09/19/2025
This message is for last years Kickstarter backers.
⚔️ Great Northern Viking Festival – Year 2 Update! ⚔️
We’re just one month away from gathering again in Mankato, MN for the Great Northern Viking Festival – October 18 & 19, 2025!
First and foremost, a huge thank you to all of you who supported our Kickstarter last year. You are the reason this festival exists. Your belief in us gave the Great Northern Viking Festival its start, and we are so proud to be heading into our second year because of you. Many of you who backed with a Shield Reward still have your shields waiting at the Shield Wall. This year, the shields have received a 2025 makeover, every one of them has been updated and will be ready for you to pick up and proudly carry again at the festival.
Last year was our very first festival, and as with any first-year event, there were some kinks to work out. We were also running with a skeleton crew. This year, thanks to your continued support, we’ve been able to bring on more staff to help us deliver a smoother, more immersive, and even more exciting experience.
🌿 Our Vision
We are the OG of immersive Viking festivals in Minnesota, blending old with new and entertainment with history. Names and places may have changed since 2022, but the dream and the vision remain the same: to create an intimate, authentic experience rooted in community, connection, and feeling.
The Great Northern Viking Festival is not run by a big company with deep pockets, it’s a one-woman show with a dedicated staff who are here purely for the love of it. I’ve been working hundreds of hours, days, nights, and weekends, on my own until I could draw in the small but mighty team we now have to pull this year together. Like many new festivals, the early years are built on passion, not profit. I don’t take a paycheck, every ounce of time, energy, and heart goes right back into building the festival. These first years are about laying the foundation, investing in the dream, and creating something that will last.
It is a tremendous amount of work, but when I see people smiling, feeling connected, and experiencing something truly different, it reminds me exactly why I do it.
⚔️ Stepping Up the Experience
You talked about ways we could improve and we listened. We’ve stepped up the experience for our Weekend Pass holders, campers, and VIVs (Very Important Vikings). From exclusive perks and improved camping flow to a deeper sense of community connection, the VIV experience has been reimagined to deliver more value and more memorable moments than ever before.
🔥 One of the highlights: Fellowship by the Fire, an exclusive Friday night gathering for Ultimate Viking Weekend Pass holders. This immersive kick-off brings together Viking experts, storytelling, drumming, and community under the stars. It’s a brand-new way to start the weekend, and one of the many ways we’re leveling up the festival for 2025.
This year, we also worked hard to hand-pick our vendors. We sought out artists, craftspeople, and makers who bring quality and authenticity, rather than random mass-produced trinkets that have little to do with Viking culture. Every booth you visit should feel like part of the story we’re telling together.
🛡️ Volunteers Needed
Our festival cannot happen without our incredible volunteers.
Perks: Free festival entry, free camping, and your own Volunteer Appreciation Event after the festival.
Sign up here: greatnorthernvikingfestival.com/volunteers-needed
💰 Sponsors Wanted
We are still seeking sponsors for this year’s festival. Sponsorships come with unique perks, including free vendor booths and specialty recognition.
Without sponsors, we cannot bring this vision to life in the way we truly want and our community deserves. Your support helps us create something authentic, immersive, and unforgettable, while also connecting your name to a festival built on passion and heart.
If you or someone you know would like to consider sponsoring this year’s festival, you can explore the different sponsorship levels and perks here:
👉 greatnorthernvikingfestival.com/seeking-sponsors
📢 Help Spread the Word
Print and post a festival flyer at your favorite local shops.
Share our pages and updates on your socials (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube). Every share helps us grow!
🌍 Special Guests This Year
When we say “Viking Festival,” we mean Viking.
We’re thrilled to welcome Viking experts from Iceland, including the Glíma champion of Iceland, who will be sharing this traditional form of Viking-age wrestling and combat. We also welcome Dr. Scott Shell with a deep dive into Rune Magic.
We’re honored to highlight Hurstwic, the research and living-history group behind Men of Terror: A Comprehensive Analysis of Viking Combat by William R. Short & Reynir A. Óskarson. Their work combines decades of scientific and experimental archaeology to bring Viking combat, weapons, and culture vividly to life.
❤️ Giving Back
This year, we’re taking an important step to give back to our community. A percentage of alcohol sales will be donated to a local veterans nonprofit. We believe in their mission, and we’re proud to support those who have served while building a festival rooted in connection and community.
So this year, when you raise a horn of mead, you’re also raising support for a local veterans group.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for helping us build this festival from the ground up. You stood with us when it was just an idea, and now together we are creating something that grows stronger every year. These first years may be more work than reward, but the true “payment” is seeing you all smile, connect, and celebrate Viking culture together. That is why we do it.
We can’t wait to welcome you back this October.
Inga Northern
Great Northern Viking Festival
greatnorthernvikingfestival.com
