Leif Erikson Day

Leif Erikson Day is October 9th

Leif Erikson Day celebrates the first known expedition to America by a person of Nordic decent. This man was named Leif Erikson and he is believed to have visited North America as early as 1000 CE. The date of October 9th is unrelated to Erikson’s explorations. It corresponds with the arrival in New York of a ship called Restauration from Stavanger, Norway in 1825. This began immigration from Scandinavia to the US. Today it celebrates Nordic people and their culture as well as the spirit of adventure and exploration inspired by Erikson.