Vikings are set to invade Seattle at the 30th annual Viking Days on Saturday, August 17, and Sunday, August 18. The free admission event at the Nordic Heritage Museum in Ballard (3014 NW 67th St) will feature Nordic entertainment, food, activities, and lots of Vikings.

A traditional Swedish pancake breakfast will start each day at 9:00 a.m. while the festival will run both days from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. And on Saturday night only, guests can enjoy a special alder-smoked salmon BBQ from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

One of the most exciting elements of the weekend is the Viking Encampment, where event-goers will see what a day in the life of a Viking was really like from demonstrations in cooking, weaving, and wood carving to interactive games — and battle!

Even the HISTORY® original television series Vikings will have a presence at the event, offering those who take and tag their pictures a chance at Vikings prizes.

Throughout the festival, delicacies from each of the five Nordic countries will be available for purchase, including Swedish meatballs, Norwegian lefse, Danish aebleskiver, Finnish voileipä (open-faced sandwiches), and Icelandic sweets like vinarterta, a delicious layer cake. In addition, the outdoor Valhalla Beer Garden will offer grilled sausages as well as beer from Carlsberg and Odin Brewing Company.

Music will be a highlight of the entire festival, with dozens of groups, ranging from traditional folk to rock, playing on multiple stages. In addition, local merchants will sell Nordic, local, and hand-crafted items.

The family-friendly event will also include low-cost craft projects for kids and the Nordic Spirit ship will be set up for close inspection and photos.

Attendees will also have a chance to win a raffle for a variety of prizes including tickets aboard Icelandair.

Admission to both Viking Days and the Museum is free for all ages, and is a great opportunity to view the exhibition Ørnulf Opdahl - Mood Paintings of the North visiting from Norway through September 1.

Visit http://www.nordicmuseum.org for all the details.

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