A lawn program at Balboa Park’s International Cottages today celebrated Norse history and culture. The House of Norway provided food and entertainment, and a visit from Viking explorer Leif Erikson (an actor)!
What I found most interesting, however, was a living history “encampment” on the International Cottages lawn. Costumed members of Wolves ov Odin were showing what Norse life was like in the 8th century!
Perhaps you’ve seen Wolves ov Odin at the annual Viking Festival in Vista, California. They are a group that portrays Danish Vikings that lived in the Jorvik region of present day York, UK.
As you can see, curious people converged on several tables to see and touch history.
Read the photo captions for a bit of what I learned…
Viking chain mail armor on display. I lifted one end and it was heavy! Those steel helmets in the background were heavy, too! Better a sore neck than a hole in the head!Creating chain mail by interlocking iron rings was a long process undertaken by Viking smiths. Iron was rare and chain mail shirts were relatively rare.A beautifully engraved but deadly Viking axe. I wish I had learned more about it.A simple sundial made of wood, which could double as a compass to aid in Viking ocean navigation. An X marks noon–I took this photo a few minutes before the shadow lined up with it!Making a replica Viking coin, using a length of modern steel tubing for hammering safety.I got my own, freshly minted pewter Viking Raven Penny of Anlaf Guthfrithson!Demonstrating a replica Oseberg Sprang Weaving Loom, a loom from the Oseberg ship, a well-preserved Viking ship discovered in 1904 in Norway.Combing and spinning wool with a hand spindle preceded tablet weaving and making Viking clothing and ship sails!The spindles were very simple.It never occurred to me that Viking sails were made by weaving!Beads were a sign of wealth among Vikings.A smile and sample of Viking life.
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About a thousand years ago, Viking explorer Leif Erikson was the first European to set foot on continental America. He established a Norse settlement in a place he called Vinland. Today he arrived in San Diego, California!
Leif greeted an enthusiastic crowd in Balboa Park. He extended a greeting and read an ancient Norse poem. Then he adjusted his beard, pocketed his phone and smiled for photographs!
Yes, this particular Leif Erikson was an impersonation. Jordan Jacobo, a personality on KPBS, did the honors!
As you might have guessed, the House of Norway hosted their cultural lawn program today in Balboa Park. In addition to meeting Leif, families could gobble authentic Norwegian waffles and Polse i lompe (hot dog in a lompe–I had mine with shrimp, sour cream, mayo, dill and lemon juice) and wash it down with Saft (blueberry juice).
Kids were running wild, enjoying axe throwing, fish toss and other lively competitions. They posed with a Viking longship and could have their names written in runes. At several tables adults could learn about Norse crafts, including rosemaling (decorative folk painting), smøyg (pattern darning), wood carving, Hardanger embroidery and knitting. There was accordion music, too!
A living history encampment showed how life might have been in Norway during the age of the Vikings. I will be blogging about that coming up!
Enjoy some photographs!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Ready for combat, warriors file through the 16th Annual Viking Festival in Vista, California.
Today I headed up to Vista to enjoy the 16th Annual Viking Festival, which is being held this weekend in and around Norway Hall.
This very popular festival features everything Norse, including costumes, crafts, cultural demonstrations, live music on two stages, and a wide variety of spirited competitions. There’s a Viking Beard Competition, a Viking Horn Blowing contest, a Kids Fish Fling, a Guardians of Midgard Chest Game, and an epic All Weapons Tournament. Although I didn’t stay to watch, I learned that Saturday evening concludes with spectacular flaming axe throwing!
I arrived shortly after the gate opened, then wandered about taking it all in before the festival became extremely crowded.
Here come a bunch of photos!
The Vista Viking Festival continues on Sunday. If you’re in the area, you might want to head on over yourself! If you don’t care for big crowds, come early!
The very popular Vista Viking Festival attracts thousands of visitors every year.
I was given a hearty welcome by these noble members of The Norwegian Fish Club, who meet in Vista’s Norway Hall and put on the festival.
The Norwegian Fish Club serves as a forum for persons attached to Norway, its history or mythology. Officers and various members dress in Viking attire!
Shortly after I entered the Viking Festival, I spotted this rather unusual longship!
It appears I’ve entered Vikings territory!
