1993 Uffda Day brought together tourists and local Norwegians to celebrate the harvest and enjoying the homemade ice cream and other edible treats demonstrated by the local folks. The scalloped potato supper was served at the Hall for an amazing price of $2.75, others enjoyed the Varme Polse (wiener in lefse) for $1 and the Risengrynsgrot (rice pudding) for fifty cents. A couple of old mule skinners trotted out the team to give the crowd rides around Rutland to see the signs. Twenty-two crafters demonstrated and sold their wares including hardanger, bobbin lace, rosemaling, wheat weaving, potpourri, rope making and others. A clown made balloon animals for the younger visitors and antique farm machinery was exhibited for others to enjoy. The second pet show went well with twenty-five pets which this year included rabbits, hamsters, and a salamander.
Author: rutlandramblings
1992 Uffda Day includes a pet show
The 8th annual Uffda Day in 1992 included the car show, arts and craft sales, horse farming demonstration, antique machinery display, the quilt display, horse drawn rides. Fry bread was also offered for sale for the first time at Uffda Day. Approximately 1800 lefse were made before Uffda Day and packed in threes to sell for $1.75. Fresh off the grill lefse was served for seventy-five cents for whole piece and four-bits for half a piece (that’s 50 cents). About 970 meals of escalloped potatoes and ham was served at the Hall where guests were entertained by The Happy Norwegians. The estimates of the crowd during the day’s activities far exceeded 1,000.
According to reports, the pet show went pretty well for the first attempt. There were 27 pets entered including a llama, miniature horse, sheep, parakeets, goldfish, dogs, cats and one chicken. After the pet show there was a kiddies parade that lasted about five minutes.
Uffda Day 1991 Record Numbers
Rutland’s 7th annual Uffda Day on Sunday, October 6, 1991, drew a record crown with an estimated 850-900 eating at the Hall alone.
The second annual antique and classic car show drew 35 entries and many spectators. Winners included: Mayor’s Choice – 1957 chevy belonging to Charles Jorgenson of Lisbon; Longest Distance – ’40 Chevy owned by Larry Graffis of Moorhead; and the People’s Choice – a 1951 Studebaker owned by Bernard Holland of Lidgerwood.
Pioneer skills were again demonstrated with the usual tatting, embroidery, cream separating, butter churning, clothes washing, sausage making, quilt making, rope making and other skills. There were ethnic foods for sampling and at the buffet meal in the Hall. Horse farming demonstrations and horse drawn rides were available. Many exhibitors and crafters displayed their handiwork. A new attraction was the postage stamp cancellation that was completely sold out, including about 200 requests from collections across the nation. Special features throughout the day were entertainment by musicians and a new attraction specifically for the children’s entertainment including painting and a clown.
The pioneer house was a popular attraction with its old-time cook stove turning out coffee and muffins all day. The cookstove also served to keep the building warm which MaryAnn Thornberg served the muffins.
Uffda Day enters the ’90s
Rutland’s sixth annual Uffda Day was held on Sunday, October 7, 1990, with a large crowd attendance. A new attraction this year was the car show. Thirty-nine vehicles were on display including antiques, street rods and restored classics. Two awards for given: (1) for the longest distance that went to Wallace Nelson from East Grand Forks and (2) the People’s Choice Award given to Richard Engwicht of Oakes (no information was located on what make and model the vehicles were that year).
Pioneer skills demonstrated were tatting, bobbin lace, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, hardanger, spinning, counted cross-stitch, cream separating, butter churning, sausage making, clothes washing, gas engines, corn shelling, rope making and homemade ice cream. Fresh lefse was rolled out at the senior center and fed numerous visitors who wanted to try the Norwegian taste treats.
There were ten ethnic foods prepared for everyone to enjoy together with a buffet meal. A horse farming demonstration, antique farm machinery display, quilt display and horse drawn rides were enjoyed by young and old. About 40 exhibitors and crafters displayed their items.
A special feature throughout the day was entertainment by musicians and square dancers. The Pioneer House, furnished to represent the early 1900s, was also a new attraction.
1989 State Centennial Celebration & Uffda Day
In May of 1989, the Community Club made the decision to move Uffda Day to the first weekend in October and planning began. The event would also be part of the Rutland State Centennial Celebration on Sunday, October 8, 1989. Events actually began on Saturday evening with a potluck supper at the Hall. The Centennial Chorus from Rutland, South Dakota, entertained the supper crowd with several old favorites. They were followed by a medley of songs from the Norwegian musical team of Arneson and Lindbo then entertained with dance music old and new.
The lead off event on Sunday was the parade which consisted of nearly 50 units. Despite chilly temperatures, a large crowd was on hand to enjoy a good time in Rutland. A World War II AT-6 trainer fly-over by local aviator Rodney Erickson and his boss, Steve Weatherby of Weatherby Ag Services, spearheaded the parade which was led by the Rutland, South Dakota, High School band.
Craft booths, food stands and other exhibits all reported a brisk business. Many Uffda Day visitors were impressed by excellent displays in the Depot Museum, Pioneer House and Country School. More than 2,000 lefse was made and sold out 3/$1.75 or fresh off the grill for 50 cents, 20 gallons of rommegrot was prepared
At the Community Club meeting following Uffda Day, the Uffda Day Chairpersons Doris Hoistad, Hal Nelson and Lori McLean delivered their report on the event. There was discussion as to whether the event would continue to be held and changing it to just one day, either Saturday and Sunday. The vote was taken and was overwhelmingly in favor of having the event again in 1990 and to have it on Sunday “as in the past”.
Fourth Uffda Day – 1988
The fourth annual Uffda Day saw record quantities of lefse, rommegrot, krumkake, fattigman, abelskievers, rosettes and rice pudding washed down with gallons of coffeeby those who were hungy for the food. Eight gallons of cream were converted to homemade ice cream. There were demonstrations of rosemaling, quilt-making, sausage stuffing, rope making, cream separating, butter churning and old-time clothes washing. Eight thousand feet of baling twine was wound into rope by the rope-making crew. Forty-eight tractors participated in the antique tractor pull again done in “McLaen’s Meadow” on the west edge of town.
A Norwegian dance band entertained with a dance on Saturday night and concerts Sunday afternoon. The band members were Tommy Johansen, Ivar Thoresen, Frank Lonberg and Wenke Carlson from Oslo, Norway. They were accompanied by Rolf Johnsrud and Rita Bjerke, also of Oslo.
The pictures in the post are just a sampling of what is available to view. There are notebooks on each year along with news and photographs to browse. The plan is to have the notebooks/albums out for viewing during this coming year’s events. The exact location of these materials will be determined by October 5th.
rutlandramblings 