How is it that an organization as vibrant and active as Folklore Village can manage with only two full-time and three part-time employees? We have an incredible group of volunteers who assist us with everything from helping in the kitchen during potlucks to helping rebuild the Aslak Lie House! Come be a part of Folklore Village by volunteering. All skill sets appreciated!
Note that all appropriate Covid-19 precautions will be followed and enforced.
We invite you to use this Sign-up Form to let us know how you’d like to be involved. You may mail it to us, email it to office@folklorevillage.org, or drop it off. Questions on the form? Ask in an email to the same address.
Volunteer Opportunities
THANK YOU, Better Gnomes and Gardeners
Annual Gardening Bee
Every year a contingent of faithful volunteers tidies up our gardens, and plants annuals around our main building, Farwell Hall. If you love to get your hands in the dirt and your nose on a flower, come to this glorious day of camaraderie and gardening.
Donations of annual plants are much appreciated!
Lunch will be provided.
Periodic Plum Grove Church Workbees
Board member Hank Kulesza has headed up a series of work days concentrating on exterior maintenance of the Plum Grove Church and Wakefield Schoolhouse. As these projects are highly weather dependent, they often get planned on short notice. Let us know if you’d like to be notified when these are scheduled. Hank says, “I can find tasks that people are comfortable with. Any and all work will be appreciated. Contact me with any questions either via email: hotkathlk@yahoo.com, or by phone: (414) 520-7894.”
Help build the Aslak Lie House! Built by Norwegian Immigrant, Aslak Olsen Lie, in 1848, the house is one of the earliest examples of Norwegian-American structures in Wisconsin. Come participate with Nels Diller and crew, working with hand-tools to re-create this 
historical home – built by a craftsman, whose stunning work has been documented in both Norway, and in Wisconsin. You will not only learn about working historical logs with hand-tools, and about historical reconstruction practices, but will enjoy great company as well!
Help us in the kitchen, or with baking If your favorite room to gather in is the 
kitchen, consider coming out to a Folklore Village Saturday Night event, and take some time to volunteer in the kitchen, where a great group of people works together to get the potluck and snack out to the crowd, and the dishes through our industrial dishwasher. Also available are opportunities to bake for future events so that we always have delicious cookies and tortes on hand for all to enjoy!
Building and Grounds Maintenance and Repair We are always looking for handy people 
who might be able to help us with small infrastructure repairs, yard work, and other maintenance projects. On our lovely 94 acres we maintain a main hall, an 1893 one-room schoolhouse, an 1882 chapel, 2 bunkhouses, and an outhouse. All of these buildings, as well as the grounds, are in continual need of maintenance and repair, and we always appreciate any help that comes our way – skilled or unskilled.
Prairie Restoration Folklore Village is home to over 65 acres of restored prairie. 
We invite anyone who is interested to come meander our mowed paths, and get a sense of what early settlers to the area saw when they arrived here from distant shores. Spend a lazy summer day communing with our badgers and butterflies. For those who want to experience more than just a walk, you can volunteer to help eradicate undesirable plants.
The Folklore Village Orchestra Local musicians looking for a musical outlet will really enjoy this low-pressure gig!
While you don’t need to be an absolute expert at your instrument of choice, a little experience helps to play along with the FV Orchestra for in-house dances. Sometimes there is one practice before the event, to get all the musicians onto the same page. Folk tunes of all sorts are part of the repertoire, many from the Folklore Village publications, The Folklore Village Saturday Night Book and Scandinavian Folk Dances and Tunes.
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You never know what might be cooking at Folklore Village (figuratively or literally speaking) so let us know if you are available to help with something not mentioned here, or if you would like to be notified when another project is starting. Want to walk with us in the annual Ridgeway Labor Day parade? Hang up flyers around town for an event? Clean our kitchen from top to bottom? Shovel snow? Call a barn dance? Catalog books in our library? We would love for you to join us!
What do you like to do? We can find a way to use your skills!Contact us: (608) 924-4000 or office@folklorevillage.org