Calendar

Saturday April 29, 2023

Koselig

Waffle Wagon

Date: Saturday, April 29

Time: 8:30 am – 1:00 pm

Location: Vernon County History Center parking lot

Fee: $3.00 – $5.00 

“Koselig,” a friendly gathering with waffles and coffee, is a Norwegian tradition. Kristina Reser-Jaynes will be serving fresh Norwegian Waffles with toppings at the Vernon County History Center. A portion of the proceeds from this cozy snack will benefit the Ridges & Rivers Book Festival and the Vernon County History Center.

Workshop

Norwegian Genealogy, Emigration, and Transmigration

Author: Liv Marit Haakenstad, AG®

Date: Saturday, April 29

Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am

Location: Vernon County History Center

Fee: Free. Funded in part by a grant from Wisconsin Humanities, with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Financial support is also provided by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture; the organization disseminates information about books and authors from Norway internationally.

During this program author Liv Marit Haakenstad will discuss how to get started with genealogy research using methods reflected in her new book titled A Guide to Norwegian Genealogy Emigration, and Transmigration. The first part of the book gives an overall view on the Norwegian emigration history, before taking readers to Great Britain, which was one of several routes for transmigration. Further on, insight will be provided on what happened when Norwegian emigrants arrived in North America. The second part of the book is about sources in the United States and Canada. The book also thoroughly covers Norwegian sources. The book finishes off with a chapter about genealogical methods.

Workshop

Creative Nonfiction Workshop: Writing Place & Memory

Author: Melissa Faliveno

Date: Saturday, April 29

Time: 9:30 am – 11:30 am

Location: Encore

Fee: Sliding scale $20 – $65 Scholarships available.

Registration: Full

In this generative writing workshop, we’ll be thinking and writing about place and memory—the places of our past, what we remember of them and what we don’t, and how place and memory intersect to define, and often complicate, the stories of our lives. Come ready to write, share, and discuss your process and discoveries! Limited to twelve writers. Presented by the Driftless Writing Center.

Presentation

Paranormal Wisconsin: Paranormal Locations in Your Own Backyard

Author: Chad Lewis

Date: Saturday, April 29

Time: 9:30 – 10:30 am

Location: Viroqua City Hall

Fee: Free

Take a supernatural journey to some of the most bizarre places in Wisconsin–from a haunted cemetery in Appleton to a sea serpent in Lake Pepin, from phantom creatures prowling the woods to back road creatures, to UFOs hovering in the sky, no place in Wisconsin is without its own haunting. Find out where you can: see possessed statues come to life, pick up a vanishing hitchhiker, get chased by hellhounds, visit crop formations, spend the night in a cursed hotel and more!

Presentation

Folklore

Author: Bao Xiong

Date: Saturday, April 29

Time: 11:00 am – noon

Location: Viroqua City Hall

Fee: Free. Sponsored by Wisconsin Public Radio.

Author and publisher Bao Xiong will read from the book Folklore and discuss dark and tragic characters, and the significance of this story to the author and the Hmong heritage; which includes superstitions, culture, beliefs, and history. A Q&A will conclude the session.

Lunch

Lion Burgers

Date: Saturday, April 29

Time: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Location: Eagles Club, downstairs

Fee: $10

The Viroqua Lions Club will prepare and serve their crowd-pleasing Lion burgers. Burger Plates are available for $10 and include water or a soft drink and fries. Dine in or carryout. A portion of the proceeds from this quick dining option will benefit the Ridges & Rivers Book Festival.

Presentation

Tailspin

Author: John Armbruster

Date: Saturday, April 29

Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm

Location: Western Technical College Community Room

Fee: Free

During World War II, Kickapoo Valley native Eugene (Gene) Moran falls to the earth without a parachute after German fighter planes blew him out of his bomber. He lives! Severely wounded, he will still have to survive some of Germany’s worst prison camps, a “hell ship,” and a “death march.” Seven decades later, Gene’s story is finally being told.

Presentation

Norway – the Happiest Country in the World?

