Saturday 21 June, 2008 from
10 am—2:30 pm
Enjoy with us, Swedish Midsummer Fest!
Scandinavian Club
1351 S Pine Creek Rd Fairfield
Scandinavians, Invite your families and friends
Admission Free
10-11:15 Wivan plays Accordion
10:15 & 11:15 Children’s Midsummer stories read
10:30-11:15 Dancing ’round the Midsummer pole
11:30-1 Grilled hot dogs, hamburgers
11:30-1 Strawberries, lingon juice, coffee
1-2:30 Kubb and children’s games
Small Swedish wooden Maypoles will be sold
Raffle donation and Charge for food , beverage
RSVP 203 2595191 or skogce@sbcglobal.net ( Food & strawberries )
Enjoy a Swedish Midsummer Fest
Scandinavians and friends are cordially invited to enjoy a Swedish Midsummer fest at the Scandinavian Club, 1351 South Pine Creek Road in Fairfield on Saturday, 21 June between 10am and 2:30pm. Admission to our event is Gratis, rain (inside the club) or shine (outside the club). We do request RSVP (info at end of article), as we will be providing for purchase, grilled food, beverage and bowls of strawberries.
Beginning our event, native born Wivan Sundman’s nimble fingers will entertain us from 10 to 11:15, with lilting Swedish folk melodies, typical of joyous Midsummer. Traditional circle dancing ‘round our decorated Midsummer Maypole will be children and adults. Anyone is invited to grab hands and share the light hearted frolicking lines, circling round our Maypole. Wivan leaves our fest at 11:15, to play her accordion, as she has for 25 years, live at the Scandinavian House Party Broadcast, at WVOF 88.5 RM, Fairfield University Radio Station from 12 to 2pm.
Midsummer in Sweden, is inclusive of Christmas, the most celebrated holiday. After a long, shortened sunlight winter, the lengthening of 24 hour sunlight days, bursts forth on the weekend closest to the 24th of June. It is a glorious time of sun kissed pleasant warmth, birds twilling song at 11:30pm, bright 24 hour light. The Midnight sun slowly lowers in the sky to hover magically above the horizon, always brilliant as it culminates it linger, to rise to its’ height in the new summer sky, never setting, but always brilliant.
Swedish custom is to gather 7 different types of wild field flowers inclusive of daisies, weaving them together with birch branches to decorate the Maypoles. Many weave flowered crowns and wear them in their hair, as they gaily dance around the Maypole singing and acting out the not to be left out, “Frog song”. Smiles, laughter and happiness abound!
At the Scandinavian club, after we end our traditional dancing ‘round our Maypole at 11:15, the children will be read “A Swedish Midsummer tale” as they gather together with club member Linnea Stenberg. The story authored by a Swedish born woman, tells of a visit in Sweden on Midsummer, by the Swedish families’ American cousin.
Grilled food of Hot dogs and Hamburgers will be served between 11:30 and 1pm. Traditional to every Midsummer Day, will be served bowls of Strawberries and whipped cream. Lingon juice, a high mountain cousin to our American Cranberry and coffee will also be served.
Between 1 and 2:30, a game of Kubb, originally played by Vikings will be played. This fun game has been enjoyed over a thousand years on the Swedish Baltic island of Gotland. Today as the sport has become world popular there are annual World Championship tournaments held on Gotland, an original Viking trading center. WE also have a children’s size version of the Kubb game as well as other simple circle games for the children to play between 1-2:30.
A Raffle basket of Swedish items will be available by donation. Small Swedish made wooden Maypoles will be sold. Admission is free. Charges will be for food and beverages.
Please RSVP at 203 259-5191 or Skogce@sbcglobal.net if you are planning on attending, as we need to have enough strawberries for those that will want them. Swedish Midsummer cannot occur without a bowl of delicious Strawberries! Come fest and enjoy with us.