Borgund Lodge got off to a good start in 1973 when 339 Norwegians gathered to organize our Sons of Norway lodge. Over the years, Borgund Lodge has typically hosted a Lille Norge Fest in November each year. The Norwegian festival offers unique treats, food, and entertainment that brings smiles to the faces of those who attend this annual celebration of Scandinavian heritage. This year the Lille Norge Fest will be held on Saturday, November 22, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The annual Lille Norge Fest, or "Little Norwegian Festival," is held in the appropriately-named "Viking Hall" at the Canyon Lake Activity Center to celebrate and promote Scandinavian culture. The celebration of Scandinavian heritage marks the beginning of the holiday season for those that attend. The event, which typically is held the Saturday before Thanksgiving, highlights an array of food and treats that are unique to Scandinavian culture. It is a homecoming for people with Scandinavian background to come enjoy krumkake, rosettes, lefse, and other cultural treats. Adding to the event are volunteers who will be wearing their bunads, or Norwegian folk costumes.
Volunteers spend days preparing various Scandinavian and other treats to sell to the community at the festival. Some of the most popular treats are krumkaka and rosettes. Krumkaka is a sweet and light pastry that is like a cross between an ice cream cone and a sugar cookie. A rosette is a deep-fried batter made with a handheld iron and dusted lightly with sugar. In addition, lefse is also very popular. It is a potato-based bread that bears resemblance to a pita and is typically sprinkled with butter and sugar (white or brown).
During our morning festival we have various vendors selling Scandinavian-related items so that attendees can experience and take home the Scandinavian culture. While enjoying the entertainment during our festival, you can also sit down and enjoy a piece of lefse, polse (the humble Norwegian sausage), pie, or other treats with a cup of coffee on our food line. All are welcome to attend this cultural festival.
In addition to this festival event, this year we have been celebrating 200 years of our migration from Norway to America. The first Norwegian immigrant ship left Norway on July 4, 1825, and that event was reenacted with a replica ship leaving Norway this past July 4, 2025, and arriving in the United States on October 9, 2025—the same date when the first Norwegian immigrant ship arrived.
This November our Sons of Norway (Borgund Lodge) is proud to begin a heartfelt holiday journey called “Traditions for a New Generation.” Across the generations, our families have gathered around warm kitchens, flour-dusted tables, and the scent of krumkake curling from the iron. These are more than recipes — they’re living memories passed down from the heart of Norway to the heart of our communities here in America. This journey is an invitation for members old and new to celebrate, share, and teach the Norwegian customs that shaped us and to share our culture with others. From the art of lefse rolling to the sweet snap of rosettes, these are the threads that tie us to our past and strengthen the fabric of our future. We encourage everyone to stay up to date by joining our Facebook and Instagram pages as we share our culture that our descendants of Norway brought with them.
