Sloopers to Celebrate 100th Annual Meeting in Norway, Illinois   

NORWAY, ILLINOIS — October 11, 2026 — Help us celebrate a remarkable milestone with the Sloopers as they gather in Norway, Illinois, for their 100th annual meeting, honoring the first group of Norwegians who emigrated to America in 1825.

The Sloopers held their first meeting in October 1925 in Minneapolis during the Slooper Centennial. In 1926, the organization selected Norway, Illinois—the site of the first permanent Norwegian settlement in America—as the permanent home of its annual meeting. This year marks a full century of tradition in Norway.

2026 Centennial Meeting Schedule

Norway Community Building
Sunday, October 11, 2026

·        Noon – Business Meeting

·        12:30 p.m. – Smorgasbord Lunch

·        1:00 p.m. – Featured Program: Restauration 200: In the Wake of Emigrants

The award-winning 66-minute film, presented with English subtitles, chronicles an extraordinary chapter in Norwegian-American history.

On July 4, 1825, 52 Norwegian emigrants departed Norway aboard the sloop Restauration. Their arrival in New York helped ignite a century of Norwegian migration to America. Exactly 200 years later, a replica of the historic vessel set sail to retrace that pioneering journey. The film documents this remarkable recreation and the legacy of the original emigrants.

Norwegian Smorgasbord

The traditional Norwegian lunch will feature:

Kumla and ham, meatballs, cabbage casserole, lutefisk and cod, little red potatoes, butter, pickled and creamed herring, a couple of cheeses, lingonberries, kringla, kringla bread pudding, rice pudding, coffee, water, and an assortment of Norwegian desserts.

Reservations Required

Seating is limited, and reservations are required.

Smorgasbord:

·        Adults: $20

·        Children age 10 and under: $10

To reserve your place, please text Dave Johnson at (815) 343-5070.

Location

Norway Community Building
3656 E. 2631st Rd.
Sheridan, IL 60551

Located off Route 71 / Cleng Peerson Memorial Highway, across from the Norway Store.

Can’t Attend in Person?

The featured film, along with more than 90 additional Norwegian movies and documentaries, is available through Films of Norway, an online streaming service featuring Norwegian films and documentaries. New titles are added monthly.

A subscription is $4.99 per month. Visit Films of Norway to sign up and stream from home.

Stay updated by following the Sloopers and Norsk Museum on Facebook. Additional information is available at www.norskmuseum.org/slooper-bicentennial

 

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