This year's stevne began Thursday, July 13 with members getting together in genealogy sessions. More Hadelanders arrived throughout Friday and enjoyed visiting with each other and seeing the special programs being shown in the morning and visiting the exhibits. The Seven-Lag Stevne opening program Friday afternoon was hosted by program chairman Chet Habberstad.  Bob Gustafson opened the meeting with the Call of the "Lur" which was followed by a lag banner parade.  Banners from all seven lags were carried in and the lag songs were sung or played.  We were welcomed to Wahpeton by Chet, the president of Wahpeton State School of Science, and the presidents of the seven lags.  Bill and Susan Goodman then entertained us with a musical variety show.

Friday evening's program was hosted by Verlyn Anderson.  We enjoyed a delightful time listening to music by The Wanderers, a four-piece orchestra whose members come from Hamar and Oslo, Norway.  After the program we enjoyed dancing to the music of Marlin Westby from Pelican Rapids MN.

After the meeting, the Hadeland and Land lags shared a buffet lunch at the Veteran's Club in Wahpeton.  The Landings then invited the Hadelanders to a special 85th anniversary party at the Student Union of Wahpeton State School of Science.  Norma Gilbertson gave a toast from Hadeland.  Finn and Lilly Hanvoll from Oslo spoke on their remembrances of Liberation Day in Norway May 8, 1945.

The Saturday evening banquet was held in the Flickertail Room of the Student Center. We then went to the Cultural Center to see the final act, of "Per," based on Palmer Rockswold's book.  We have seen presentations of the first two acts at previous stevner.  The production was directed by Charles Sorum with actors from Pelican Rapids and the area.  Vocal and instrumental music was provided by Bill and Susan Goodman and the play was narrated by Verlyn Anderson.

This was followed by a bunad parade and a presentation on the 1996 stevne by Elaine Bergen. 

  From the August 1995 Brua   

The Seven-Lag Stevne opning program Friday afternoon was hosted by program chairman Norma Gilbertson.  The Norwegian, Canadian and U. S. National Anthems were sung, accompanied by Helen Ann Nelson.  We were welcomed to Forest City by Paul Jefson, mayor of Forest City, and to Waldorf College by Dr. WIlliam E. Hamm, president of Waldorf College.  The presidents of the seven lags also brought greetings.  There were musical numbers by an instrumental group from Volda, Norway and from Dick Rees.

After the Saturday morning Lag meeting, members of Hadeland and Land Lags met for lunch at the Winnebago Church in rural Forest City, followed by a visit to the new Immigrant Sculpture at Lake Mills and the very interesting museum which is housed at the farm home of Stanford and Ruth Holtan, rural Forest City, members of Hadeland Lag.

Friday evening's program was hosted by Eunice Helgeson of Maple Grove MN.  Lois and Sidney Rand gave a delightful presentation titled "Treasure Not from the Trunk."  We also had an enjoyable time listening to music by The Volda Mannskor and Orkester, directed by Professor Kjetil Eksund, Volda, Norway.

The Saturday evening banquet was held in the Campus Center.  We then went to the Atrium for the evening program, which was MC'ed by Verlyn Anderson.  Entertainment included Kris Meyer, entertainer and storyteller from Forest City, and the Skandinavian Hottshots -Dick Rees, St Paul MN, and Art Bjorngjeld, Brooklyn Park MN.  This was followed by the traditional bunad parade.

   From the August 1996 Brua             

Friday evening's program was hosted by Verlyn Anderson and featured the Jutullaget Band from Vagamo, Gudbrandsdal, Norway.

On Saturday morning, the Hadeland Lag meeting included a discussion about getting tax exempt status for the Lag.  After the meeting, the Hadeland and Land lag members proceeded to Chahinkapa Park for a picnic lunch.  Many members enjoyed the carousel and the zoo adjacent to the park.

The Saturday evening banquet was held in the Cultural Center.  The program was held at thee Sterns Cultural Center and featured songs and laughs provided by "Tina and Lena" and the bunad parade.

   From the August 1997 Brua             

Chet Habberstad, stevne coordinator, again did a marvelous job of organizing and presenting a fine program using the theme "Everyone has a His/Her Story."  The hot days of July that make crops grow in front of your eyes didn't slow anyone from attending the genealogy sessions or studying in the genealogy room.  Genealogy is such a vital part of our stevne.

The Hadeland Lag annual meeting on Saturday was filled with new business items.  The upcoming trip to Norway in June 2000 had many questions but as we saw the proposed itinerary of our tour, to be taken with members of Landings Lag, you could feel the excitement growing.

    As reported in the August 1998 Brua by Norma Gilbertson         

Decorah extended a warm welcome to 1,020 bydelag members (temperatures were in the '90s!) who met to celebrate the centennial of the organization of Bygdelagenes Fellesraad, Inc.  Genealogy meetings were held on Thursday and that evening the meeting was officially opened with the Call of the Lur by Paul Ulvilden, Decorah, and a Norwegian Folk Dance program by Leikarring Noreg from Drammen, Buskerud, Norway.

Many choices of seminar workshops were available during the day on Friday and that evening there was a parade of Bygdelags.  The Hadeland Lag was represented by Paul Grinager, who carried the Hadeland banner, by our president, Bob Rosendahl, and Carol Sorum, wearing her newly-sewn Hadeland bunad.

Saturday morning there were more workshops available and in the afternoon individual lags held their meetings. The Hadeland meeting followed a brief joint meeting with Landingslaget about the 2000 trip to Norway.

The Bygdelag Centennial Banquet was held in the evening, and featured Christian Skjervold as Master of ceremonies; The Lost Norwegians from Northfield MN; the Luren Singing Society directed by Dr. David Judisch from Decorah; and the Foot-Notes, also from Decorah.  Marilyn Sorensen and Chris Skjervold, Bygdelag Centennial Co-Chairs, closed the evening by saying adjø.

   From the August 1999 Brua