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DECORAH, Iowa – The Nordic Fest Board of Directors is proud to announce the 2025 Nordic Fest Honorees, celebrating individuals whose dedication to Nordic Fest, meaningful contributions to the community, and ongoing support of local traditions have made a lasting impact. These honorees will be celebrated throughout Nordic Fest weekend, July 24–26, 2025, including during the opening ceremonies and the Grand Parade.

 

2025 Nordic Fest Skål Recipient – Dave Smutzler

The Nordic Fest Skål Recipient is an individual or individuals who have demonstrated exceptional and continuing support of the Fest.

For more than three decades, Dave Smutzler has been a steadfast presence in Decorah, dedicating himself to both public service and the vibrant traditions of Nordic Fest. A native of Rushford, Minnesota, Dave arrived in Decorah in 1991, beginning a long and distinguished career with the Decorah Police Department. Over 32 years, he served in various capacities, concluding with four years as Chief of Police and as the Decorah City Liaison with the Nordic Fest Board of Directors before retiring in 2023.

Dave’s first Nordic Fest experience came in 1991, when he was a rookie police officer assigned to the overnight shift. One of his earliest responsibilities was placing ‘No Parking’ signs in the thick summer heat— an exhausting but essential task. Despite the challenges, Dave quickly grew to love the festival, volunteering for as many extra shifts as possible. Even early on, he noted how Nordic Fest transformed the town, bringing an influx of visitors, lively energy, and a feast of flavors to enjoy.

In personal interests, Dave is an avid canoer, a passion that blends seamlessly with one of his favorite Nordic Fest events – the Kanoløpet. He has not only participated in the canoe race but also claimed victories in 2008, 2010, and 2011. The other sporting events are among his Fest favorites too, along with the diverse entertainment lineup.

When Dave became Police Chief, he was invited to join the Nordic Fest Board of Directors. The opportunity provided a vital, new avenue for collaboration between law enforcement and event organizers, especially in areas like traffic control, public safety, and the restructuring of the Beverage Garden.

A true Nordic Fest enthusiast, Dave has attended nearly every Fest since 1991. His favorite treat? Lefse, hands down, with butter and sugar, always getting two rolls to enjoy both sugar variations. For Dave, Nordic Fest has always been “the great reunion”,  a time when families gather, old classmates reconnect, and the streets fill with familiar faces. Now retired, he experiences the festival from a new perspective—enjoying concerts with his family, dining downtown, and watching the parade with his grandson Pax.

 

2025 Nordic Fest Grand Marshal – Diane Ott Whealy

Nordic Fest Grand Marshal is an individual or individuals who have provided outstanding services to the Community.

Since 1975, Diane Ott Whealy has been a powerful advocate for preserving agricultural heritage and fostering community. As co-founder of Seed Savers Exchange (SSE), she has helped safeguard heirloom seeds and promote biodiversity, leaving a lasting mark on Decorah and beyond.

Diane’s journey in seed preservation began in Missouri with SSE co-founder Kent Whealy. What started with a few cherished seeds and a shared dream evolved into a globally recognized nonprofit. In 1984, Diane and her family moved SSE’s growing operations to Decorah, drawn by her childhood ties to the area and the town’s welcoming spirit. Attending Nordic Fest that summer confirmed it—Decorah was the right home.

Today, SSE is headquartered at Heritage Farm, a 900-acre sanctuary in Decorah’s Driftless Region. The farm is home to over 25,500 seed varieties, including 640 potato strains, 1,042 apple trees, and 340 grape vines. It serves as a hub for conservation, education, and community connection, offering walking trails, gardens, and a peaceful retreat for visitors.

Through Diane’s leadership, SSE has not only preserved genetic diversity but also enriched Decorah—creating jobs, attracting global visitors, and infusing the community with cultural and agricultural richness. “We did our homework and chose Decorah, and we haven’t regretted it since,” Diane says. “What started with a handful of seeds and a dream has flourished because of passion, community support, and good timing.”

Diane understands that seeds are more than biology—they’re cultural heritage. Just as her grandfather brought over seeds from Bavaria, she sees a parallel with Norwegian immigrants who brought their own varieties to Iowa. SSE has even helped return heirloom seeds to their countries of origin, reconnecting people with their agricultural roots.

