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DECORAH — The Nordic Fest Board of Directors have announce the appointment of Cole Steffen as the 2025 Nordic Fest President. The Board voted unanimously to uplift Steffen to the role, following his three years of service as Nordic Fest Board Treasurer. Steffen grew up in Decorah, graduating from Decorah High School in 2016. After attending the University of Iowa, he intentionally returned to Decorah."My short time away allowed me to realize just how special and unique Decorah really is, especially when it comes to community involvement," Steffen shared of this time. Steffen now serves as the Deposit Service Manager at Decorah Bank & Trust. He joined the Nordic Fest Board as Treasurer in 2022. As a board member and lifelong attendee of Nordic Fest, Steffen is well-versed in the festival's activities, entertainment, and food selections. While he enjoys the annual Grand Parade, Steffen most looks forward to purchasing multiple varme pølse and rounds of lefse throughout the three days of festivities each year. He also enjoys being a spectator—and only a spectator—at the lutefisk eating contest. As planning ramps up for the 2025 Nordic Fest, Steffen will be at the helm to ensure a vibrant celebration. Nordic Fest will celebrate its 58th year of festivities in 2025 and will join partners from Norway and North America, including Vesterheim, in commemorating 200 years of organized Norwegian migration to North America. Steffen is honored to serve as President during this commemorative year, as he can trace more than 50% of his ancestry to Norway. Steffen is excited to continue to engage with local organizations and individuals who help make Nordic Fest possible and looks forward to helping recruit additional community volunteers. Steffen adds, "As treasurer for the past three years, I've had the unique experience to connect regularly with food vendors throughout the Fest. It's been rewarding to get to know the variety of local nonprofit organizations and individuals who are involved and bring such a valuable part of Nordic Fest to life." Many local nonprofit organizations benefit greatly from participating in Nordic Fest, raising funds to utilize in their operations throughout the year. In final thoughts, Steffen shares, "Nordic Fest serves as a valuable economic development driver for our community, supporting many area nonprofits and local businesses. Visitors travel to our area for the Fest, filling local hotels and other lodging properties… And the value of the Fest doesn't end with the weekend, as many of those visitors discover a love for the area and continue to visit again and again during other times of the year. I'm honored to serve on the Nordic Fest Board and contribute to our community in this way." Stay informed, stay inspired! Newsletter sign up is free and join hundreds of free subscribers who rely on DecorahNews.com for trusted information and fresh perspectives.

Support your local businesses

Nordic Fest Announces President for the 58th Annual Fest