The Iola Historical Society will host its eighth annual Taste of Norway/Lost Arts Fair and Chamber Fall Craft and Gift Show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Histotical Society, 210 Depot St., Iola.

Taste of Norway provides visitors with tastes of Norwegian pastries and demonstrations on how they are made. Watch Norwegian pastry making, lefse making, and Lost Arts artisans ply their crafts.

Iola Historical Society members experienced in preparing Norwegian goodies ranging from lefse, smultrenger (fry cakes), krumkake, sandbakkels, rosettes and fattigman will explain and demonstrate how to make them. Demonstrations run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pastries and baked goods will be available to purchase, with coffee samples also available.

Iola’s own Crystal Café will be selling pies whole and by the slice, pulled pork sandwiches and homemade chips and dip. Iola’s baker, Taste of Elegance, will have specialty breads for sale.

The Iola Lions will be holding a brat fry, along with grilled hot dogs from Pine Grove Meats of Iola. Visitors have the option to replace the hot dog bun with lefse. Boy Scout Troop 631, out of Iola, will be selling soda and water.

The Lions will have a donation drop box at their food booth for collecting used eyeglasses and hearing aids. Visitors are welcome to bring these items to donate.

Raffle tickets are currently being sold by Iola Historical Society members, and will also be available on site the day of the vent. The price per raffle ticket is $3, or two for $5. Prizes include a $500 first prize, 2016 Green Bay Packers team-signed football for second prize, and $100 for third prize, plus more than 30 other prizes donated by area businesses and organizations. The drawing will take place at 2:45 p.m., though winners need not be present.

All proceeds from the event will be used to pay for the restoration of the historic Iola and Northern Railroad depot, built in 1894, along with other Iola Historical Society needs.

Lost Arts Fair

The Lost Arts Fair aspect of the event brings artisans to the “Village” showing how things used to be done, with arts ranging from jewelry making, rosemaling, rugweaving, woodcarving and tin-type photography, among others. Some artisans will have items for sale and provide demonstrations.

Children’s Activities

A one-room schoolhouse will be available for children to play in, sponsored by the Sons of Norway’s Norskeland Lodge 5-580 of Iola. Craft projects and snacks will be available beginning at 10 a.m., and both kids and adults are welcome to try out the vintage corn sheller in front of the schoolhouse.

The Waupaca County Humane Society will be on site at the event with animals for children and adults to pet, play with and adopt.

Chamber Gift and Craft Show

The Iola-Scandinavia Chamber of Commerce’s 18th Annual Fall Gift and Craft Show includes vendors selling wool mittens, scarves, runners, mats, handmade soaps, Norwegian wear, jewelry, embroidery, holiday decorations, candles, quilted items, caramels, doll clothes, metal sculptures, framed picture sand prints, and more.

Vendors who are interested in exhibiting can pick up an application at the Iola Car Show office at 160 N. Chet Krause Drive, Iola.

Tours of historical buildings

Iola Historical Society docents will be available during the event to provide information on the historic buildings on the grounds, which include the Helvetia Town Hall, a replica of Iola’s first fire station, a replica of a one-room schoolhouse, a 1920s log cabin originally used by local hunters, the original Iola and Northern Railway depot and a vintage caboose.

While the depot and caboose are currently undergoing restoration, the depot will be open to the public, but the caboose will not be.

The society’s museum will also be open during the event. The displays include the recently completed Wayne Towne Native American artifacts exhibit, vintage Norwegian immigrant items, the Stromberg violin collection, and other items of local history.

Also featured is a display about Lee Nelson, Iola’s “Humble Hero.” Nelson was a B-17 bomber pilot who flew missions over France and Germany in World War II. There is also a developing exhibit for Chester L. Krause, world-renowned publisher and philanthropist, who died in 2016.

The Machine Shed contains vintage farming and manufacturing equipment used locally, including the recent acquisition and dedication of machines from Iola’s R.I. Anderson Machine Shop.

The Machine Shed is where the Taste of Norway food court will be located.

Fire extinguisher check, vintage tractors

The Iola and Rural Fire Department will hold its annual fire extinguisher check from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the 1901 vintage Iola fire station at the Iola Historic Village. The replica station contains Iola’s first three pieces of mechanized firefighting apparatus, dating from 1913, 1926 and 1942.

Members of the Central Wisconsin Tractor Club will also be present with classic tractors on display.

Visitors can take a nice autumn walk along the new Iola Lions River Walk that follows the Little Wolf River from North Main Street to Townline Road and is accessible mid-point behind the Machine Shed. The historic Iola Mills, built in 1860, is located at the east end of the trail.

For more information on the event, visit www.iolahistoricalsociety, www.ischamber.com, or visit Iola-Scandinavia Chamber on Facebook.