Two festivals to merge at Hjemkomst Center this week

MOORHEAD - The 35th annual Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival and the fifth annual Midwest Viking Festival are teaming up this year for one celebration from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday in Moorhead.

Sweden is the featured country of the festival this year, so a Scandinavian quartet will be present, along with other musicians, dancers, booth exhibits, foods and presentations on all four floors of the Hjemkomst Center.

For history buffs there will be a Viking village with demonstrations of the arts, combat skills and everyday life of the Vikings.

Admission is $10 per day for adults and $5 per day for children ages 13-17. Children 12 and younger are admitted free. For more information, call (218) 299-5452.

Other upcoming events in the area include:

• Perham Turtle Fest, through Sunday: The downtown Perham celebration started Saturday and runs through Sunday. The fest will be full of vendors, a grand parade, turtle races, a street dance, demolition derby and more. Log on to perham.com for more information.
• Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Tuesday through Friday, Minnesota State University Moorhead: Swing by the Gaede Stage at MSUM for a Straw Hat Players performance full of nostalgia, Catskills humor and colorful characters at 7:30 p.m. each night. The show is rated PG-13 for language. Call (218) 477-2271 for more information.
• Summer Splash, Moorhead Municipal Pool, Thursday: Make a splash with free pool admission from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday. There will be a Games Galore slip-n-slide, water races and games, a diving contest and more. Free pop while supplies last. Call (218) 299-5364 for more information.
• Park It!, Fargo McCormick Park, Thursday: Attend one of many parties in the parks this summer to create arts and crafts from 1 to 4 p.m. this Thursday. The event travels to a different park every week during summer. Adult supervision is required. Call 299-7788 for more information.
• Mayville, Portland, N.D. Summerfest, Thursday through Sunday: The Mayville Portland Lions club is sponsoring the annual Summerfest, featuring parades, reunions, banquets, street dances, a 5K run/walk and more. Log on to mayvilleportland.com for more information.
• Mason Jennings Concert, Island Park, Friday: Mason Jennings returns to Fargo for a show at 8 p.m. Friday at The Stage at Island Park to promote his latest CD. Tickets for this all-ages show are $29.50. Fees may apply. Call (866) 300-8300 for more information.
• Abercrombie, N.D., Aber Day Celebration, Saturday: Visit Abercrombie starting at 8 a.m. Saturday for Aber Days, a celebration with a rodeo, street dance, three-on-three basketball, a flea market, craft show and more.
• Binford, N.D., Professional Bull Riding, Saturday: Visit the small town of Binford for a big outdoor rodeo with 30 riders pre-entered and 25 cowboys ready to ride sheep during intermission. Children's tickets are $7 in advance and $10 at the door. Preschoolers are free. Adult general admission for the rodeo is $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Call (701) 789-1695 for more information.