Hundreds came out to the 21st annual Heritage Day at the Leif Erikson Lodge last week, an event that was started to introduce the public the crafts, food, and culture of Norway. 

The day started with the fifth annual 5k Leif-to-Leif fun run and walk, which takes participants from the Leif Erikson Lodge to the Leif Erikson statue at Shilshole and back. All participants received waffles and a Norwegian flag.

Among the runners were Kristin Lie from Everett and first timer Holly Dannowitz of North Dakota. 
Dannowitz, in town to visit her boyfriend, who is the son of a Norwegian immigrant, said the Heritage Day and Taste of Norway was "a really great learning experience". 

"I didn't realize there were these nooks of Scandinavian heritage in Seattle. It's really neat to have a festival dedicated to one's cultural heritage. I kind of felt like I was at my grandma's house," said Dannowitz, who's three-quarters Norwegian.

A feast for the eyes, ears, and mouth, Heritage Day and Taste of Norway took place at the Leif Erikson Lodge following the 5k run and is intended to showcase Norwegian culture. 

Entertainment included Norwegian crafts, live music and dance performances, and a traditional Bunad parade, with men, women, and children walking in tradition Norwegian clothing. 

On the menu were traditional foods including pickled herring, lapskaus (a stew), rømmegrøt (a pudding), krumkake (a waffle cookie), lefse (a flatbread), vafler (waffles), and smørbrød (an open sandwich).

"I wasn't brave enough to try the pickled herring but I did have a salmon and egg sandwich. And I also had some kind of almond pie and it was delicious," said Dannowitz.  

"It was so much fun to introduce to an important part of our family, which is our heritage," stated Kristin Lie, whose entire family attended the event. "When we did the 5k run, we showed her my dad and uncle's names on the Leif Erikson statue. They were some of the early immigrants that came to Seattle." 

Over the years attending Norwegian Heritage has become a tradition, said Lie.

"My dad, Signar Lie, came from Norway to be a commercial fisherman. So there's definitely a lot of Norwegian Pride in the family," she said. 

It was the first time the Lie family had participated in the 5k Leif-to-Leif run but it may become a new family tradition. 

"It really was extra fun and exciting to do the 5k run," Lie said. 

For Dannowitz, the 5k run certainly wasn't her first running event but it was the first time running while holding a flag in hand and wearing a Viking helmet. 

"It was a lot of fun. And I could definitely feel the sense of pride that the family has," she said. 

"I think it's important to get in touch with the culture you came from or even expose yourself to a new culture if you're not Norwegian," added Lie. "If you're in Ballard, you don't want to miss it."

The 21st annual Norwegian Heritage Day and Taste of Norway was another success for the Leif Erikson Lodge.