VOLUNTEER

We are always looking for volunteers. From monthly projects to our seasonal events and on going programs, there are so many ways to contribute your talents and skills.

Check out some of our Volunteer Opportunities

Interested in ongoing volunteer opportunities and committees? Please check out our opportunities below and contact the office.

VOLUNTEER LOGIN

UPCOMING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

CONCERTS - Eeppi Ursin – My Finnish Soul - Sun, Oct 12 at 1pm and 6pm | Nordia House

Award-winning singer-songwriter, jazz vocalist, and pianist Eeppi Ursin returns to Nordic Northwest with My Finnish Soul, a heartfelt tribute to her homeland of Finland. Can you help with check-in or bar?

Family Concert – check-in FILLED

Family Concert – bar FILLED

Evening Concert – check-in FILLED

Evening Concert – bar FILLED

AUTUMN FOGELBO TOURS - Friday, October 17 & Saturday, October 18, 2025
Join us at Fogelbo to help give a tour of the cozy historic log cabin in all it’s autumn glory. You will be assigned a spot in the house and learn more about it to then give the tour! This opportunity is open to all Fogelbo docents who have previously done tours or attended a docent training. We will also provide you with information prior to the tours. Shifts are available on Friday & Saturday – 9:30am-2:30pm. Questions? Email sassac@nordicnorthwest.org

NORDIC COLORFUL BAND WEAVING WORKSHOP – Saturday, October 25 | Nordia House

October is Portland Textile Month! In this workshop attendees will learn how to weave a colorful narrow band. These bands are popular in Nordic cultures and many cultures across the globe for thousands of years and used as sashes, belts, headbands, decorative trim, and straps for bags and musical instruments. Can you help?

Workshop Time: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM

We are looking for:

Class Assistants

NORDIC COLORFUL BAND WEAVING WORKSHOP Afternoon Class – Saturday, October 25 | Nordia House

Workshop Time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

We are looking for:

Class Assistants

NORDIC VINTAGE SALE – Friday, November 8 & Saturday, November 9

Nordic Northwest's Autumn Nordic Vintage & Treasure Sale is just around the corner. We are looking for volunteers to join in the fun and help with greeting, selling, cashiering, decorating, set-up, take down and more. Can you help? We would love to have you!

We will have volunteer snacks and beverages available throughout the day.

Take a look at our shifts here.

VIKING CHAIR WORKSHOP - Saturday, November 15 | Nordia House
In this workshop participants will learn how to build a “one-plank” Viking chair using just one piece of reclaimed wood!
Workshop Time: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
We are looking for:
Class Assistants
Woodworking Assistants

FAMILY BIRCH BARK BASKETS - Saturday, November 22 | Nordia House

We are looking for a volunteer to help attendees with this fun introduction to weaving. Can you help guests make a simple but beautiful woven birch bark ring? We'd love to have you!

Craft Assistants

Highlighted Ongoing & Committee Opportunities:

ScanFair Committee
Love everything Christmas? Join the ScanFair Crew and help plan Nordic Northwest's Nordic Christmas Market. The committee is looking for volunteers with organizational skills and a passion for sharing Nordic culture. Each committee member is asked to take the lead on one event element and see it through to completion. This might require recruiting additional volunteer help, coordinating with vendors or performers, gathering supplies, setting up your area or activity, and assist with event day staffing.
Interested in helping create the sights, sounds, tastes and traditions of a Nordic Christmas market? Sign-up here.

Nordic Nights Committee
Are you someone with organizational skills and a passion for event planning and sharing Nordic culture? Be a part of Nordic Northwest biggest fundraiser of the year. Nordic Nights - Auction & Gala! The committee makes this special night sparkle. Each committee member is asked to take the lead on one event element and see it through to completion. This might include procurement of items, creating auction packages, working on decorations, dinner and drinks.
Interested in helping? Sign-up here.

Development Committee
Do you have community and/or business connections, fundraising, event planning or a business leadership background? The Development Committee leads Nordic Northwest's strategic direction that identifies philanthropy's role in accomplishing its strategic plan, vision & mission. They meets monthly - 2nd Monday of the month.
Interested in helping steer the programming ship? Sign-up here.

