Leif Erikson doesn't always get the acclaim he deserves, often overshadowed by the more famous Christopher Columbus. But just because Erikson was a Viking doesn't mean that he wasn't the first European to discover the New World—even before Columbus and his crew. At Vikingfest on Oct. 10, celebrate Leif Erikson Day and the many traditions of the Vikings with fellow revelers.

Held at the Sons of Norway Hall—a fitting location given Vikings' Norwegian roots—the festival is just about a five-minute drive from Creekside Park. So, it shouldn't take too much planning to get everyone in the car and head to the fest to watch Viking-centric historical reenactments, snap a few pics in the Viking photo booth, and dig into traditional Norwegian grub. Enjoy listening to live music and shopping at Scandinavian vendors' booths along the way.

Vikingfest
10 a.m. October 10
Sons of Norway Hall
617 W. 9th Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95409
www.pressdemocrat.com/events#/event/vikingfest

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr susan@kingstreetmarketinggroup