Swedlund grew up in Velva and has had more than 14 years of experience in nonprofit management and event planning.

“I just want to reflect on my first month in this position,” Swedlund said. “I’m captivated by the ownership that the Minot community has taken for this event and the ways in which they have historically given their time, talents and resources to make sure it happens. I think that, for me, is really powerful.”

Swedlund reflected on how the festival has changed throughout the years yet has also remained the same. “It looks different perhaps now than it did then,” he said. “People still care as deeply as they did then.”

The organizers’ and visitors’ passion for celebrating Scandinavian heritage has been a constant and this year is no exception.

Another continuing tradition is the crowning of Miss Norsk Hostfest and this years’ honor was awarded to Jersey Johnson of Minot. Johnson will be representing the Norsk Høstfest next week during the festival.

Along with her title, Johnson is also receiving a $1,000 scholarship from Farmers Insurances, Miranda Schuler Agency.

“I think Jersey’s long commitment to this festival makes her an obvious selection for this honor,” Swedlund said.

As Miss Norsk Hostfest, Johnson will also have the opportunity to compete for the title of Miss North Dakota 2025, taking place in Williston next June.

Johnson is a junior at Minot State University, majoring in communication sciences and disorders with a minor in deaf and hard of hearing education and leadership.

“I am beyond honored to have received the title of Miss Norsk Hostfest 2024. I cannot wait to meet everyone at the festival,” Johnson said in a news release. “Thank you for letting me represent my heritage on a larger scale. And a huge thank you to all the sponsors, board members and volunteers who make this possible.”

One of the newer developments to the festival is a facelift to the Family Fjord stage.

“The Family Fjord area is a kids area that’s been around for some time but this year, through some support from the Magic City Lions Club, we’ve been able to really ramp up the programming and the offerings for that stage,” Swedlund said.

Well-known local artist and children’s book author Max Patzner has teamed up with Hostfest to do some work for the Family Fjord stage in regards to setting.

The Magic City Discovery Center is yet another collaborating partner with Hostfest’s Family Fjord stage this year.

The Family Fjord area will now feature hands-on learning modules that are both STEAM and Scandinavia centered. The acronym STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art and math.

Each element of STEAM will be paired up with a Nordic country, such as science in Finland, art in Norway, math in Sweden and so on.

These activity modules will focus on educating guests of all ages about things such as reindeer, the Aurora Borealis, rosemaling and weaving and the symmetry of the dala horse.

“We really want families, parents, grandparents, to think about how they bring their youngsters to the event and how those youngsters can have their own Norsk Hostfest experience,” Swedlund said. “Throughout the whole day there will be entertainment, musicians, dancing, storytelling and music at this stage. It’s a really great place for kids to find their own version of this festival.”

Norsk Hostfest was founded in 1978 and is now entering its 46th year. Over the decades, the festival has grown into North America’s largest Scandinavian festival. The tens of thousands of visitors come from across the country and continents to enjoy music, food and culture and to have fun.

“The Hostfest transforms the North Dakota State Fair Center into a place beyond the scopes of our Minot region,” Swedlund said. “The smell, the sounds, the sights take you to another place and that, for me, is the magic of this event.”