Uffda Day 2002 dawned with a barrage of four letter words — rain, wind, snow and cold. But, after that inauspicious start, the day steadily improved and the Rutland Community Club chalked up another successful community event. Although attendance was slightly reduced due to the foul weather, a large crowd lined Main Street to watch the noon parade. Local auctioneer Dollar Bill Smith volunteered his services and sound equipment to announce the parade which was also broadcast by Chad Loomis over KQLX radio of Lisbon. KXJB-TV weatherman Bruce Asbury made the parade and later ate his way from the Uffda taco stand at the new Fire Hall on Bagley Street to the fresh buns and muffins from the woodfired cookstove at the Pioneer House on Arthur Street. Craft booth proprietors reported another banner year.
Uffda Trolls
PeeWee Breker & Bev Kulzer
NorSweDane Dancers
Parade
Wolfie the Clown
The weather may have been cold but the people of Rutland gave every visitor a warm welcome to the 18th annual observance of the community’s Fall festival. Uffda Day co-chairpersons Kris Nerison, Shari Leinen, and Dan Anderson reported that the event went off without a hitch.
The 17th annual Uffda Day kicked off on Sunday, October 7, 2001. Despite predictions of inclement weather earlier in the week, the weatherman delivered a nearly ideal fall day for the event, complete with sunshine and temperatures hitting the low 60’s.
A large crowd was on hand throughout the day, enjoying the many exhibits, demonstrations and craft booths as well as the many examples of Scandinavian ethnic cuisine which were available in several locations. Scalloped potatoes, rommegrot, rice pudding, krumkake, sandbakkels, lefse and home-made ice cream were all devoured by event goers. The three co-chairs for 2001, Hall Nelson, Kris Nerison and Shari Leinen, made the event a resounding success with the help of many individuals who worked before, during and after the event.
The 1996 Uffda Day Fall festival was held on a crisp and beautiful October day. The kickoff event was a parade of more than 65 units including the Viking ship manned by grizzled seafarers from the Viking Shrine Club and tractors from the Wild Rice Antique Tractor and Plowing Association. Governor Ed Schafer and Rep. Lee Kaldor, the Republican and Democratic-NPL candidates for Governor of North Dakota, along with their wives, headed a list of dignitaries participating in the parade. Other politicians were candidates for State Auditor, State Tax Commissioner, State Treasurer and others.
Auto buffs exhibited 28 beautifully preserved and restored classic and antique automobiles at the Kulzer Farm Supply parking lot on main street. Antique tractor owners put on a plowing demonstration at the Prindiville farm on the south side of town. Arts and craft booths exhibited and sold wares throughout the day.
During the day the crowd consumed 4,000 lefse as well as a large quantity of sandbakkels, krumkake, rommegrot, rosettes and other Scandinavian fare. Those enjoying the scalloped potato dinner at the hall or having lunch at the Senior center were entertained by a variety of musicians, including accordionist Gundy Dahlen of Telemark, Norway.
Many took the opportunity to visit the Depot Museum to view the artifacts and photos on display. Maude, the cook, was in the Pioneer House baking muffins and bread in the old wood-burning cookstove. Near the pioneer house, Sequoia, an early plains fur trapper and trader, had his tepee and trade goods on display. Dennis Narum and State Sen. Jerome Kelsh provided horse-drawn wagon and carriage rides for kids and adults while the Uffda Train engineer Earl Cramton provided entertaining transportation for the small children.
This year, Doris Ann Narum, took 260 photographs on 10 rolls of film to highlight the preparation, set up, and Uffda Day events. Without her work and diligence the pictures of the people who worked at the event and those who attended would be lost to history. The photos posted are a mere small selection to highlight the events every year. Be sure to check out the Uffda Day photos at Uffda Day 2025!
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.
South Dakota High School Band
Rutland Centennial Committee
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
Ella Lou & Izetta
Hal Nelson
Helen Anderson
Larry Anderson
Plowing demo
Plowing demonstrations
Tractor pull
Uffda Day Stew
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”.
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.
Another full weekend
Saturday concert & dance
6 a.m. workers
Crafters
Lefse coming soon
Making ice cream
break time
Rope making
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.
In August 1985, the idea of having a fall festival was brought up at a Rutland Community Club meeting. Bill Anderson, Kathy Brakke and Milton and Danene McLaen had been to the Decorah, Iowa, Nordic Fest a couple of times and suggested that a one-day, small-scale version of the Nordic Fest could be the pattern for Rutland’s Fall Festival. That same month Carrol Juven of Fargo was contacted to find out if any Scandinavian type entertainment could be arranged for the event. He had a Swedish group, Nils Hakan and His Orchestra, scheduled to tour North Dakota in October. This schedule fit in perfectly with plans for the fest and the date was set for October 12th. A catchy name for the event was still missing, but Greg Donaldson, a local businessman, came up with Uffda Day and the name caught on.
In 1985, Rutland served eight Scandinavian foods, had children’s games, hay rides, demonstrated pioneer crafts and had an arts and crafts sale. The Swedish Band performed during a beef barbeque and sweet corn roast supper and, then again, at the dance at 9 p.m. Entry to the dinner and dance was $5.00 per person with advance sale tickets including the dance. The event was deemed successful. Unfortunately, we have been unable to locate any written reports or summaries of the first celebration. “Uffda Day was discussed and evaluated” at the November Rutland Community Club meeting and “several suggestions were made.”
Getting signage ready
Kathy Brakke
Getting the store ready
Hall display
Crafts at the Hall
Chicken Scratching
Rosemaling by Danene
Spinning Wheel craft demo
Fattigman & coffee
A busy Senior Center
Kids games
Mule Rides
Making Rosettes
This column will be part of a series on the history of Uffda Day in Rutland in recognition of the upcoming 40th and final Uffda Day in Rutland. There will be a selection of photos and information from several, if not all, of our previous Uffda Day events on display this year. Thanks to the records of Bill Anderson, Kathy Brakke, and photos taken by Ron Narum, and other reports, the history of the event can be documented.
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