History and tradition remain at Swedish Day

With sunny skies overhead and a summer day that truly felt like summer, crowds flocked to Good Templar Park in Geneva Sunday for the 105th annual Swedish Day Midsommer Festival.

The oldest ethnic festival in Illinois was highlighted by tours of the park's unique attraction - a 122-year-old Viking ship. The 78-foot-long boat is a re-creation of the ancient Viking ship Gokstad.

"Isn't it beautiful?" said Lorraine Straw after leading a tour of the boat. "It is so unique in that it proves Leif Erikson's story."

Straw is of Norwegian and Swedish descent and a member of Friends of the Viking Ship, the group that preserves the historic artifact.

The ship sailed from Norway to Chicago in 1893 via the Saint Lawrence Seaway. It was stored at the Field Museum and in Lincoln Park before being moved to Good Templar Park after being purchased by the American Scandinavian Council.

Swedish Day has changed very little since 1911. Pam Gustafson, an organizer from Elgin, said they have abided by tradition to preserve the century-old, local celebration.

"It's kind of like being thrown back in history," Gustafson said. "With a lot of these festivals it's all commercialized. But we've kept it the same as it was for over 100 years as much as possible."

Some activities, though, may soon vanish. A game where kids toss Swedish crafted canes will likely come to an end after this year's celebration.

"It's kind of sad; we have limited supplies of these canes made by Scandinavian crafters," Gustafson said. "Unfortunately, that is a game that won't appear next year. Nobody is making those kind of canes anymore."

Swedish Day is one of the last local events in which visitors could find a fried herring breakfast, Gustafson said. Other dishes available included Swedish pancakes, Swedish meatballs and sloppy joes.

The event also included a Viking encampment, a cottage walk and tour, outdoor worship service and music and dancing. For details, visit www.swedishday.net