ASHVILLE – Since 2004 The Viking Festival has been trasforming Ashville Community Park to a living history event the last weekend of April. The festival, presented by Ashville’s own Lost Vikings Hoard, will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Admission to the festival is free, but organizers ask guests to bring non-perishable food items as a donation for the Ashville Food Pantry. The group also welcomes monetary donations to help cover costs of the event. “In the past, we have had enough donations for 6 months need for the local Food Pantry. “Even though most of us are not from the area, we still are willing to give back to a community that gives to us. It was a decision we made early on in the festivals past, we are probably not going to change it.”
The idea to support the food pantry was the brainchild of Ed Vallette, the festival’s founder, who unexpectedly passed away May 12, 2014.
The festival is set to feature all of its traditional offerings, including food, vendors, entertainment, historical reenactments and jousting, Rainey said.
The festival traditionally welcomes 4,000 to 8,000 people into the village park during its two-day run each year.
The Ashville Viking Festival can be found on Facebook.
