High Praise for Høstfest’s Toughness, Talent, and Tradition in Minot

I am not, nor have I ever been, a Scandinavian. I’m half German and half human. That said, I must confess to being a fan of the Norsk Høstfest. It is a Minot creation and the brainchild of the late Chet Reiten. Reiten was an owner of radio and television stations, a mayor of Minot, and a Republican state senator from Minot. He was a big thinker.

Since its inception in the 1970s, predictably, things have changed. There have been several adversities: Covid, the big flood, Epic, the Canadian dollar valued at only seventy-three cents, many Canadians boycotting the USA because of trade issues and recent insults, current gloom regarding the farm economy, and competition for big entertainment from casinos.

That said, the same toughness and bravery of the immigrants who built this city are to be remembered and emulated. The Norsk Høstfest has survived as long as it has because of its corporate sponsors. Their support is needed to keep ticket prices reasonable. The other key has been and continues to be the many volunteers who donate their time and talents. The number of volunteers is impressive. Not very many communities of this size could pull that off.

The value of the basic ticket price this year was only forty-five dollars. An extra fifteen dollars would gain one entry to the stage show. Try that anywhere else. The local talent was amazing. The Western Plains Children’s Choir consists of local kids. They are wonderful. Teho performed, a fiddling duo from Finland, who had jaw-dropping talent. They are touring the USA and left a day early for a performance in Bloomington, Indiana.

A cameo appearance was made by Jenny Lynn Stewart of New York City, who was here as a tourist. She sang a song with such power that you could hear a pin drop. Gordy Lindquist was gracious enough to give her some space during his performance. Socks were knocked off. Don’t be surprised if she is on the program next year. Her voice is a gift from God.

The MHA Nation dancers were one of the biggest draws. That was nice to see. There were various talented musicians playing such unique instruments as the nyckelharpa and the Hardanger fiddle. There is much more, but these are just a few of the highlights.

In closing, it was really nice to see all of the young people from our local schools at the Høstfest. Getting them to experience real people and performers is a blessing. Would we rather have them on their cell phones? The people who got them to the Hostfest and got them to participate in song and dance deserve high praise.

See ya der den next year, by golly.