Beyond her work, Diane has embraced Decorah’s traditions. A former Nordic Dancer parent, she treasures Nordic Fest—especially the parade, the dancers, and favorite foods like rømmegrøt and varme pølse. Her presence continues to strengthen the bonds between land, legacy, and local life.

 

Join us for the 24th Annual Bluff Country Studio Art Tour of SE Minnesota.

Friday, Saturday & Sunday
April 25-27, 2025 • 10 am-5 pm daily

Bluff Country Studio Art Tour is a weekend-long art adventure and celebration of the diverse and vibrant community of artists found in the SE corner of Minnesota. Gather a carload of friends for a fun, self-guided tour of 30+ local artists in studios or galleries.

Visit our website for a complete list of participating locations.

Join us on April 26, 2025 from 12:00pm – 6:00pm at the Oktoberfest Grounds for the 21st Anniversary of Between The Bluffs Beer, Wine & Cheese Festival in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Tickets to the event are still on sale, online only. VIP ticket holders enter the fest grounds 12pm-6pm and GA/Designated Drivers enter 2pm-6pm. With last call for all at 5:45pm. The event will be held outside rain, snow or shine!

Join us to taste with over 80 vendors of local, regional and Midwest beer, wines and meats/cheeses. Enjoy live music and entertainment from opener Greg Hall and the Wrecking Ball and headliner The Bryce Thomaschefsky Band to playing bingo, throwing axes, and enjoying cornhole with your friends and family.

Taster’s Eve Party

Taster’s Eve will be held on Friday, April 25, 2025 in partnership with the Annual Between the Bluffs Beer, Wine & Cheese Festival. Between the Bluffs will provide complimentary promotion and complimentary shuttle service for Between the Bluffs ticket holders.

ALL ticket holders for the Beer, Wine, and Cheese Festival will receive one (1) wristband that will guarantee $1 off ALL beer purchases, all night. AND a raffle ticket to win Between the Bluffs swag with an hourly giveaway, a grand-prize of 2 VIP tickets, and an overnight stay for our 2026 Beer, Wine & Cheese Fest event.

AND there will be pizza, giant pretzels, and cocktails for purchase available from Pearl Street Brewery! Plus additional food for purchase from Taco Broz Food Truck.

VIP TICKET HOLDER PERKS
VIP Ticket Holders will receive two (2) drink tickets, one (1) food ticket, plus $1 off beer with a wristband and a chance to win hourly giveaways, live music, and a looping shuttle to and from hotel and downtown stops!

GA TICKET HOLDER PERKS
GA Ticket Holders will receive $1 off beer with a wristband and a chance to win hourly giveaways, live music, and a shuttle to and from hotel and downtown stops.

About Between The Bluffs Events
The first BTB festival was created by the City Brewery in 2002 to celebrate great beer. Along the way we’ve added wine, cheese, meat, and more as we celebrate our 21st year in 2025! *2020 & 2021 canceled due to COVID.

*Please expect an influx of attendees exploring, dining, shopping, and staying in the La Crosse Region.

Learn More

DECORAH, Iowa — With the completion of a new forging studio at 418 W. Water St., Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School, begins an exciting new chapter in metalworking and forging education in Decorah. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new studio on Friday, May 16, at 9:00 a.m. at the forge, followed by a reception in Vesterheim Commons. Everyone is welcome! Stay for Vesterheim’s Syttende Mai (Norwegian Constitution Day) celebration after the reception.

Photo: Vesterheim Folk Art School instructor Paul Nyborg tries out the new forges in Vesterheim’s forging studio.

The new forging studio includes four propane-fueled forges that accommodate a total of eight students, safety shut-off switches, and a ventilation system that will pump air up and out the west side of the building to ensure that it doesn’t simply recirculate back into the building. There is also a large garage door that opens to a green space behind the building so students can take advantage of being outside.

Knifemaking and forging have always been part of Norwegian and Norwegian-American culture and handcraft. For decades, Vesterheim has worked to ensure that these historic handcrafts are practiced and handed down to future generations by offering classes.

Andrew Ellingsen, Director of Folk Art Education at Vesterheim, said, “We are excited to see the traditional Scandinavian handcrafts of metalworking and forging move into their new home – their own safe forging studio! We have missed offering on-site forging classes over the past several years and look forward to welcoming international instructors and students back to campus.”

