Vesterheim Benefit Auction Opens Online Sunday

Know what's happening in your hometown. Help us keep you informed. DECORAH — The annual Benefit Auction for Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School, will be held online from noon Sunday, Oct. 4, through 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. Items are available to view now through Vesterheim's online auction site. Participants can register and bid online from anywhere. The auction features 80 items, including one-of-a-kind folk art pieces by artists working in the Norwegian tradition. Items include rosemaling, or Norwegian decorative painting, as well as weaving, traditional needlework, Norwegian clothing and woodworking. The auction also includes travel packages, including an eight-day European river cruise for two in 2027 from Viking and an Amana Colonies weekend getaway. The Amana package includes admission to historic sites, a wine tasting, a meal and a one-night stay at Hotel Millwright. Many pieces in the auction were donated by Vesterheim Gold Medalists and ribbon winners from Vesterheim's biennial judged competition, the National Norwegian-American Folk Art Exhibition. Proceeds will benefit the Vesterheim Annual Fund in support of Vesterheim's Folk Art School. The school has offered classes since 1967 in fiber arts, woodworking, painting, cooking, jewelry, metalworking, knifemaking and other traditional arts. "Vesterheim is incredibly grateful to the artists for sharing their fantastic creations and all of the donors for supporting Vesterheim!" auction organizer Kim Toussaint said. For auction questions, contact Toussaint at 563-382-9681 or ktoussaint@vesterheim.org. Your daily dose of local news, delivered. Subscribe to our free newsletter.