Prince George wears its Norwegian flag on its sleeve this spring.
For the fourth time in its 57-year local history, the Sons of Norway (SON) culture and heritage group will host its regional convention in B.C.'s northern capital. The local branch of SON hosted this gathering in 1970, '80, and '90 and they say "velkommen" once more from May 2 to 6 at the Sandman Signature Hotel.
The event will involve a tour of the city for out-of-town guests, meals and social mixers, a folk dance workshop, meetings on association business, Norwegian cultural art displays, and other features.
"It is important that we keep these valuable traditions alive, for ourselves as well as for the coming generations," said Cultural Room co-ordinator Elsa Aase. "In these modern times with so much rush and stress, they can easily be overlooked. I feel a good display will encourage others to take up some of these art forms."
The lodges coming to the event are encouraged to bring forth their displays and competition items on May 3 for setup in the Cultural Room, whereafter it will be a central part of the convention.
SON is the largest Norwegian group outside of Norway, with more than 62,000 members in Canada and the United States. There are about 20 lodges and 2,000 members in SON District 7, which encompasses British Columbia. Prince George's Rondane Lodge was first established in 1955 and at its peak had more than 400 members and owned its own resort in the 1970s.
Although smaller now, it is still an active group participating in many of the root activities championed by Rondane members over the years. The Caledonia Nordic Ski Club and Otway Ski Centre itself, as well as Tabor Mountain's many outdoor sports amenities, can trace their origins back to SON activities.
The convention chair is Tore Pettersen, available by phone at 250-964-9664 or by email at [email protected] for more information on the event. Website information on the event is available at www.sofn7.com.
