We have had the following activities in the past and would like to have them in the future. Are you interested? Contact Lodge President Jeff Jorgenson Jas_jorgenson@yahoo.com

Cooking and Baking

Music Appreciation

Join Us for Three Norskie BBQs at the Lodge This Summer!

We’re excited to host three summer BBQs at the lodge—come enjoy good food, great company, and classic summer fun. See the dates and times listed below.

The lodge will provide burgers and hot dogs, grilled to perfection by our very own Grill Master Greg Ovrebo and the hospitality team. Please bring a salad, side dish, or dessert to share. You’re welcome to bring your own adult beverages. The lodge will also offer a variety of drinks.

There will be games and activities for both kids and adults. While the lodge has some lawn chairs available, you might want to bring your own, just in case. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we’ll move the festivities indoors.

Lodge Picnicks 

Saturday June 21  4 PM

Saturday July 19 4 PM

Sunday August 17 4 PM

Summer Schedules

 Our last language class will be June 26. Classes resume in September.

 The Norwegian History Roundtable iwill meet in July. See Below

 Genealogy Interest Group will skip June and WILL meet in July, August and September. See Below

 Reading Circle schedule: no change. See Below

 Newsletter - no July issue, returns on August 1.

 Reading Circle

June Selection: The Greatest Viking by Desmond Seward Our fascination with the Vikings never seems to wane. And there does continue to be surprising new information about them. The lodge's Reading Circle will meet on Zoom at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, June 17, to discuss Desmond Seward's The Greatest Viking: The Life of Olav Haraldsson. Historian Paul Rood will lead the discussion. 

August Selection: The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinen We continue to learn more about the Sámi people. The Reading Circle will meet on Zoom at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, August 19, to discuss The End of Drum -Time by Hanna Pylväinen. Author Marisa Silver calls Pylväinen "a literary ventriloquist who gracefully evokes both the Sámi and the Swedes with a profound awareness of cultural nuance that makes any conversation or gesture of love thrum with social and political resonance. A brilliant achievement." Gail McGinn, who has a keen interest in the Sámi people, will lead the discussion.

Contact Christine Meloni at reading@norwaydc.org for the Zoom links for our summer meetings. Everyone is welcome to join the discussions.

Norwegian History Roundtable (NHR)

Sunday, July 27 at 3 PM - Zoom

“Coming to America

We will be sharing our stories—or our ancestors’ stories—of immigration to the U.S. I’ll be talking about how my grandfather left Norway in 1869 by sailboat. Of course, stories from any country are welcome. The broader our perspectives, the richer our conversation will be.

Genealogy Interest Group

(GIG) Upcoming Programs

On July 26, Dana Kelly, Executive Director of the Norwegian American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library, will speak about the resources and programs at the Naeseth Library for genealogy research.

On August 23, Liv Marit Haakenstad, Genit.no will discuss her research on religious emigration from Norway including the Lutheran state church, Haugeans, Mormons and Quakers.

On September 27, Eleanor Brinsko, Carlon Genealogical Services, LLC will speak about the Restauration and the Sloopers. The 200th anniversary of this first major emigration of Norwegians to the US in 1825 is October 9, Leif Erikson Day.

All meetings are at 3:00 pm on Zoom. To receive GIG emails and meeting links send an email to genealogy@norwaydc.org  

Welcome to our Website

Are you interested in Norway Literature, History, Folklore, Genealogy, Food, or Language? Do you want to connect to your roots, study the Viking age or the Norwegian Resistance in WWII, or discuss the latest in Norwegian culture?
The Sons of Norway members in the nation's capital, representing a diversity of background and nationality, share an interest in Norwegian and Scandinavian Culture. We trust that all ages will find something of interest -- in our web site and in our lodge. We have almost 400 members. Most are from the local area of DC, Maryland, and Virginia, but we also have members from another 16 states as well as Norway, Canada, and Great Britain.

For information on membership, please contact Linda Hestvik linda703@aol.com 

To join the Washington Lodge click the "Join Our Lodge" button under the Picture at the top of this page. 

Hint: When you push a brown button, it will open a new tab on your screen. However, if you close the tab, it will return you to the previous screen.

 Syttende Mai (17th of May)

The Norwegian Embassy and local organizations celebrate Norway’s Constitution Day, Syttende Mai (17th of May) every year with a picnic at Carderock Recreation Area in Potomac, Maryland (directions). This year’s picnic will be Saturday, May 17 1-3 pm. Enjoy free hotdogs, ice cream and popcorn under picnic pavilion. There will be games for the kids and music by the Rockville Brass Band. A keynote speaker will address the crowd followed by a flag-filled parade around the picnic area. 

Please RSVP so that food can be  adequately planned: www.norchamdc.org/events/syttende-mai-picnic-in-the-park- 2025  One of our jobs is handing out popcorn (we bring a popcorn machine!). It’s great fun. If you’d like to help at the picnic please email VP Linda Hestvik at VP@NorwayDC.org. Or just stop by and enjoy the celebration. There is more information on Page 19 of the May Newsletter. 

Since the lodge will be busy with this event and the Embassy Open House (below), we will not hold a regular meeting this month. Watch for information on our summer picnics, starting in June.

Restauration/Crossings 200

The arrival of the Restauration in New York Harbor on October 9, 1825, marked the beginning of documented Norwegian American history. Our Lodge is excited to join the broader Sons of Norway community — along with the Norwegian Embassy, The Norwegian American newspaper, the Norwegian American Historical Association, and other organizations — in celebrating the bicentennial of this historic event.  The Crossings 200 Committee will coordinate our observation plans. If you're interested in helping out, please contact Bill DeRoche at Programs@NorwayDC.org.

Restauration played a central role in what is widely considered the first organized emigration from Norway to America. On July 4, 1825, the sloop departed from Stavanger with 52 passengers on board—many of them Norwegian Quakers. It is likely that several of these emigrants were also part of the Haugean movement, a Lutheran revival inspired by Hans Nielsen Hauge. Led by Cleng Peerson, the group arrived in New York City on October 9, 1825, after a three-month journey across the Atlantic.

Their voyage was later chronicled in Amerika-boka (The America Book, 1838) by Ole Rynning. Due to its small size, the Restauration exceeded the legal passenger limit under American maritime laws. This led to a steep fine, confiscation of the ship, and the arrest of its captain, L. O. Helland. However, President John Quincy Adams intervened on November 15, issuing a pardon that released both the captain and the vessel, and canceled the fine. The passengers, often referred to as "Sloopers," eventually made their way to their first settlement in Kendall, Orleans County, New York.

Cultural Skills

This fall the lodge is running a Cooking Pin Challenge.  Photograph the Norwegian treats and main dishes you cook this fall, and let’s see how many lodge members can earn a first, second, or third cultural skills pin before the end of the year!  Email culturalskills@norwaydc.org to find out more about the Cultural Skills program.