Taste of Norway and Lost Arts Fair Set for Oct. 3

IOLA – The aroma of freshly baked Norwegian pastries and the sound of traditional craftsmanship will fill the air during the Iola Historical Society’s upcoming Taste of Norway and Lost Arts Fair.

The event on Oct. 3 will take place alongside the annual Fall Craft & Gift Show at the Iola Historic Village & Museum complex at 210 Depot Street. The event has free admission and will bring together regional artisans, historical displays and Scandinavian culinary heritage.

Craft show vendors will open their booths at 9 a.m. and operate through 2 p.m., while Norwegian pastry demonstrations and food sales begin at 10 a.m. and continue as long as supplies last.

Experienced local bakers will showcase the step-by-step preparation of classic Scandinavian treats, including lefse, krumkaka, sandbakkels, rosettes and fattigman. Attendees can purchase homemade pastries for $10 per dozen and packaged lefse for $8.

Dining options inside the Machine Shed food court feature local favorites such as the Crystal Cafe, Scandinavia’s Trout Bum Bakery, and the Iola Lions Club, which will serve grilled brats and hot dogs with the option of being wrapped in lefse. Boy Scout Troop 631 will provide beverages, while Girl Scout Troop 6290 assists visitors throughout the dining area.

Across the historic grounds, the Lost Arts Fair will highlight traditional trades as artisans perform live demonstrations of rosemaling, woodcarving, rug weaving, basket weaving, and knitting. Vendors at the Fall Gift & Craft Show will offer handmade soaps, Norwegian goods, jewelry, quilts, caramels, jams and jellies.

Young visitors can head to the replica one-room schoolhouse starting at 10:30 a.m. for children’s activities hosted by the Sons of Norway Norskeland Lodge 5-580, featuring craft projects, snacks, and a vintage corn sheller.

Historical society docents will guide tours of campus buildings, including a 1920s log cabin and the Helvetia Town Hall. Museum exhibits will showcase Native American artifacts, the Stromberg violin collection, displays honoring World War II B-17 pilot Lee Nelson and publisher Chester Krause, as well as vintage automobiles including a 1903 Ford Model A and a 1957 Chevy Bel Air. The 1894 railroad depot and caboose remain closed to visitors while under renovation.

Community services and agricultural exhibits round out the day’s schedule. From 9 a.m. to noon, the Iola & Rural Fire Department and Fire Pro will inspect personal handheld fire extinguishers for $5 per unit at the 1901 fire station replica. Members of the Central Wisconsin Tractor Club will display classic tractors and vintage farm equipment.

There is also a fundraising raffle drawing at 1:45 p.m. featuring a $500 top cash prize from BankFirst, a Glacier Wood golf package for four, and a $100 prize from Premier Community Bank.

Event proceeds support ongoing community preservation efforts, including the restoration of the 1894 Iola & Northern Railroad depot.