Enjoy Nordic treats and music at Scandinavian Day Festival Sept. 8
Now in its 44th year, the annual Scandinavian Day Festival has evolved but it remains loyal to its roots; the heritage of the five Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Last year, almost 1,500 people visited the festival, which features Scandinavian food, music and goods.
This year’s event will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8, at Vasa Park, 35W217 Route 31, South Elgin. Admission is $15 or free for age 12 or younger.
The morning begins with a church service at 10:30 a.m., followed by an opening ceremony at 11:10 a.m.
Children's activities from noon to 4 p.m. includes pony rides, face painting, and more. The children can enjoy “Stories With Elsa” in the gazebo from 2 to 2:20 p.m. or meet Elsa as she travels around the park from noon to 4 p.m.
The Nordic Folk Dancers of Chicago will perform their traditional and newly choreographed folk dances at 11:35 a.m. From 12:05-1:20 p.m., the featured performer will be One-Man Band Steve Solkela, a master multi-tasker who started playing accordion in high school and kept adding instruments to his repertoire, including bass drum and trumpet.
Taking the stage at 1:30 p.m. will be the Leikarringen Heimhug Dancers, the oldest continuing Scandinavian folk dance group in the Chicago area. The group, founded in 1925, encourages anyone interested in learning Norwegian and other Scandinavian folk dances to become a member.
At 2 p.m., the Norwegian Bachelor Farmers, with Kyle Elsbernd and David Kirkeby, have been delighting audiences for over two decades with their upbeat blend of Scandinavian music, humor, and storytelling.
Before the bonfire closing out the festival at 5:15 p.m., Libido Funk Circus will be performing music from the 1970s and ’80s, complete with authentic costuming and music from each era, at 3:30 p.m.
The food and beverage vendors provide a variety of offerings, including Uffda burgers, Swedish pancakes with syrup or lingonberries, herring, pølse (sausage), köttbullar (Swedish meatballs), and more.
Enjoy sweets like Æbleskiver, a puffy Danish pancake with strawberry jam, rhubarb pudding with cream; Swedish cardamom rolls, Swedish limpa rye bread; lingonberry cake; Skorpor (Swedish-style biscotti); Swedish coffee cake; and pepparkakor cookies.
Traffic detours
Due to road work closures on Route 31, just north of Vasa Park, attendees should approach the park from the intersection of South McLean Boulevard and Route 31. Go north on Route 31, around the barricade to the park entrance on the right.
Learn more at scandinaviandayil.com or facebook.com/Scanpark/.