Sunday, the Nordic Heritage Museum will host a special memorial concert to honor the victims of last month's terrorist attacks in Norway. more ›

Scandinavians are so hot right now. Stieg Larsson’s literary trilogy is blowin’ up. Robyn’s musical trilogy has been racking up awards left and right. Viggo Mortensen was in that one movie, The Road. ABBA still kicks ass. So there’s a lot to celebrate about Nordic culture. This weekend provides a fantastic chance for you to experience all the humor and passion of Scandinavian films at the Nordic Lights Film Festival, which is hosted by the Nordic Heritage Museum at SIFF Cinema. more ›

We're not exactly Scrooges, but most things about the holidays are lame. The music is bad, mandatory hangouts with family are never quite what they are cracked up to be, the human stampedes at the local malls are an unbearable nightmare of consumer frenzy and if we never have to sit through another childrens choir performance it'll be too soon. Decorating is cool and so are parties where people dress up and drink too much, but short of that, we don't exactly look forward to this highest and coldest of seasons. more ›

Members of Bathory may not sport Fana cardigans on stage, but knitting is actually one of the oldest Nordic crafts, and a variation on the art was even popular among the Vikings (giving a whole new, knitting needle meaning to "Viking metal"). This weekend, crafty Seattleites have a unique opportunity to learn about Nordic knitting—which includes lacemaking, two-end/twined knitting, and weaving techniques—at the Nordic Knitting Conference. And all just in time to make some mittens for winter. more ›

There were at least 76 trombones at the big Norwegian Constitution Day parade in Ballard on Monday. The annual event marks the 1814 signing of Norway’s constitution, and Ballardites big and small were out in full force to celebrate. According to the organizers, this event is one of the largest ethnic parades in the country, and we’d be hard-pressed to think of a bigger one. The parade ran nearly two hours, and we were there to take in the crowd and snap a few pictures of the Norwegian revelry (unicycles and beaver viking floats included). more ›

We were completely late to the game for Seattle Sweden Week - which ran May 2 through May 9 - but we did manage to make it to one of the week’s closing programs. The Arctic Summer: Nordic Fashion Show was held at Ballard’s Nordic Heritage Museum on Saturday, presented by the Nordic Heritage Museum Arctic Circle and Swedish Women's Educational Association (SWEA). The show exhibited recent work of designers from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Faroe Islands; ranging from toddler and children's clothing to men's and women's upscale day wear. more ›

• In the dark of night, a two-story house was pulled across Fremont. Check out the story on the newly launched Fremont Universe.
• Someone stole a tow truck from Gene's Towing in Tacoma. Not the most inconspicuous getaway car.
• Do some good, go to Dutch Harbor and swig a few beers with Sig and the crew of The Deadliest Catch. The Nordic Heritage Museum is auctioning off the trip on September 21st, according to MyBallard.

• Few things bring us dorkier joy than guerrilla knitting, and PhinneyWood has photos of a newly spotted project.
• MyBallard reports that the Nordic Heritage Museum has plans to become a "world class museum" now that it's leaving its school house home. To this we say: held og lykke!
• According to HorsesAss.Org Bill Clinton got the biggest reception of the Democratic Convention by far. Guess ole' Slick Willie still has it.

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