POULSBO — With Viking Fest 2006 barely in its rearview mirror, the Poulsbo Sons of Norway lodge is turning its attention squarely on its youth.

The lodge’s annual Heritage Camp is slated for June 22-24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and leads up to Midsummer Fest, which will engulf Waterfront Park June 24.

“It’s a wonderful time for us and it’s something we look forward to every year,” said former Sons administrator Mariann Samuelsen.

The three-day camp will teach children between the ages of 7 and 14 traditional Scandinavian arts such as rosemaling, weaving, cooking and dancing.

“Heritage Camp is a great opportunity for the kids to start learning about Scandinavian culture,” Samuelsen said.

Many adult members of the lodge, including President Bob Moseng and cultural director Grace Overby and her husband, Stan, will help pass traditions and culture onto the next generation, she said.

Kitchen gurus Marit Nielsen and Arna Mathisen have stepped up to help teach the camp’s cooking classes.

“This is what the Poulsbo Sons of Norway is all about,” Samuelsen said, noting that the lodge was recently honored for its efforts in promoting family activities.

Children will learn Norwegian dancing and the Norwegian language all the while gaining an appreciation for the country’s musical heritage, she said.

The culmination of the three-day affair will be the decoration and raising of the maypole near Kvelstad Pavilion as the Sons celebrates the Summer Solstice, she said.

“What makes us very proud is when the kids show us what they have learned at the camp,” Samuelsen said.

The registration deadline for the camp, which is limited to the first 40 children, is June 6 and the cost is $30 for Poulsbo Sons of Norway lodge members and $45 for nonmembers.

To register or for more information, call Samuelsen at the Sons lodge at (360) 779-5209.