"Great Northern Viking Festival" debuts in Mankato

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) -This weekend saw the first ever Great Northern Viking Festival come to McGowan’s Farm near Mankato.

The festival came from a desire to celebrate and honor the Scandinavian heritage that is so common in Minnesota, and saw over 100 volunteers put on a weekend that hasn’t been seen anywhere in Minnesota.

“There’s literally nothing like this in this state, where it should be,” said volunteer Indigo Rankin. “I’m really proud to be a part of it and helping with the organizing too, because I am literally a part of history now.”

Organizers said that they took great effort in preserving that heritage while also making a fun and inviting weekend for everyone.

“I really wanted to have something that represented Scandinavian Norse culture and put it into more of a festival format with entertainment, so this festival is more about a mix of the old and the new,” said festival founder Inga From.

McGowan’s Farm was home to History Fest just a few weeks ago, and was underwater during the summer floods.

That flooding was worked into the construction of the festival, as wood washed up due to the floodwaters was gathered and turned into the festival’s entrance arch.

The weekend was also two festivals in one, as once the sun set the Viking Festival became A Night in Valhalla where the adults could celebrate uninterrupted.

“Traditionally when Vikings would gather together you would have your daytime activities; your trading, your buying merchandise, your festivities but then at night it’s almost like the kids go to bed and the grownups get to have their party and the festivities would usually travel on into the night,” said volunteer Tad Joel.

Organizers behind the festival said that they’re happy with how the inaugural weekend went and plan on having the festival return for years to come.

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