PORT TOWNSEND — Vikings are invading Port Townsend on Saturday, but they come in peace.

The ninth annual Scandia Fall Fest, sponsored by the Thea Foss No. 45 Daughters of Norway, will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Blue Heron Middle School, 3939 San Juan Ave., filling the day with crafts, demonstrations and a celebration of Scandinavian heritage and customs.

‘Rich culture’

Admission is free to the fair, which has a theme of “A Viking Experience.”

“It’s a very rich culture,” said Jean Clark Kaldahl, who is the event’s chair.

“It’s artistic, with some wonderful crafts, and contains some very strong women, since the Viking women had to take care of everything while their husbands were off Viking-ing,” she said.

Kaldahl said the Viking culture represented at the event will not emphasize the warlike behavior.

Instead, it will concentrate on demonstrating the food, clothing and art of those historical explorers.

Colin Warren, a 2005 Port Townsend High School graduate and a member of the Society of Creative Anachronism, will appear at 12:15 p.m. on the stage of the Commons in costume to present aspects of Viking raiding and trading.

This will lead into six sites in the gym in the afternoon where youngsters and their families can experience varied details of Viking domestic life, hosted by “Viking women.”

“There are a lot of Scandinavian people in our community who carry on this heritage,” Kaldahl said.

Fishing, logging, food

“On Saturday, we will demonstrate a lot of the fishing and logging skills that we brought from the old country.”

Food is a big part of the festival, with cooking demonstrations and taste samples offered all day.

Homemade Scandinavian baked goods such as krumkake, waffles and lefse will be for sale, while pea soup will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Fruit pies and other desserts, along with coffee, tea and punch will be offered throughout the day.

Also on sale at the gym will be items handcrafted by area artists and craftspeople.

Brisingamen, a Viking music group, will perform.

A style show of Viking dress is planned.

Viking women will staff booths in the gym to present information about houses, family life and food, crafts and weaving, sports and games, runes and government.

Children will receive free passports to “travel” to these booths to gather information. Once their passports have been fully stamped, the children will receive a reward.

A children’s story hour will feature Nordic and Viking tales.

Any money raised from the fair will go to scholarships, Kaldahl said.

For more information, phone Kaldahl at 360-379-1802.

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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.