In addition to crafts and artwork, some of the vendors sell swords, axes and other weapons used by fierce Norsemen long ago.
A basket full of plastic two-horned Viking helmets.
Norway Hall in Vista is where locals gather to share unique culture and history from old Scandinavia.
Food and entertainment are plentiful at the Annual Viking Festival.
I hadn’t realized that Vikings ate hot dogs!
The festival’s Northern Territory is where the Viking clans camp. Demonstrations and reenactments can be enjoyed by curious visitors.
These folk show what life might have been like in parts of northern Europe during the Viking Age.
A lady at work making Viking crafts.
This friendly Viking gent welcomed me to his camp. Various groups actually camp in the park-like setting around Norway Hall during the weekend of the festival.
Signs explained different aspects of Norse mythology, including Valhalla, a great hall in Asgard, where fallen heroes assemble and are ruled over by Odin.
The singing group Damekor performs on the Loke Stage during the Viking Festival.
Hair braiding could be observed everywhere. I was told the length of a Viking’s hair was often representative of their social status. Long, elaborate braids would be “sewn together” and tended by servants.
Every sort of Viking armor, costume and dress could be found throughout the festival.
One vendor was showing these very cool stained glass dragons.
Another vendor had magic runes for sale.
Another had a big inventory of very colorful mugs.
These funny bearded mugs resemble thirsty Viking warriors!
A metalsmith was at work in the festival’s Northern Territory.
So was a woodcarver. This guy was fashioning a Viking bowl, or skål, based on actual archaeological findings.
More armor and weaponry that might have been used by marauding Norsemen.
Bread was being baked in two large outdoor earthen ovens.
Visitors to the Viking Festival can purchase fresh bread, crumpets, scones and other goodies.
This funny fellow was guarding a Staff Only festival entry.
I believe this guy was making collectible Viking charms by pouring molten metal into small molds.
One vendor had all sorts of fantastic, glittering figurines on display. I see a couple of dragons perched on geodes.
Visitors to the 16th Annual Viking Festival in Vista walk through the Southern Territory.
A Viking combat demonstration had just ended, and some festival visitors were talking to one of the participants.
I enjoyed viewing an ongoing blacksmith demonstration at Odin’s Forge.
Kids pose in a Viking longship for a fun photo.
At the Weapons Range, visitors to the Viking Festival try their hand at archery, spear and axe throwing.
Aiming for the dragon!
And there’s a large beer garden, too. Cheers!
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Viking warriors gather at Embarcadero Marina Park South during 2017 Comic-Con to reenact the funeral ceremony of a fallen hero.
A special event during 2017 Comic-Con was held Friday evening at Embarcadero Marina Park South. Vikings, a popular show on History, staged a ceremonial Viking funeral that climaxed with the burning of a longship on San Diego Bay!
A large crowd gathered in the park and watched as a fallen hero was carried off by other warriors with great solemnity. Then they cheered when the principal actors made a sudden appearance.
The staged burning of the Viking longship was exactly the sort of spectacle one expects at Comic-Con!
Fans at San Diego Comic-Con await a special event that promotes History’s hit show Vikings.
A 45 foot Viking longship floats on San Diego Bay. Its burning will be a central attraction of the event.
Here come actors portraying a clan of Vikings. We’re almost ready to begin.
A fallen warrior is ready to be carried from a small fortress-like Viking building.
The body is transported out in a solemn ceremony.
I knew the Vikings were great explorers, but I didn’t realize they sailed all the way to San Diego Bay!
Act One is complete.
After a long wait, the stars of the show arrive to much cheering. Here comes Katheryn Winnick, who portrays Lagertha.
And here is Alexander Ludwig, who plays Bjorn Ironside.
Alexander Ludwig greets his fans in San Diego during 2017 Comic-Con.
A crowd favorite arrives. It’s Alex Hogh Andersen, who plays Ivar the Boneless.
Alex Hogh Andersen heads into the fortress, from which the actors address the crowd.
Everyone listens to the actors, watches a trailer and answers show trivia for prizes while we wait for twilight.
People grow restless after waiting quite a long while.
The Viking longship is overtaken by shadow as the sun sets, then finally the nearby boats move safely away.
A Viking funeral. The longship burns on San Diego Bay.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
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