Meetings, Events

Feb
13

COMING EVENTS

Ski for Light

(extracts from the summer newsletter, subscribe at www.skiforlight.ca) Join us for an evening of live music, community, and fun at the Stomp & Glide Fundraiser, supporting Ski for Light Canada! Enjoy performances throughout the evening, featuring Sandy Lecour & the Dark Stars, The All-Blind Line Up performing at 5 pmand Silly Wrabbit, performing at 8 pm. 2026_SFL_Stomp poster The fun continues with a silent auction, featuring, among other items, awesome photographs from McWhae Photographic (John McWhae). Best of all, there’s no cover charge! Come out, enjoy great music, bid on a few auction items, and help support Ski for Light Canada and its mission to make cross-country skiing accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired.

January 24–30, 2027 | Canmore, Alberta

Get ready for another unforgettable week of cross-country skiing, friendship and community at the world-class Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park. Participants will stay at the Chateau Canmore Hotel. Registration opens in September, and fees include accommodation, meals and transportation between the hotel and Nordic Centre. Optional add-ons include Calgary–Canmore transportation, ski rentals and lessons with certified Nordic ski instructors.

For Skiers: Blind and partially sighted skiers are paired with guides who tailor each day’s skiing to their comfort and goals. Ski as much or as little as you like while enjoying the trails, meals and social activities.

For Guides: Guiding is an opportunity to build trust, communication and lasting connections. Pairings consider ability and other factors to create a safe, enjoyable experience. A Guide Orientation will be held January 24 before the official program begins.

Introducing Ski for Light Borealis

February 25–28, 2027 | Strathcona Wilderness Centre, Alberta

Ski for Light Canada is excited to introduce Ski for Light Borealis, a new Nordic ski weekend for blind and partially sighted skiers. It will be held at the Strathcona Wilderness Centre near Edmonton, Alberta.

Next Valhalla lodge meeting:

  • September 14th, 7:30 p.m.

Taste of Scandinavia

September 26th, 1-5 p.m. at the Scan Centre. Buy your tasting tickets at the door and sample food and beverages from the Nordic countries. Other items may also be available for purchase at the various tables.

Solsyd – 40th anniversary

Solsyd Lodge in Lethbridge is planning a celebratory lunch on November 18th. SofN Invitation for 40th Anniversary  Use this link to sign up.

PAST EVENTS

Soccer Watch Party

Watch party for the Norway/England soccer match at the Elephant & Castle pub. Bravo Norway for getting to the quarter-finals. And bringing rø rø to the world. 

District Convention May 29-30, Port Alberni

Each Biennial District Convention provides an opportunity for the talented members of District 7 to exhibit the great pieces of folk art for other members to see.  You may enter your pieces such as rosemaling, weaving, needlework, knitting, crocheting, carving, photography, painting or other crafts as part of the judged competition or display only. See the Cultural Info below. Start now for the 2028 convention in DAWSON CREEK.

Syttende Mai 2026 2:30-5 p.m., Sunday May 17, 2026

Parade, games, folk dances, singing, hot dogs, potato salad, and of course ice cream! Click HERE for Ron’s photos.

LUTEFISK DINNER, FEBRUARY 7TH

  Their side dishes selected, Wagner family members move on to melted butter, lutefisk, and flatbread being dished up by John, Rosemary and Thordis. Valhalla lodge hosted  lutefisk dinner at the Scan Centre, Valhalla room, on Saturday February 7th  with appetizers, potatoes, meatballs, traditional side dishes, flatbread, and dessert. It was delicious! And entertaining, with  Art Vesterdal’s stories and original songs about his Norwegian forefathers. Here’s one: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1916309125636287

A new kind of wilderness

On Nov. 3rd the lodge sponsored this movie as part of the Calgary European Film Festival, about a family who carved out a simple life and then are suddenly thrown back into more complex one.
A thought-provoking movie about keeping true to ideals in modern life. Great depiction of family life. Sundance film festival award.
It’s worth watching if becomes available on a streaming service. Official trailer  https://www.imdb.com/video/vi223200793/ Recommendations of recent Norwegian films to consider for CEFF 2026 are most welcome. They should be award-winning and not available for streaming.

Lefse Day

  • Saturday November 1st. The lefse sold quickly at the Scan Centre’s Nov. 9th Christmas market.

Folk Dance Workshop in Red Deer

Oct 3-5, 2025, Fanatullen hosted another excellent workshop with Mikkel and Ginny PLANNING ON WINNIPEG FOR THE OCTOBER 2-4, 2026 WORKSHOP

Sports Weekend, June 13-15, 2025 what a great time it was!

In addition to the Laft Hus Festival events, there was a talk Friday evening about ‘Crossings 200’, a celebration of the arrival of the first organized group of Norwegian settlers. And on Sunday a bus tour on the ‘Scandinavian Trail’ stopped at several places rich in the history of Scandinavian settlement.

Goats on the roof, lundehund dogs, fjord horse, Viking re-enactment, Scandinavian dancers, kubbe game, mobile axe-throwing truck, demonstrations in wood carving, rosemaling painting, hardanger embroidery & lefse making, Crossing 200 exhibit, Norwegian items for sale, food trucks and other vendors.