Brunch and Be Merry
2024-11-30 08:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago) | Giants of the Earth Heritage Center, 163 W Main, Spring Grove, MN, 55974, United States

Juletrefest and Julebukking
2024-12-28 13:00 - 16:00
Julebukking starts after sundown on Saturday, December 28, 2025.

Book Club
2025-01-16 17:00 - 19:00
Share a book that you read!

MEET JOE! Our New Executive Director
2025-01-18 14:30 - 17:00
We will have a gathering to MEET JOE on Saturday, January 18, 2025.

Passport to Luxembourg
2025-01-23
Where: Giants of the Earth Heritage Center
When: Thursday, January 23 (Postponed)
We’re looking forward to the return of our Passport to Other Cultures programs! We are currently working with our Luxembourgish friends on a date for later in 2025 for our Passport to Luxembourg program (That program was tentatively planned for January 23).
In the meantime, here’s a few fun facts about Luxembourg:
Luxembourg gets its name from a castle, Lucilinburhuc, meaning “Little Fortress”
Like Norway, approximately one-third of Luxembourg’s population left the country and came to the US
Like Norway, Luxembourg was a very poor country in the 19th Century, and is today one of Europe’s wealthiest per-capita
Our Executive Director at Giants of the Earth, Joseph Grødahl, is “Lux”-y to claim some Luxembourgish ancestry
Other Luxembourgish-Americans include McDonald’s chef and inventor of the McRib Rene Arend, former GOP Speaker of the US House Dennis Hastert, and Minnesota DFL Governor Tim Walz.

Reminiscing with Dr. Gray
2025-02-04 14:00 - 16:00, 2025-02-11 14:00 - 16:00, 2025-02-18 14:00 - 16:00, 2025-02-25 14:00 - 16:00
Where: Giants of the Earth Heritage Center
When: Tuesdays at 2 during the month of February 2025
Remeniscing Topics:
February 4th: Where I met my Spouse; Where We Spent our Honeymoon
February 11th: How my Grandparents were Unique; How my immediate Family was Unique
February 18th: My First Job; My Hardest Job
February 25th: Spring Grove Livestock Exchange; My Advice and Suggestions to Live a Long and Happy Life

Spring Grove Koselig Helg
2025-03-14 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-03-15 09:00 - 18:30
A “helg” (weekend) of “koselig” (cozy/hygge) fun for Spring Grove locals and visitors alike!

Sign up for class preferences here. Registration payment may be made via PayPal, or by cash or check to Giants of the Earth Heritage Center, 163 W Main St, Spring Grove, MN 55974.

Early-bird $25 discount thru Feb 22nd
Registration fees are 50% refundable after March 7th.
Registration includes:
6 fun class sessions
Lunch and dinner on Saturday
Light refreshments on Friday evening