Author: Eric Dregni

Date: Saturday, April 29

Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm

Location: Viroqua City Hall

Fee: Free. Funded in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Humanities, with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

Norway is usually near or at the top of the World Happiness Report. But is it really one of the happiest countries on Earth? Eric Dregni had his doubts. For the Love of Cod is a droll report on the state of purported Norwegian bliss.

Funded in part by a grant from Wisconsin Humanities, with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Wisconsin Humanities strengthens our democracy through educational and cultural programs that build connections and understanding among people of all backgrounds and beliefs throughout the state.

Presentation

Modern Jungles: Navigating Cultural Extremes

Author: Dr. Pao Lor

Date: Saturday, April 29

Time: 2:15 – 3:15 pm

Location: Historic Temple Theatre

Fee: Free

Engage in a candid conversation with Dr. Pao Lor about his new book Modern Jungles: A Hmong Refugee’s Childhood of Survival! Using a question-and-answer format, Pao will converse with audience members sharing insights and nuances about his unassuming and transformative childhood journey from his isolated, tribal village in central Laos to the heartland of America, an inspirational coming of age story capturing the essence of the enduring human spirit and the Hmong American experience. Pao’s story and the Hmong American experience provide different perspectives and paint a unique lens of the world we live in: war, tragedies, triumphs, geopolitics, and the ever-evolving enduring human spirit.

Workshop

Grandma’s Story: Putting Your Genealogical Research into a Family Story

Author: Liv Marit Haakenstad, AG®

Date: Saturday, April 29

Time: 2:30 – 3:30 pm

Location: Vernon County History Center

Fee: Free. Financial support is provided by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture; the organization disseminates information about books and authors from Norway internationally.

During this program Genealogist Liv Marit Haakenstad will show program attendees how to turn data collected through genealogy research into a story. Specific details will be shared through her own work in creating a story about her grandmother.Internationally accredited genealogist and author Liv Marit Haakenstad, AG® will guide participants in ways to incorporate their genealogical finds into a coherent and engaging family story.

Presentation

Benjamin Percy Reading

Author: Benjamin Percy

Date: Saturday, April 29

Time: 3:30 – 4:15 pm

Location: Western Technical College Community Room

Fee: Free

Award-winning author Benjamin Percy will read from his novels and answer questions from the audience.

Presentation

Long Search for Belonging

Author: Kao Kalia Yang

Date: Saturday, April 29

Time: 5:00 – 6:00 pm

Location: Historic Temple Theatre

Fee: Free. Sponsored in part by Coulee Region Women magazine.

Author Kao Kalia Yang will read from her first book The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir and her newest adult title, Somewhere in the Unknown World. Both books are focused on individuals who have journeyed far in search of belonging, in search of peace. She will speak to the power of stories as sites of welcome and hope.

Kao Kalia Yang’s appearance is funded in part by a grant from Wisconsin Humanities, with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Wisconsin Humanities strengthens our democracy through educational and cultural programs that build connections and understanding among people of all backgrounds and beliefs throughout the state.

Just Added!

Reading

Thunderstorms & Tiny Turtles Book Launch

Author: Jane Schmidt

Date: Saturday, April 29

Time: 2:15 – 2:45 pm

Location: Viroqua City Hall

Fee: Free

Jane Schmidt, award-winning columnist and author of Not a Perfect Fit, will be launching her newest book of essays Thunderstorms & Tiny Turtles. Join Jane as she reads excerpts from her book; ranging from city-gal-gone-country fantasies, the challenges of loving an aging parent, overcoming a speech impediment, and unruly dogs.

Book Fair

Book Fair

Date: Saturday, April 29

Time: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm

Location: Western Technical College & Eagles Club

Come wander the tables and meet authors at Western Technical College, and then head across Rock Avenue to the upper level of the Eagles Club for even more regional authors. Snap up some summertime reads just in time!
In addition to our favorite small presses and authors, Dragonfly Books (Decorah’s local independent bookstore) will be selling books by the festival’s featured authors in the McIntosh Memorial Library lobby throughout the entire festival, Friday, April 28th through Sunday, April 30th.