As far as parks go, it might be Poulsbo’s best kept secret. Residents and visitors alike drive by the Front Street site, tucked away on a hillside across from Martha & Mary and nestled amongst the trees and the shoreline of Liberty Bay so often they probably don’t even realize it.
This May, the secret might be getting out as the traditional Nordic village from Viking Fest appears to be on the move from its long-standing spot in Waterfront Park to the quiet setting a few hundred feet to the north.
It is an ideal location for the Vikings, who always seemed a bit out of place so close to the clamor of the carnival and the various booths along Anderson Parkway. It’s a more serene, more fitting place for the historic band to set up for their three-day stay in Little Norway.
The new location for the Vikings will serve a few other purposes as well by welcoming the thousands who have overlooked the park for years and showcasing the handiwork of the Poulsbo Noon Lions — which renovated the walkway to the site a few years ago — as its connection to rest of the festival.
As Poulsbo City Councilman Ed Stern is fond of saying, “It’s a win-win situation.”
It truly is, too.
Over the years, countless hours have gone into improving and beautifying this often overlooked park. The Poulsbo Tree Board and a number of volunteers have worked diligently at the site, pulling ivy and replanting native vegetation to ensure those who did stumble upon the waterside gem found it polished, dazzling and beautiful.
This May, if all goes as planned, thousands of people will be discovering it as well.
It will likely be park’s brightest days in the sun ever and should serve as a long overdue introduction or reintroduction to the location. Hopefully, the light of public acknowledgement won’t fade anytime soon, and when people think of Poulsbo, they won’t just think of Waterfront Park, but will also remember their fine experience of taking a short walk north, and enjoying the scenic peace in the dappled shade and welcoming setting of American Legion.
