All the hard work paid off as 3700 visitors came and enjoyed the Festival. A substantial profit was reported. The entertainment included:
Ringebu Spelmannslag, a Norwegian Folk Dance group with fiddlers
Singer Kari Svendsen
Accordionist Shirley Jobin
Atlanta Mandolin Orchestra
Atlanta Brass Quintet
Hoag, Mabbs and Gooch dancing and fiddle music
DOTS polka band
Guitarist Frank Hamilton
Great American Gypsies, Charlie Rappaport and Shasha Lisnichuk
Children of the Swedish School who danced around the maypole built by Sam Linden
Viking Age Club Village
Johann Olav Koss, the Norwegian speed skater was the guest of honor. He had recently won 3 gold medals at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway.
The Cobb County Civic Center was reserved for the Memorial day weekend from 1996 to 1999. The Board meetings in June and August reviewed the first Festival and discussed improvements. Jette Bender provided a detailed 2- page list of suggestions. Arvid located a storage garage for $50 per month for the Festival items.