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Tivoli Fest 2025
May 23, 2025 – May 24, 2025
Tivoli Fest is a proud celebration of Danish heritage in the heart of the Midwest. Held in the Danish Villages of Elk Horn and Kimballton, Iowa, this festival honors the deep roots and enduring traditions of Danish immigrants who helped shape our community. Visitors are invited to experience the richness of Danish culture—taste authentic foods passed down through generations, enjoy traditional music and dance, explore heritage displays, and take part in time-honored customs. Set in the largest rural Danish settlement in the United States, Tivoli Fest is more than a festival—it’s a tribute to the legacy and spirit of Denmark in America.
Schedule of MoDA Events:
- Friday & Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm: Free Admission at the Museum of Danish America
- Friday & Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm: Free Admission at the Genealogy & Education Center
- Exhibits on view:
- Greenland: Shared History, Evolving Future
- Friday & Saturday, dawn to dusk: Jens Jensen Prairie Landscape Park
- Visit the Jens Jensen Prairie Landscape Park to find native plants, explore outdoor exhibits, play on innovative Danish-designed outdoor fitness equipment, gather around the council rings, and enjoy thirty acres of tallgrass prairie
- Friday, 2 – 4 pm: Dwight Lamb Orkestra
- This performance, in honor of Dwight Lamb, will be held at the Museum of Danish America and is made possible by the American-Scandinavian Foundation.
- Friday: Rhubarb Reimagined Cooking Contest:
- Savory dishes or sweet treats, we’ll taste them all! Deliver your creations to the Elk Horn Fire Station on Friday, May 23, from 3 to 5 pm. Judging begins at 5:30 pm by Museum of Danish America staff and volunteers. Three winners will be chosen for 3 categories: Best Tasting, Most Authentically Danish, and Best Presentation. Winners will be announced between the two bands at the Fire Station that evening at 7:30 pm.
- Saturday, 12:30 – 1 pm & 3 – 3:30 pm: Behind-the-Scenes Visual Storage Tours
- Saturday, 1 – 3 pm: Main Vault Tours
More to do in the Danish Villages!
- Tours of the Danish Windmill from Nørre Snede, Denmark
- Food trucks & beer garden
- Live music at the fire station on Friday & Saturday night
- Traditional Danish food – æbleskiver and medisterpølse, smørrebrød, & rød pølse
- Live Viking demonstrations
- Danish folk dancing troupes
- Craft & antique booths
- A parade, fireworks, joke contest, kid’s LEGO contest, a mill to mermaid 5k, and so much more!
There is so much to see and do in the Danish Villages during Tivoli Fest. Dare we say that it’s the perfect time to visit!?
Mark your calendars and participate in this cultural celebration held Memorial Weekend.
Find the schedule and updates on the Tivoli Fest website.