Fogelbo Forest Trolls

The happy Trolls meet every Tuesday - rain or shine - and pull out all the tricks (and weeds) beautifying the grounds. Our trolls, instead of skulking in the deep dark woods, are true magicians when it comes to helping identify & prune plants, trimming trees, building and repairing small structures, wild weeding and so much more.

Any amount of time you can donate is greatly appreciated.

Interested in stopping by on a Tuesday sometime?

Nordic Cuisine Committee

Do you love food? Especially the Nordic variety? Join this fabulous committee in planning Nordic cuisine programs. Have fun recruiting guest chefs, creating delicious line-ups and evaluate the success of classes and instructors.

Committee meets at various times based on the frequency of events being planned. Times and dates are varied and agreed upon by members availability.

We are looking for... community members with a background in cooking & baking (no professional experience needed) who are interested in planning programs or teaching about various kinds of Nordic inspired meals.

Learn More

Field Trip Guides

Do you have a background in education, docent touring, or love working with students and sharing knowledge through tours, games and activities? Share your skills and experience and help create fun, meaningful field trip visits for students of all ages who come to the Nordic Northwest Campus for our Trolls, Trails, and Tall Tales field trips! Our field trips are centered on Ole Bolle Troll and include Fogelbo, Nordia House, with subject matter in Nordic culture and folktales, nature education, and sustainability. You’ll be helping set up, prepare for, and assist during all parts of the field trips. All information, orientations, and trainings are provided in preparation for assisting.

Youth & Family Craft Workshop Assistants

Do you have crafting experience, or experience with Nordic folk arts? We are in need of extra pairs of crafty hands for our Youth & Family craft workshops! Assist in setting up, helping students, and cleaning up for a variety of folk and craft classes throughout the year. This is a fun way to learn new skills, share your existing skills, and meet and mingle with the craft-curious of all ages in our community.

Nordic Northwest embraces volunteers and strives to provide opportunities that deepen community, share the experience of the cultural heritages represented by Nordic Northwest and advance its mission and vision.

Nordic Northwest maintains an active volunteer base and we are and will be forever grateful to our amazing volunteers without whom this organization would not exist. We truly appreciate your wonderful enthusiasm and support. As a volunteer you, of course, get free entry to the events and programs for which you selected a volunteer shift, enjoy the benefits of special invitations to volunteer programs and make lasting friendships along the way!

APPLY TODAY

You can apply in a few simple steps.

1. Interested in volunteering but not entirely sure how? Fill out our online volunteer interest form and send it back to Nordic Northwest. We will contact you and explore further steps

PLEASE NOTE:

You have to log in to your account.

If you are a member or have attended events and this is the first time you are logging in, or if you have forgotten your login information, please click “Having trouble logging in?”. You are prompted to enter the email address associated with your account, and a link will be emailed to you to set up your login.

If you have not been a member in the past or attended events, please click on “create account."

2. You have signed up to volunteer for a specific event, program, committee and just have to send in the paperwork?

Complete the volunteer application, sign the waiver and email to Sassa and you are good to go!

Feel free to browse one or more of our volunteer opportunities posted below and call the office with any questions about upcoming opportunities, etc.

Volunteer Opportunities

ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES

Please contact the office if you are interested in any of the following opportunities:

Office Assistance:

Help us with event preparation, reception, digitizing archives, mailings, and other office tasks.

Tour Guides & Docents:

Lead groups on architecture tours of Nordia House and the Nordic Northwest Campus. We also have volunteer opportunities to be part of the quarterly Fogelbo Tours.

Stewardship, Volunteer & Membership

Assist with active community outreach campaigns to recruit new members and volunteers and attend volunteer fairs.

Facilities & Groundskeeping:

Spend time beautifying and brush-clearing at Fogelbo, potting plants or gardening at Nordia House through spring, summer, and fall with the award winning Fogelbo Trolls, a fun volunteer group that meets every Tuesday morning. We also have week round opportunities for indoor and outdoor Nordia House beautification.

Event Photography:

Do you have an affinity for taking pictures? we are looking for avid photographers to capture the fun and diversity our festivals, fundraisers, programs, concerts, classes, lectures and more with their camera.

Event-Day Volunteering

We're always looking for help at our festivals, programs, concerts, galas and more. Sign up for a shift at one of our seasonal events and help with set-up, check-in, volunteer coordination, games, bar (with current OLCC license), food (with valid food handler's license), kids area, Nordic Northwest booth, admission, decorations, take-down, and more.