San Francisco Bay Area Norway Days Festival 2002

Peg, Keith & daughter Cheryl decided to drive the long distance down to the 10th Annual Norway Days Festival held at the San Mateo Expo Center south of San Francisco on May 3rd & 4th.  The weather was beautiful and the Festival was fun.  Here are some photos from our Saturday there.  We met many old and new friends.  Names are not one of Keith's strong points, so if he happened not to write someone's name down, it quickly slipped out of his aging memory bank.  If we made any mistakes below, Keith takes the blame.  We would welcome any corrections or needed additions.

A few photos from our 2001 visit can be seen on our "San Francisco Bay Area Norway Days Festival 2001" page.

Upon entering the grounds, we soon encounter this replica of a Norwegian stabbur (storage building) where Peg and Cheryl are asked to pose.

We couldn't resist getting this photo of some great looking young Norwegians!

Another view of the center of the festival with flags flying above the Sami camp, as seen here from the rear.

The opening ceremony with welcoming from many dignitaries.

Here Cheryl & Peg look on from the pleasant sidelines as some of the performances begin.

Watching the Bay Area Nordahl Grieg Barneleikarring Children's Folk Dancing Group is always a great treat.

Here Director Mikkel leads the Nordahl Grieg Leikarring Traditional Norwegian Folk Dance Group out on stage for their performance.

This California Bay Area group is always impressive as well as just fun to watch.

A little later in the day, the musical group Knotwork performs on stage.

Norway List member Jan Griggs agreed to let List members use her norwegianwear.com sweater booth as a contact point. (Maybe we had better add this photo to our "Norwegian Sweater" page.)

While we missed a few who stopped by, we were able to assemble this group of Listers: L to R - Jerry Bragstad, (Lynn's husband in rear in new sweater), Lynn Mendoza, Keith Wheeler & Stephanie Benoit. (Jan was busy with a customer.)

After a busy day of presentations & visiting with & helping numerous people, Blaine Hedberg is able to sit back and relax a bit. Blaine was here representing the Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library of Madison, WI.

Here in the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum booth, we find Executive Director Janet Blohm Pultz and Madison's Development Officer, Michael Hamer.

As the crowd thins out later in the afternoon, Keith is able to get this view of one isle inside the west building. 

Looking down one side of the east building, in addition to other booths and attractions, the "born in Norway" Th!nk electric car can be seen in the distance.

Mikkel Thompson & friend. Mikkel is the director of the Nordahl Grieg Leikarring dance group from the Bay area. We seem to run in to Mikkel in all kinds of interesting places. (See Report #18 from our Summer 2000 Norway trip.)

Before the day is over, Keith & Peg meet up with Keith's 1st cousin (& fellow "Slooper") Jim Wheeler, along with his wife Meri and son Paul (with new Viking tee shirt).

While at the Festival, Keith continued to look for suggestions and support for his "Slooper Monument Project" proposed for the Napa Tulocay Cemetery. If you have the time, look over his proposal at his web page devoted to this idea.  We would love your ideas and input.

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