History

The early Scandinavian immigrants to America brought the lessons of the past with them, combined them with the realities of a new land, and dreamed about better lives for future generations. Hard work, commitment to family and friends, and a “ya you betcha” spirit are core values of their heritage.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the Scandinavian-American cultural and heritage experiences that have been built over the years in Minot, North Dakota by the Norsk Høstfest Association and the Scandinavian Heritage Association.

The Norsk Høstfest Association and the Scandinavian Heritage Association recognized that Scandinavians benefit from:

• Individual and group leadership bursting with vision, creativity, and foresight to see possibilities where others saw none

• The ability and passion to unite many different people in a common cause

• The foresight to secure the funding necessary to stabilize their programs thereby sustaining their missions impact generations to come

And like their Viking ancestors, they understood a vehicle was needed for the long voyage from past, to present, to future. In 1999 they began construction on such a vehicle, a new permanent “drakkar” (longboat), the Høstfest-Heritage Foundation (HHF).