Friday, March 14th
7pm-9pm Musical social hour
Includes light refreshments, a Norwegian-style sing-a-long, and a brief musical program featuring vintage Norwegian instruments
Saturday, March 15th
9am-4pm Class sessions
See more details and sign up for class preferences HERE.
Coffee breaks
Includes light refreshments and opportunities for informal Norwegian-language conversation
Lunch
Included meal, along with opportunity for informal Norwegian-language conversation
5pm Giants Dinner Party
Just prior to the premiere performance at neighboring Ye Olde Opera House’s production of Neil Simon’s “The Dinner Party”. Includes fårikål, Norway’s National Dish of locally-raised lamb and cabbage stew, as well as a complimentary adult beverage. Included in program registration cost.
Local friends and family may be invited to join as well. Cost for others is $30, or $25 for Giants members. Local friends and family may register by sending us an email at giantsheritage@gmail.com or calling us at 507-498-5070.
Sunday March 16th
See “Additional Activity Options” below for ideas!
Info for Locals:
Hosting
If you’re interested in hosting any fellow participants visiting from out-of-town, send us an email at giantsheritage@gmail.com or call us at 507-498-5070 and let us know what you have available and what you’d like to charge.
Local history
Several of our class sessions have a local history focus. We are very confident that locals will learn new things in these sessions. If you don’t learn anything new, we’ll have Ola and Per give you an apology hug. Or if you’re too Norwegian for a hug, then a firm apology handshake from a respectful distance.
Info for Visitors:
Lodging
Note that program registration does not include lodging. See here for a listing of local lodging options or here for local AirBnB options. We may be able, but cannot guarantee, to pair you with a local program participant able to host. To inquire about this option, send us an email at giantsheritage@gmail.com or call us at 507-498-5070.
Additional Activity Options
Neil Simon’s The Dinner Party
7pm Saturday or 3pm Sunday at Ye Olde Opera House
$15 Adults; $10 Students
Sign up for tickets on their website. Saturday’s performance immediately follows our Giants Dinner Party next door.
Genealogy sessions
12pm-5pm Friday at Giants of the Earth Heritage Center
Free
Sign up for a 45-minute initial genealogy consultation to explore your Spring Grove roots. Send us an email at giantsheritage@gmail.com or call us at 507-498-5070 to register.
Church tour
10:30am Sunday at Trinity Lutheran Church
Free
Following the 9:15am service, join for a tour of the historic Trinity Lutheran Church. Need not attend service to participate in tour.
Friluftsliv (Norwegian outdoor lifestyle) opportunities
Nature Trails (Website)
Parks (Website)
Sauna sessions
3-5pm Friday or 9-11am Sunday
$20-$40 sliding scale
The Little Dipper Sauna Co. invites you to a community sauna session in true Norwegian friluftsliv fashion. Sign up here.
Local food options
The Phattest Breakfast pop-up restaurant (Facebook)
Fat Pat’s Barbeque (Website or Facebook)
Blue Ribbon pop-up pizza (Facebook)
Fiesta Rosita (Facebook)
Ivy Grove Cafe (Google Maps)
Local beverage experiences
Rockfilter Distillery (Website or Facebook)
Fat Pat’s Brewery (Website or Facebook)
Spring Grove Soda Pop Factory & Store (Website)
Lion’s Pub (Facebook)

Sailing into Spring Grove: A Giants Musical Celebration of 2025
2025-04-04 18:00 - 21:00 | Fest Building, 110 N Division Ave, Spring Grove, MN, 55974, United States
Join us for a special springtime dinner event to mark major 2025 milestones and the “Giants of the Earth” that came from many lands to settle and build our Spring Grove region.
Featuring music by the Luren Singing Society and soloist Rachel Storlie.
2025 presents two major milestones to celebrate in Spring Grove:

50 years of Dr. David Judisch leading Luren
200 years of Norwegian immigration to America

$75 General
$65 Members of Giants of the Earth Heritage Center

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Or submit check to Giants of the Earth Heritage Center, 163 Main St, Spring Grove, MN 55974
Please provide meal choices and accommodation needs here.
Menu
Beef sirloin or salmon
Rice pilaf
Asparagus
Corn
Shortcake & berries
Schedule
6:00pm Event start (5:00pm Cocktail hour)
6:15pm Luren concert
7:15pm Dinner served
8:00pm Bicentennial program
8:30pm Honoring Judisch
Sponsorship opportunities
Table sponsor – $1,000
Includes:
8 dinner tickets
Premium table placement
2 bottles of wine
Full page ad in the souvenir program
Contact Executive Director Joseph Grødahl at 952-994-7086 or jgrodahl@giantsoftheearth.org
Souvenir program
Full page sponsor ad– $100
Half page – $60
Quarter page – $35

Unstoppable: Norwegian Pioneers Educate Their Daughters
2025-04-06 12:30 - 13:30
Unstoppable: Norwegian Pioneers Educate Their Daughters
A Presentation by Gracia Grindal
When: Sunday, April 6
Time: 12:30pm
Where: Giants of the Earth Heritage Center

Part of a weekend of celebrations for “Crossings 200”, the Bicentennial of Norwegian-American Immigration, Giants is honored to welcome Gracia Grindal back to Spring Grove to present on the topic of one of her many books, Unstoppable: Norwegian Pioneers Educate Their Daughters. Gracia is a theologian, historian, and retired professor from Luther Seminary.

Visitors are welcome to bring a dish to share for a potluck lunch prior to the talk.

