ANGORA- Longtime Festival of Skalds fans who automatically think “August” will want to reset their calendars this year.
The popular Old Norse-themed Renaissance festival has permanently moved to the third weekend in July, with organizers hoping to avoid the increasingly crowded slate of August festivals across the region. The result is that Vikings, artisans, musicians, and the occasional dragon will once again take over the grounds at 8182 Carpenter Rd. this Saturday and Sunday, July 18-19.
Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $7 for adults, $2 for children ages 2-12, and free for children under 2. Visitors who bring a nonperishable canned food item will receive $1 off admission.
Named for the skalds, the poets, and storytellers who preserved Norse history through verse and song, the festival began in 2019 as an outgrowth of Cook-based Iron Ranger Arts. What started with just over a dozen craft vendors has grown into a two-day event featuring dozens of artisans, entertainers, demonstrations, and food vendors, all celebrating Norse and medieval traditions with a distinctly North Country flavor.
Visitors looking to do more than simply browse vendor booths will have plenty of opportunities to join the action. Primitive archery returns this year, with members of the North Woods School archery team providing instruction while raising money for their program. Axe throwing is also back, giving aspiring warriors another chance to test their aim, while medieval games and other hands-on activities will be offered throughout the weekend.
One of the festival’s perennial favorites, Dragon Hunter Training, will once again challenge brave youngsters to prove they’re ready for mythical adventures. Fortunately, the dragons have always shown remarkable patience with first-time hunters.
Music and entertainment continue throughout both days. Shimmy and Spice returns with performances that have become one of the festival’s biggest crowd draws, while area musician Robert Walker will once again lend his talents to the medieval atmosphere. Performers, demonstrations, and costumed reenactors help transform a quiet stretch of Carpenter Road into something that feels a little closer to another century.
The artisan marketplace remains the heart of the festival, with dozens of vendors offering everything from handcrafted pottery, leatherwork, and jewelry to fiber arts, Viking-inspired wares, fantasy-themed creations, and locally written books. Familiar regional artists, including Lyn Reed Pottery and Barbara Schroeder Fabric Art, will be among those showcasing their work, while Cook-based Iron Ranger Arts returns with the handcrafted medieval and Norse-inspired items that helped launch the festival in 2019. Visitors can also stop by Macroscian Books, where local author Dean Lappi will be signing copies of “Deepston”, his northwoods horror thriller. Whether searching for a one-of-a-kind gift or simply browsing the rows of artisan tents, festival-goers are likely to discover something unexpected before moving on to the next demonstration or performance.
Food vendors will also be serving a variety of options throughout the weekend. Familiar local favorite Rose Cottage Baking Co. will be joined by Three Dog Knight, serving classic American fare during the nation’s 250th anniversary year, along with Buccaneer Bites and several other vendors.
Organizers have a few reminders for visitors planning to attend. This year, guests may bring sealed plastic bottles of water onto the festival grounds. Dogs are also welcome, but owners should be prepared to provide proof of current vaccinations. Vaccinations will be checked. Comfortable shoes are also a good idea, since there’s plenty to see and enough to do that even the hardiest Viking is likely to spend a few hours exploring.
Additional information, advance tickets, and a complete schedule of entertainment, vendors and activities are available on the Festival of Skalds website at https://ironrangerarts.com/festival-of-skalds.