Go Nordic for a day with food, music and Vikings at Vasa Park
The Scandinavian Day Festival returns for its 45th year celebrating traditional music, dance, food and more on Sunday, Sept. 7.
The family-friendly event takes place from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Vasa Park at 35W217 Route 31 in South Elgin. It features food, entertainment and vendors representing Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland.
The day’s schedule begins at 10:30 a.m. with an outdoor church service, followed by an opening ceremony and welcome at 11:30 a.m.
Children’s activities will include crafts, face painting, story time by Elsa at 2 p.m., and free pony rides.
Entertainers will include Nordic Folk Dancers of Chicago at 12:30 p.m., songs from Denmark by Anita Lerche and Bo Riemer at 1:20 p.m., and Leikarringen Heimhug Dancers at 2:25 p.m.
Food and beverage vendors will serve lingonberry saft and coffee with skorpa, fried herring, pølse, köttbullar, kringle and Æbleskiver. In addition to collectibles, homemade cookies, cake slices and lefse rounds will be offered by bakers from Sons of Norway Polar Star Lodge 5-472 in Montgomery.
A vendor walkway will feature Scandinavian-focused treats, artisan crafts and information from local Scandinavian organizations, museums and lodges.
A living history area along the Fox River will offer chats with a Viking and family members across time and space.
Libido Funk Circus will perform music from ABBA and other 1970s and ’80s tunes along with authentic costuming at 3:15 p.m., followed by the closing bonfire at 5:30 p.m.
Admission is $15 or free for age 12 and under. Parking is free.
For more information, call (847) 695-6720 or visit scandinaviandayil.com.