Vesterheim is hosting some fantastic instructors from all over the country with classes beginning in May 2025. Registration is now open at vesterheim.org. Upcoming classes include:

• Forging Fundamentals: Wall Hooks with Paul Nyborg – May 16-18
• Forged Tool Making with Cody Myers – May 29-June 1
• Early-Style Laminated Knife Blade with Tom Latané – July 21-23
• Viking-Style Padlock with Tom Latané – July 28-30
• Forging Fundamentals with Paul Nyborg – September 12-14
• Crafting the Pjål with KJ Groven and Fred Livesay – September 25-28

The building that houses the new studio was purchased by Vesterheim in 2024 and is ideal for a forging classroom because of the poured concrete floors, walls, and ceiling in the basement. Over the past several months, work has been done to raise and level the floor, replace the stairs, update the exterior access, and outfit the space with equipment.

Contractors working on the project are from the local area and include architect Keith Koch, Finholt Construction, Caspers Plumbing & Heating Inc., and Decorah Electric. All plans were approved by the Decorah City Planning and Zoning Commission.

The bulk of the construction was achieved with the help of two anonymous grant sources and multiple generous donors.

Vesterheim will continue to make plans for renovation of the first floor of the building at 418 W. Water St.

Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School, welcomes people of all ages and backgrounds to engage in the conversation of the American immigrant journey through the lens of the Norwegian-American experience. Vesterheim offers innovative and interactive exhibits, classes, and programs, both at the dynamic campus and park in scenic Decorah, Iowa, and online at vesterheim.org and Vesterheim social media. For more information on exhibits, classes, programs, tours, membership opportunities, and ways to donate and volunteer, connect at vesterheim.org, (563) 382-9681, and Vesterheim, 520 W. Water St., P.O. Box 379, Decorah, IA, 52101-0379.

Lauren Gunderson’s historical drama illuminates the indomitable power of friendship between two extraordinary scientists 

(Lanesboro, Minn.) The Commonweal Theatre Company launches its 37^th season with Lauren Gunderson’s exploration of history, science, and friendship in The Half-Life of Marie Curie. Previews begin on April 5, opening night is April 12, and the production runs until July 5.

Single tickets and season passes are available at www.CommonwealTheatre.org or by calling the box office (800) 657-7025. All performances are at the Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave N., in downtown Lanesboro, MN.

In the play, chemist and physicist Marie Curie is about to accept a second Nobel prize for her pioneering work in radioactivity when a public scandal forces her to seek refuge. She retreats to the seaside home of engineer and suffragist Hertha Ayrton. There, the two friends explore what it means to be mothers, wives, scientists and thought leaders in a changing world on the verge of war.

“A lot of people recognize [Curie] as the scientist who discovered radium and polonium,” says director and company member Jaclyn June Johnson. “But they may not know that she was this incredible war hero. You get to see more of her legacy beyond the height of her name and the real human experiences she went through and fought through to be a person and living life on a public stage.”

Playwright Lauren Gunderson blends sharp humor, crackling dialogue, and deep empathy to examine big ideas on an intimate scale. Previously, the Commonweal has produced Lauren Gunderson’s play about 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt Silent Sky (2018) and last season’s holiday charmer Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley (co-written with Margot Melcon). Since 2015, Gunderson has been one of the most prolific and oft-produced playwrights in the country, topping the list three times including the 2022/23 theatre season. Many of her plays examine the lives of women in the sciences.

“I think science is incredibly stage-worthy. It’s riveting. It’s emotional. It’s intellectually thrilling. So I always go back to it,” said Gunderson in an interview for Science Friday. “Scientists are people. They’re not just brains. They are bodies and hearts. And it is not what we expect of this certain scientist—of Marie Curie. And I found that to be a really thrilling alchemy to put onstage: rich emotion, high stakes, and you know, it becomes a story about this incredible, unstoppable friendship that defines both of these women and, frankly, changes the world as well as saved their own lives.”

The production features Commonweal ensemble members Laurie Roberts (playing Curie) and Stela Burdt (playing Ayrton). Roberts joined the Commonweal in 2022, and her most recent roles have been Jess (Ugly Lies the Bone) and Chris (Rumors). She also serves as the apprentice advisor and is a development associate with a focus on grant writing for the company. Stela Burdt has been a company member since 2001, and this year marks her 25^th season with the Commonweal. She currently serves as the Director of Administration. Recent on-stage roles include Kacie (Ugly Lies the Bone), Liz (Women in Jeopardy!), along with music direction (Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley and A Christmas Carol).

