Norsk Bazaar celebrates all things Scandinavian

"There’s a place this Saturday where everyone can be Scandinavian -- even Barbie. It's the annual Daughters of Norway Bazaar, a day of music, dance, food and wonderful crafts."

“Photo: Daughters of Norway are dressed in versdag bunads (everyday Scandinavian wear) and solje (the traditional silver brooch) as they wield the turner and roller, the tools of the lefse-making trade. From left are Karen Toyne (who wears one of the new aprons that will be available); Pat Stephens and Laverne Tiedeman.Joan Soltys/staff photoThere’s a place this Saturday where everyone can be Scandinavian — even Barbie.It’s the annual Daughters of Norway Bazaar, which islanders (and other Norsk lovers) have been awaiting hungrily since last year.“Hungrily” because together with the Scandinavian crafts and music and dancing, there will be a giant bake sale (with lots of lefse, of course) and the Norsk Kafe, where lunch includes an array of foods from open face sandwiches of lox or Thuringer to split pea soup and salmon chowder, Swedish meatballs and hunks of goat cheese.“Do bring your appetites,” said Linda Spencer, a member of the Daughters of Norway, Ester Moe Lodge. The Norsk bazaar takes place Dec. 4, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Deer Lagoon Grange on Bayview Road. To reach the grange, take Bayview Road toward Langley from Highway 525, approximately two miles to the white building on Lone Lake.“The Daughters have been very busy making Scandinavian crafts to sell and Scandinavian foods to eat,” she said. This year there will also be vendors from off the island, with colorful wool Scandinavian sweaters, famous clogs (and green frog boots for kids) from Sole Bros. of Seattle, plus paper-cutting art from Sharon Sowell, who has exhibited her work at the Nordic Heritage Museum’s Yulefest.From crafters on the island there will be Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian aprons and potholders; elegant hardanger stitchery; knitted wool socks for ornaments; rosemaling needlework and more. At the bake sale, where lefse is the unchallenged leader, browsers can also choose from Julekake, krumkake or sandkake; fruit breads, kringle, or filled pastries. Enjoy some rommergrot at the Norsk Kafe, or put melted butter and cinnamon suger on soured cream porridge, a Scandinavian treat. The famous pickled herring from Port Townsend will be available, and there will even be Scandinavian stamps.Visitors to the bazaar will be greeted by children and ladies in traditional costume. At 12:30 p.m. the Young Skandia Dansers will perform to live music, and their music CD will be for sale. The location at the Deer Lagoon Grange Hall this year brings back some of the building’s Scandinavian heritage: “For example, the Lutheran Church members used to row to the other side of Lone Lake to pick up other members and bring them to the grange for church service every Sunday morning, rain or shine,” Spencer said. “It’s a tradition from Norway, where people used to ride across the fjords to go to church.” And Barbie? She’ll be there as a raffle prize, dressed in authentic Norwegian bunad costume, a Scandinavian for the day.”