About the Book:

When Lutheran church leaders came from Norway in the middle of the nineteenth century, educational plans for each gender were based on deeply held beliefs about what a man was and what a woman was. Teenage boys were to be educated at a school away from home–Luther College for those in the Norwegian Synod. Girls were to be educated in the parlors of an aunt or close friends of her parents. At the time they immigrated, how to educate their children had been central to the cultural debates of their day. Those arguments lived on in this country while the Norwegian Synod pastors were deciding how to build such institutions for their children. Now they lived not only in a new land and culture, but also in a new era when the role of women was changing.

About Gracia:

Gracia Grindal was born in Powers Lake, North Dakota and lived for three years in Tioga where her father was a pastor in the Lutheran Free Church parish there. Growing up in the parsonage she learned the hymnody of the Lutheran church, especially the Scandinavian tradition, and of the entire Christian church. The family moved to Rugby, North Dakota, then Salem, Oregon. She graduated from Augsburg College in Minneapolis with a BA in history and English. She then earned an MFA in poetry from the University of Arkansas. After which she became a teacher of English and Creative Writing at Luther College. In 1984 after earning an MA in History and Systematics at Luther Seminary, she was called to teach Rhetoric in the homiletics dept at Luther Seminary where she taught until 2013. Since her retirement she has continued writing biographies of Norwegian American immigrant women, hymns and poetry.

Beer Choir
2025-04-11 18:00 - 19:30
When: April 11, 2025
Time: 6pm-7:30pm
Where: Giants of the Earth Heritage Center 163 W Main St, Spring Grove, MN 55974

Gift Shop Relaunch
2025-05-13 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-05-14 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-05-15 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-05-16 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-05-17 10:00 - 17:00 | Giants of the Earth Heritage Center, 163 W Main, Spring Grove, MN, 55974, United States
During Syttende Mai week, Giants is officially relaunching our Kinneberg Gift Shop. Kicked off with a special ribbon cutting with the Spring Grove Area Chamber of Commerce, we’ll be featuring:

New locally-made gifts
Norwegian Syttende Mai gear
Uffda Special: 30% off select items
Ola and Per Special: 20% new and gift memberships (members receive 10% off in our gift shop)
T-Shirt Clearance Sale

We’re transitioning to a greater focus on locally-made goods. If you’re a local maker, please let us know what you have to offer!

Our gift shop entrance, accessed through Enger Garden, will now be the daily main entrance for visiting Giants for gifts, exhibits, local genealogy, and more. Our main street entry will now be reserved for events and handicap access.

Barnetoget
2025-05-16 13:00 - 15:00
More information to come

Taste of Norway
2025-05-17 15:30 - 18:00 | Giants of the Earth Heritage Center, 163 W Main, Spring Grove, MN, 55974, United States
Two seating times: 3:30pm and 5:30pm
Once again during Syttende Mai, Giants is doing our “Taste of Norway” event. There will be buffet style tables of Scandinavian appetizers, main course items, and dessert items. Note, this is a taste, so there will be many different foods to choose from, serving sizes will be smaller so you can have a TASTE of many! We will even have “shots” of lutefisk! There will also be a donation/cash bar.
Seating times at 3:30pm and 5:30pm
$30 General
$25 Giants members
Reserve and Pay Now via PayPal
Or via check or cash to:
Giants of the Earth Heritage Center
163 Main St
Spring Grove, MN 55974
507-498-5070

Norwegian Ridge Language and Culture Camp
2025-06-16 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-06-17 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-06-18 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-06-19 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-06-20 08:00 - 17:00 | Giants of the Earth Heritage Center, 163 W Main, Spring Grove, MN, 55974, United States
June 16-20, 2025
Join us for an unforgettable week of heritage, fun, and hands-on exploration at the Norwegian Ridge Language and Culture Camp (NRLCC)—a beloved tradition for families across the region.
Register Now or see details below.

2025 Theme: The Voyage of the Restauration

This year marks the Norwegian American Bicentennial, celebrating 200 years since the Restauration set sail in 1825 with the first wave of Norwegian immigrants to America. Campers will dive into this historic journey, bringing the story to life through creative play, crafts, songs, stories, and imaginative exploration tailored to their age and interests.

Camp Options & Age Guidelines
NRLCC offers flexible programming for a variety of ages:

Full-Day Program:For youth ages 7–178:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Includes program + hot lunch daily
$345 General
$315 Giants members
$25 OFF THRU MAY 17th!

Half-Day Program:Optional for children ages 7–118:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Includes program + hot lunch daily
$245 General
$215 Giants members
$25 OFF THRU MAY 17th!

