Discover the community’s Norwegian heritage at Taste of Norway and the Lost Arts Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at the Iola Historical Society’s village at 210 Depot St., in Iola.
Visitors will have an opportunity to sample Norwegian cuisine, including lefse, smultrenger (fry cakes), krumkaka, sandbakkels, rosettes and fattigman while watching demonstrations on how to make them.
The pastries and other homemade baked goods will be available for purchase while supplies last.
Food vendors this year include Crystal Cafe, Trout Bum Bakery and the Iola Lions Club.
Iola Historical Society members are selling Taste of Norway raffle tickets are and tickets will also be available the day of the event. The price is $3 per ticket or two tickets for $5.
The Taste of Norway food court will be located inside the Machine Shed.
Iola Historical Society docents will provide information on the historic buildings on the grounds, which include the Helvetia Town Hall; a replica of Iola’s first fire station; replica of a one-room schoolhouse; a circa-1920s log cabin, originally used locally by hunters; the original Iola & Northern Railway depot; and a vintage caboose. All buildings will be open for tours.
Admission is free.
Lost Arts Fair
The Lost Arts Fair will bring artisans to the village showing how things used to be done. Lost arts including blacksmithing, jewelry making, rosemaling, rug weaving and woodcarving will be demonstrated. Some of the artisans will have items for sale.
Craft vendors will also be on hand to sell a variety of handmade items.
Children’s activities
Children’s activities will take place in the replica vintage one-room schoolhouse, sponsored by the Sons Of Norway’s Norskeland Lodge 5-580 of Iola.
Fire extinguisher check
The Iola and Rural Fire Department will hold its annual fire extinguisher check at the 1901 vintage Iola fire station at the Iola Historic Village.
The department has arranged with licensed fire systems supplier Fire Pro to provide on-site fire extinguisher checks for $5.
Department personnel will check and service personal hand-held fire extinguishers to be sure they are current for use and insurance purposes.
The replica station contains Iola’s first three pieces of mechanized firefighting apparatus dating from 1913, 1926 and 1942.
Visit www.iolahistoricalsociety, www.ischamber.com or the Iola-Scandinavia Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page for more information.