MINOT (AP) - This city will become the Mecca for all things Norse this week.

The annual Norsk Hostfest, the largest Scandinavian cultural festival in North America, runs from Wednesday through Saturday. More than two-thirds of the people who attend will travel between 150 and 1,000 miles to take part, organizers say.

"Heritage is like a lighted torch passed from one generation to the next," said Chester Reiten, president of the Norsk Hostfest Association. "It is now up to us, the living, to continue to preserve and pass on our heritage."

This year's main stage acts include singers Liza Minnelli, George Jones and Terri Clark, along with comedians Tim Conway and Harvey Korman. Other acts will include the Oak Ridge Boys and Williams and Ree, along with many Scandinavian artists.

One new feature this year is the restaurant En To Tre, which will enable people to experience Norwegian fine dining in a sit-down atmosphere.

Another new feature will give area families a chance to experience the festival after the work and school day.

" 'Family Fun After 5' is a great opportunity for families to do things together as a family at the Hostfest," said Candi Helseth, a Hostfest spokeswoman.

"Children can participate with their parents in hands-on activities in Viking Village with making and experiencing Viking artifacts," she said. "The kids can also experience some of the books especially written for them and read with their parents, and have a chance to visit with the authors of these books."

One mainstay of the Hostfest - the Norwegian taco - will return. The taco is made with lumpa, a Norwegian flat bread, and contains meat and vegetables. They are made by volunteers from Shell Creek Lutheran Church north of Plaza.

"For more than 20 years almost 20 people … come together each year to bake more than 1,200 Norwegian tacos," said Karen Ringoen, the church historian. "We have sold out each year."

The Hostfest also includes the annual Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame induction banquet. This year's inductees are Gov. John Hoeven; Carrol Juven, a promoter of Norway and the Hostfest; John Lund, chief executive of the Sons of Norway; and Jerry Iverson, former manager of the North Dakota State Fair.

"The Hall of Fame is the premiere event at the Norsk Hostfest," Reiten said. "It shows younger generations that they also may one day follow in these role models' footsteps."