Our programs are led by a team of active and retired education professionals, passionate about sharing Norwegian heritage in engaging and age-appropriate ways.

What to Expect

Each day will include a lively mix of:

Norwegian language exposure

Folk music and dancing

Traditional crafts and storytelling

Outdoor games and cultural play

Friendship, food, and fun!

Whether your family is returning or joining for the first time, you’ll find a welcoming and joyful camp environment with programming shaped around the ages and needs of those who register.

Registration
Register via PayPal, stop in to register by cash or check, or send payment to:
Giants of the Earth Heritage Center
P.O. Box 223
Spring Grove, MN 55974
Need-based scholarships available
We do not want any interested child to be unable to participate due to cost. Thanks to the generous support of Dennis and Sandy Kuester, we are able to offer assistance and are happy to do so. Please send a confidential inquiry to our Executive Director Joseph Grødahl at jgrodahl@giantsoftheearth.org.

Donations
We welcome and appreciate tax-deductible donations to support our youth and other programming.

Dedication of the "Norwegian Mayflower" Restaurationen Model Ship
2025-07-04 10:00 - 11:30
When: July 4, 2025Where: Giants of the Earth Heritage CenterCost: Free and open to all

Celebrate Independence Day with us as we dedicate our new model of Restaurationen, the “Norwegian Mayflower,” on the 200th anniversary of its historic departure.

On July 4, 1825, 52 Norwegians set sail from Stavanger in search of religious freedom and new opportunities unavailable to them at home. Their journey launched the era of mass Norwegian immigration to America, joining generations who came here seeking the very liberties we celebrate on the Fourth of July.

This special bicentennial dedication honors that shared pursuit of freedom and connects Spring Grove’s story to America’s promise.

Join us for a brief program, christening ceremony, singalong, and light refreshments. We’ll finish well before noon so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy Eitzen’s Fourth of July festivities afterward!

Throughout North America and Norway, commemorations are taking place this year to mark this bicentennial occasion. Find out more at crossings.norwegianamerican.com.

"Coming Home": A Journey From Norway to America with Dave Ellingson
2025-07-23 19:00 - 21:00
“Coming Home”: A Journey from Norway to America
7pm on Wednesday, July 23
Giants of the Earth Heritage Center

Join us for an inspiring evening with pastor, author, and adventurer Dave Ellingson, known as the “Paddle Pilgrim.” Dave will present his film Coming Home, sharing stunning visuals and stories from his long-distance kayak journeys exploring faith, nature, and the meaning of home.
The program includes a screening of Coming Home, a live talk and audience Q&A, and a book signing opportunity with Dave.

Admission: Freewill donation appreciated.

Open to all—bring friends, family, and anyone who loves stories of faith, adventure, and creation care.

The Ellingson and Nesheim families journeyed from Norway across the Atlantic and up the Hudson River and Erie Canal to the Great Lakes, ultimately establishing their farms just north of Decorah, Iowa in Pleasant and Canoe Townships. Their great-grandson, the Rev. Dr. David Ellingson, has spent much of his ‘third act’ retracing his ancestors’ voyages in his kayak. Dave has written several books about his adventures.

“Whenever Dave Ellingson invites me into his kayak, I know I’m in for a true adventure. It’s white water for the soul in a way that is truly transformational travel.” -Rick Steves, Travel Writer/Television Personality

Bullet Journaling® Class
2025-09-09 18:30 - 20:30
Join Giants of the Earth for an educational evening on Bullet Journaling® led by Charity Condit Schroeder on September 9, 2025 from 6:30 – 8:30PM. As an Occupational Therapist and owner of Driftless Area Rehabilitation, Charity will discuss how to:

Learn the basic structure of bullet journaling

Identify behaviors of feeling overwhelmed, distracted, etc.

Practice setting up spreads to track key behaviors and outcomes

Explore how to refine key motivations and put into a trackable system

Change a worrisome narrative riddled with procrastination to a full, meaningful life

Participants are welcome to bring notebooks, pens, washi tape, stamps, stickers, etc. (Durable basic dot grid notebook also available for sale for $8). Make your reservation today by filling out this form or calling Giants of the Earth at (507) 498-5070. Free-will donations welcome.
