Telelaget Mini Stevne April 24-26

Telelaget of America Mini Stevne

Thursday — Saturday, April 24 - 26, 2025 Little Crow Resort & Conference Center 15980 MN-23 MN, Spicer, Minnesota

The Telelaget Stevne, “The Patchwork of Our Ancestors’ Lives,” is a vibrant three-day celebration of the heritage, history, and culture of those with roots in Norway’s Telemark region.

This year’s event offers a rich array of activities, including genealogy workshops, cultural presentations, engaging lectures, and entertainment with a Norwegian flair. Highlights such as the Bunad and Sweater Parade, Revy (talent show), and informal gatherings provide ample opportunities to forge meaningful relationships and explore Norwegian traditions.

There are many opportunities for member contributions and participation. Click the links below to find out how your heritage items, photos, apparel, talent and genealogy questions can help add the finishing touches to our Patchwork.

Download Stevne Flyer

Join us at the Opera

Giants in the Earth:
Norwegians in North Dakota Territory
April 27, 2025, 2:30 PM
Mary W. Sommervold Hall at The Washington Pavilion
Sioux Falls, SD

The South Dakota Symphony Orchestra revives Douglas Moore’s Pulitzer-Prize-winning opera inspired by Ole Edvart Rølvaag’s epic novel about Norwegian settlers of the Dakota Territory in 1873. The book was first published in Oslo, Norway, in two volumes in 1924 and 1925. It was published in America in 1927. This performance marks the centennial of Rølvaag’s novel on which the opera is based. Staged with imagery, costumes, and sung in English, it will be held on April 27 (Sunday at 2:30 p.m.) in the Mary W. Sommervold Hall of the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls, SD.

Learn More

20 seats on hold, 10 in Orchestra level row Q and 10 right behind in row R.
Ticket price is $33.50/person (this is a 20% group discount price).
Registration Deadline March 24, 2025

Recent Stevner

2023 Vikings: Empire of the North Fargo, North Dakota

Photo gallery, summary, and Telenews articles

Brochure text Vikings Empire of the North

2024 Ever The Land

Wahpeton, North Dakota

Summary, Photo Gallery

a large group of Telelaget members at the Stevne

A woman in a bunad with a green vest holding the apron to show detail

a woman and a child demonstrating viking weapons

viking ship centerpiece with American, Canadian and Norwegian flags

a woman with glasses in a grean and dark blue Tinn bunad

a woman in a red plaid festdrakt with a solje

Stevner Year By Year

The early stevner (conventions) of the Telelag were truly affairs to remember with many thousands of Telers attending. Specific regional organizations were established under the umbrella of the national Telelag. As the immigrants passed away, interest faded in the organization. In the 1960s and 1970s, only the Northwest Telelag continued to meet. In 1979 a meeting was held in Fargo to reorganize a national Telelag. The focus switched from largely social to educational - focusing on genealogical research - and its ever-growing membership has come together for a stevne every year since 1980.

Below is a year-by-year list of stevner. The list was compiled by Elaine Nordlie from issues of the Telesoga and from the book A Folk Epic: The Bygdelag in America by Dr. Odd Lovoll. Many early Teler gatherings were not reported in the national publication so this list is likely incomplete; however, it does reflect the broad participation of immigrants from Telemark in these community organizations. The first stevne (tour) in Telemark occurred in 1937. Since 1992 these have been scheduled regularly.