“I’m blown away by these women every day in the rehearsal room,” says director Jaclyn June Johnson. “Both the women they are portraying and the women performing.” Johnson has been a Commonweal company member since 2020 where she directs, acts, and serves as the Director of Production.

The creative team for The Half-Life of Marie Curie also includes the following Commonweal company members Hal Cropp (dialects), Sara Hueser (props design), Isabella Anastasia Leigh (rehearsal stage manager) Synth Manuel (intimacy and sound design), and Alex Schlesinger (projections design and rehearsal/performance stage manager). The production also features returning guest designers Paul Epton (lighting) and Kimberly K. Murphy (costumes). Making his Commonweal debut as scenic designer is Twin Cities-based artist Greg Vanselow.

For more information about the 2025 season, visit www.CommonwealTheatre.org. To check availability and to reserve tickets, contact the box office at (800) 657-7025. This production contains strong language and adult themes.

ABOUT THE COMMONWEAL THEATRE COMPANY

Since 1989, the professional artists of the Commonweal have brought to life soulful stories told with honesty and creativity. Located in the heart of southeast Minnesota’s bluff country, Lanesboro (pop. 720) is home to the company’s theatre in its historic downtown. Under the leadership of producing artistic director Hal Cropp, the company boasts a distinctive organizational model with resident ensemble members (who have come from all over the country to make their home in the area) fulfilling the day-to-day artistic and operational needs of the company as artist/administrators.

For more information, visit www.commonwealtheatre.org.

Photo by Peterson Creative Photography and Design

Lanesboro Arts is excited to invite Minnesotan artists in any stage of their career to submit work for the upcoming exhibition: Our Bright Unfolding. The jury will prioritize applicants from Minnesota who identify as LGBTQIA+, Two-Spirit, BIPOC, and/or disabled as well as rurally located artists (including those in southeast Minnesota). The theme of this exhibition embodies interconnectedness in motion, a much needed light uplifting the power of artistic expression as a tool of practice for societal change. Our Bright Unfolding seeks artwork reflective of personal and collective growth, resilience, radical acts of joy, and the power of unapologetic existence. In a time of profound upheaval when marginalized communities are increasingly under threat, this exhibition seeks to serve as a necessary reminder to lean on community, roots of resistance, and visions for change.

Artists are invited to bring the present moment, lived experiences, cultural histories, and collective movements to the forefront of their work as a means of provoking thought, inspiring action, and inching toward personal and collective empowerment through the creative process.

Submissions can include, but are not limited to, visual art, sculpture, multimedia works, and interactive art. Direct representations as well as more abstract expressions are welcome and encouraged.

This exhibition will be curated by an advisory committee made up of LGBTQIA+, Two Spirit, BIPOC, and disabled artists involved in the Gallery Equitable Systems Change Program. Lanesboro Arts launched the Gallery Equitable Systems Change Program as a commitment to a thorough review and change of current systems and processes, with the goal of further aligning practices with equity values and more deeply serving marginalized artists.

To apply, artists may complete the online application available on the Lanesboro Arts website. From the homepage of lanesboroarts.org, click on ‘Artist Opportunities’ on the sidebar, and then on ‘Our Bright Unfolding Application’. To complete the application, artists are asked to submit images via Google Drive or Dropbox. All visual arts media are eligible – both 2-D and 3-D. For those who prefer, you may submit a video application to gallery@lanesboroarts.org, with the subject line “Our Bright Unfolding Application”.

Wall pieces chosen will need to be framed and include a hanging wire in the back; all work in the exhibition will be for sale as per consignment agreement (40% gallery, 60% artist). This show will include up to ten artists and each accepted artist will receive a $500 stipend for exhibition costs. Transporting the work to and from Lanesboro will be the responsibility of the artist; however, for this show, we are able to offer a mileage/shipping stipend for those who request it up to $250. The deadline for work delivery will be May 30, 2025.

Our Bright Unfolding will open on Saturday, June 7, 2025, with an artist reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Lanesboro Arts Gallery. The organization provides year-round arts programming and serves as a regional catalyst for artistic excellence and educational development, by providing diverse art experiences for people of all ages. The Lanesboro Arts Gallery is located at 103 Parkway Ave. N. in Lanesboro, Minnesota. For more information, visit www.lanesboroarts.org.