Is the Nordic Fest Antique Show a thing of the past?

You'll get two sharply different views about the Nordic Fest Antique Show, depending upon whom you talk to.

Decorah resident Priscalla Kepfield, a long-time Antique Show attendee, started the discussion of the antique show when she wrote a letter to news media in Decorah that claimed there has been "an obvious decline" in the show.  Kepfield is upset because a longtime antique show dealer who specializes in primitive antiques from Sweden, Norway and Denmark did not attend this year's Nordic Fest Antique Show.  Concluded Kepfield, "I fear (the Antique Show) will cease to exist unless changes are made."

Indeed, some antique dealers who spoke with decorahnews.com echoed Kepfield's comments.  They were critical of the lack of signage for the show, the lack of promotion of the show and what they saw as a decline in the quality of the antiques displayed.  "This used to be one of my best shows," lamented one dealer.

But Nordic Fest officials and antique show volunteers say attendance was up at this year's Antique Show.  They also noted that booth space was sold out, which meant the show "was absolutely full."

Kepfield left the antique show when she found out her favorite antique dealer had not been sent an application for this year's show.  Nordic Fest officials say they had been told the dealer had health issues and did not want to return.  Kepfield believes the antique dealer was not invited back because last year she made suggestions to Nordic Fest officials about how to improve the show.  Nordic Fest officials say that was not the case.

While attendance was up from last year, some antique dealers said their sales were off.  That might be what is driving the reexamination of how the Nordic Fest Antique Show is being run.  The antique business is changing, with the Internet having a big impact on the selling of antiques.  Antique shows still can be successful, sources tell decorahnews.com, but the most successful shows are run by antique dealers--who know what customers are looking for and know which dealers carry quality antiques and which do not.

Next year's Nordic Fest Antique Show will have new leadership--part of the normal rotation of volunteers off the Nordic Fest Board.  But whether there is an antique dealer in the Decorah area who's willing to take on the operation of the Nordic Fest Antique Show--and whether that dealer would be willing to do the work--is another question.

Several antique dealers say Nordic Fest appears to be attracting a younger crowd and that crowd doesn't seem as interested in antiques.  They say the antique show could continue to be successful, but it will have to find ways to do that in the face of a changing business.  "I have to word harder for the same results," says one antique dealer of her business--and that same saying might apply to the Nordic Fest Antique Show in the future.