Embrace your inner Viking at Beaver County's first Heathen Fest at Hookstown Fairgrounds

GREENE TWP. ― Hang out with heathens at the Hookstown Fairgrounds.

That's the unique opportunity presented July 26-28 at the first Beaver County Heathen Festival.

First let's explain: Heathens − in this context − is another name for Vikings. Or as the National Museum of Denmark explains, "In the early Viking period the Nordic gods were worshipped in Scandinavia. Christianity was being adopted in Europe and therefore the Vikings in the north stood out as different. The Christians of Europe called the Vikings heathens. This term was used indiscriminately for those with differing beliefs."

Beaver County Heathen Festival co-founder Tina Kamicker said she chose the event's name for authenticity's sake.

Families attending the event can look forward to Viking/Heathen re-enactors and demos, fire dancers, photo opps with wolves, and more than 100 vendors' booths.

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Kids can take part in a friendly water balloon fight with the Vikings or look for clues in a scavenger hunt.

"And there'll be demos showing how they fought, with reenactors in their gear with weapons," Kamicker said.

From iron-forging and glass-blowing demos to hair-braiding and face painting, to a small animal petting zoo and an exotic animal exhibit, there's action to behold.

Live music will come from ambient, dark Nordic folk-inspired solo artist Skogarmaor and harpist Michele Mountain, whose singing and stringing aim to enchant. And not to be missed is the belly dance duo The Valkyries.

Tickets are $20; $9 for children ages 10-15, at eventbrite.com or blcevents23.wixsite.com. The festival also has a Facebook page.

Food vendors will include Papa Wood BBQ, Tater Tater and Syrian Aroma Mediterranean Cuisine. The Vikings ventured to the Mediterranean in quest of Silk Road goods, Kamicker said.

Kamicker organized this event after she and her wife attended a similar Viking festival in Ohio and became fascinated by the history.

"We have Renaissance fairs but not Viking ones," Kamicker said. "I don't remember being taught about Vikings in school."

Besides the setting and eras, there are differences between Renaissance and Heathen/Viking festivals.

"Renaissance Faires are medieval-recreating historical settings. Viking Festivals are more directed towards the lifestyle, education and just a whole celebration of the solstice," Kamicker said. "There weren't fairies and things to that nature like in the Renaissance."

There's a growing interest in Viking lore thanks to cable and streaming TV shows like Netflix's "The Last Kingdom" and "Valhalla" and "Vikings" on History Channel.

Though the name "heathens" still isn't properly understood by many.

"It's sad, when some people hear 'heathens' they think it's devil worship and bad stuff, but that isn't what this is," Kamicker said. "That's the name they were called. And we're trying to take that back."

Beaver County Heathen Festival hours are noon to 7 p.m. July 26, noon to 10 p.m. July 27 and noon to 5 p.m. July 28.

Hookstown Fairgrounds is at 1198 Route 168 just south of Hookstown.

Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@gannett.com.