Greetings, Friends!

We all enjoyed a splendid Sunday along the Fox River. With a few
thousand visitors mingling and wonderful live music from national
anthems to folk songs to old standards wafting amongst the trees and
tents it was a visual and aural delight. Throw in our signature
herring, onions and grilled Swedish sausage and you have the sights
and sounds and smells to make any Viking a smiling Viking.

And that's what filled Vasa Park Sunday, happy Vikings, old and young,
in colorful soccer and rugby jerseys, native dresses and authentic
costumes.

We have pictures available in our Photos Section. Click up there and
have a look around.

As Chief of Mimer #33 Lodge, I am so proud to thank the guys who did
such a wonderful job preparing and serving well over 300 happy herring
enthusiasts. Our Viking Brothers worked together seamlessly and the
line moved smoothly. Scott Williams figured out a system that really
worked well.

Scott greeted our customers and took their order. Charlie Geske
started the platter with fresh boiled red potatoes and handed off to
Rick Tornberg for chives and sour cream and beet salad. Carl Tornberg
added the Limpa Rye and sharp Cheddar Cheese. Erik Hansen added the
grilled Swedish sausage before handing off to Justin Rodenbostel who
completed the full platter with utensils and, of course, the hot,
fresh off the grill, herring.

Behind the grills stood Matt Reed, Bud Meisner and Cary Zaras, While
Matt kept the onions fresh and the sausage crisped, Bud and Cary kept
the herring just right. Dan Kohorst floated in and out, helping with
flouring the herring and keeping his eye on the red potatoes. Vice
Chief Roger Rock was everywhere, keeping supplies flowing and short
stopping emergencies.

The guys did a masterful job. I am so proud of how well everything
worked Sunday and how effortlessly our Vikings went to their tasks.
Mimer #33 is good because our members are good.

Some of our special visitors included Sten Hult from Harald #13 Lodge,
I.O.V., Ralph Beck from Ring #30, I.O.V., Barb and Neal Olsen, Mary
and Butch Bundgard and Butch's parents and Bertil Hellberg. Everyone
seemed to enjoy the full platter of Viking fare. We are so pleased to
present an authentic value.

Bertil Hellberg even visited out website and is making plans to join
our annual Glogg Fest in December!

We'll meet this Friday to button up the herring trailer and prepare
for autumn brewing activities. There's talk of frying herring one more
time at the American Legion in Geneva. Stay tuned for the latest
developments right here.

Be kind to each other.

Chief Hansen

Welcome, everyone, to a wonderful fall festival along the banks of the
Fox River!

The Viking brothers of Mimer #33 Lodge of the Independent Order of
Vikings will be serving fried herring, Swedish sausage, boiled
potatoes, fried onions, Limpa rye bread and cheddar cheese to
thousands of happy Scandinavian Americans.

Look back here for pictures from the festival.

It's been a wonderful summer and our herring fries in June very
successful. But it's time for football and autumn now and our
signature herring is perfect on this Sunday afternoon. We'll have the
games on television at the Herring Shack and the full NFL schedule on
a satellite radio.

It's not too late to drive out to South Elgin and find the festival.
South of the railroad museum and north of the quarry on Route 31,
along the Fox River. See you there!!

Chief Hansen