Islands, German-speaking Europe and the Netherlands.

The festival was founded in 1978 by the late Chester Reiten and a group of friends who shared his interest in celebrating their Nordic heritage. The festival, which will celebrate 40 years in 2017, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that raises funds to preserve, improve and share Scandinavian culture, heritage and educational programs.

Highlights of the fall festival include announcing the annual Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame inductees. The Hall of Fame is an enduring means of honoring those persons of Scandinavian descent in North America who have achieved greatness in their fields of endeavor and/or whose efforts have contributed significantly to the betterment of mankind. Other remarkable honors include the selection of the annual Miss Norsk Høstfest and naming of the Chester Award, which recognizes festival excellence in five categories: artisan, exhibitor, food concessionaire, volunteer and chairman.

Norsk Høstfest features a number of Nordic exhibits with internationally recognized artisans, craftsmen and chefs participating. The cuisine as well as the clothes, art and jewelry are authentic, fine quality and exquisitely Nordic.

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