Stoughton's Syttende Mai festival is a weekend-long celebration of Norwegian heritage featuring fun activities and cultural experiences for the whole family. Come join us for three days of parades, amazing food and drink, arts and music, athletic competitions, and kids’ activities steeped in centuries of Norwegian culture.

The city-wide festival takes place every year on the weekend closest to Norway’s May 17th Constitution Day, also known as Syttende Mai. From the late 1800s to the early 1900s, Stoughton enjoyed an influx of Norwegians, and at one time, as many as 75 percent of its residents spoke Norwegian. These immigrants celebrated Syttende Mai unofficially, but it became an annual, city-wide tradition in the 1950s. 2020 would’ve marked the 67th consecutive year the festival has been organized by the Stoughton Chamber of Commerce.

Providing family fun for all ages, the Stoughton Fair is a free community event which strives to provide good clean family entertainment to people of all ages and economic backgrounds.

The Stoughton Fair Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and works with hundreds of area volunteers to manage and carry out this event, which provides an invaluable venue for learning. 4-H, FFA, FHA, Scouts, Sr. Citizens and Adults to compete and learn valuable life skills such a good sportsmanship, good work ethic, responsibility for themselves and others as well as leadership and community involvement.

The Stoughton Norwegian Summit Group, an informal group of Norwegian themed businesses, groups and organizations, builds a weekend of Norse opportunities around a signature event. The group was organized in 2011 under the leadership of Sons of Norway- Mandt Lodge to bring “all those things Norwegian” together to help promote each other’s events, activities, businesses and organizations. The group helps promote two Destination Weekends each year and of course, all are busy Syttende Mai Weekend!