History of the Leiv Eriksson International Festival

In 1987 under the charismatic leadership of Pastor John Mauritzen Mindekirken established an annual festival to celebrate the roots of Nordic culture in the United States, particularly the legacy of Leiv Eriksson who allegedly came to North America in the year 1000. The first planning committee brought together representatives from multiple Scandinavian organizations to generate ideas and invite outstanding talent from Norway to anchor the week-long festival. The mission of the festival is to bring "together leading artists, educators, government leaders and theologians to explore moderen values in Norway and the American Midwest contemporary societies with a common heritage." Patron of the Festival is His Majesty King Harald V of Norway. The LEIF Festival consists of many types of events, including the Festival Mass, an authentic "high mass" of the state church of Norway, conducted as close as possible to the officially proclaimed Leiv Eriksson Day on October 9 and including guest speakers and artists (musical, media and poetic) as well as Mindekirken’s Choir and local resources to present a festive and spiritual experience.

Over the years the festivals have brought top-ranked Norwegian cultural talent to Mindekirken and the Midwest. Among the artists and cultural leaders who have appeared are violinists Arve Tellefsen, Lise Baatnes, and Trond Sæverud, violist Lars Anders Tomter, trumpet virtuoso Ole Edvard Antonsen, oboist Steinar Hannevold, pianists Haavard Gimse, Ivar Kleve, and Eva Knardal, soloists Birgitte Grimstad, Audun Kayser, and Marit Osnes Aambø, choirs from Oslo and Fana, political leaders Rune Gerhardsen and Tove Strand Gerhardsen, bishops Ola Steinholt and Andreas Aarflot, author-poet Eyvind Skeie, actor Trond Woxen, technology expert Steinar Opstad, former Icelandic prime minister Thorsteinn Pálsson, and explorer Thor Heyerdahl.

Alongside these imported stars, L.E.I.F has featured recitals by Mindekirken’s music director Jim Reilly and numerous classical concerts performed by the Festival Strings under the direction of David Ulfeng. Commissioned works for the Mindekirken choir by Arne Bech as well as American composers Paul Siskind and Charles McHugh (working from Norwegian texts) have enjoyed world premieres in 1998, 1999, and 2000. In 1999 two special exhibits of immigrant treasures from Vesterheim Museum and a bustrip to Decorah to view the full collection offered family entertainment to complement the week’s performances. In 2001 for the first time the festival is expanding from one to four weeks with multiple venues and a broader array of cultural offerings.