Heritage Festivals in Wisconsin: Norwegian Edition
Eric and Ana explore ethnic festivals in Wisconsin and begin by welcoming in Callie LaPoint and Sarah Ebert from the Stoughton Chamber of Commerce, where we discuss the celebration of Syttende Mai - which literally means the 17th of May, Norwegian Independence Day. We discuss the celebrations in Stoughton and Westby, along with other locales in the state heavy on Norwegian heritage including Ephraim and parts of Door County, Oconomowoc, and the Norskedalen region near Coon Valley in La Crosse and Vernon Counties. This is the first in a series of podcasts exploring specific ethnic festivals.
The Cabin · Callie LaPoint, Sarah Ebert, AnaElise Beckman, Logan Ingram, Eric Paulsen, Jessica Vokoun
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Show Notes
The Cabin is presented by the Wisconsin Counties Association and this week we’re featuring Crawford County; https://bit.ly/3Pbkeon
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Campfire Conversation:
Eric and Ana start a series that we’ll revisit numerous times covering ethnic festivals throughout Wisconsin. Being almost the 17th of May, we begin with the Norwegian festival of Syttende Mai, which is the Norse translation of May 17th and celebrates their Independence Day. Since Stoughton has the biggest Syytende Mai celebration in Wisconsin, we welcomed Callie LaPoint and Sarah Ebert into The Cabin to tell us more in detail about Syttende Mai in general and their Stoughton festival in particular. Another sizable Syytende Mai festival happens in Westby, which isn’t far from Norskedalen, a Norse cultural mecca located in southeastern La Crosse County. Other Scandinavian festivals are coming too, including Fyr Ball in Door County, which celebrates the summer solstice on the beach in Ephraim with a huge bonfire, mythical stories, and plenty of fun, food, and drink. Numerous other cities around Wisconsin note a heavy Norwegian heritage including Oconomowoc and Mount Horeb – which is known for its “Trollway,” a large part of Norse lore.
You can find out more about Stoughton’s Syttende Mai festival here: https://www.stoughtonfestivals.com/
Discover Wisconsin Producer Jessica Vokoun also joins us in The Cabin with a Behind the Scenes look at the upcoming Wisconsin Festivals episode, which begins streaming on the DW app May 17th at 4pm and airs the weekend of May 20th-21st, when it will also be available on all streaming channels.
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