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Kara Tabor

Friday Festivals: Scandinavian heritage in Moorhead

Viking helmet
Viking paraphernalia replicas on display at the Midwest Viking Festival in Moorhead, Minn.
Courtesy of Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County.

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This week's festival brings us to Moorhead, Minn., for the Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival and Midwest Viking Festival, which is packed full of Scandinavian music, traditional crafts and plenty of vikings.

Moorhead is the home of the Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretive Center, which houses the Hjemkomst ship, an exact replica of a ninth-century Viking ship called the Gokstad. Along with the Hopperstad Stave church, the ship serves as one of the centerpieces of the joint festival.

Festival organizer Amanda Nordick spoke to MPR News' Tom Crann about the celebration of Scandinavian culture and tradition.

More festivals to check out this weekend:

Love sauerkraut? Henderson's Sauerkraut Days runs today through Sunday. Free sauerkraut is featured throughout the festival, with a kraut eating contest starting at 3 p.m. Sunday.

For those looking for sweeter treats, the Afton Strawberry Festival kicks off tomorrow. Feel free to indulge at the Strawberry Shortcake eating contest on Saturday at 12 p.m.

Akeley is hosting its 67th Annual Paul Bunyan Days this weekend. The events begin tonight with a fish fry and continue through Sunday, with a grand parade at 1 p.m. and Paul's Boot Decoration Contest immediately following the parade.

If you can't get enough of Bunyan-mania, here's info on the 12 other locations throughout Minnesota and the nation () where you can spot the famous figure.