Nordic heritage takes center stage at South Elgin's Vasa Park

Hundred of people converged on Vasa Park in South Elgin Sunday for the 31st annual Scandinavian Day Festival, which featured musical performances, re-enactments, food and a beautiful setting along the banks of the Fox River.

"This is one of the few events where you can express your Scandinavian heritage," said Irene StromSpejcher, a Mt. Prospect resident who came dressed in a traditional Swedish outfit and sang both the American and Swedish National Anthems to help start the day off. "I've been coming here since I was, like, 4."

The festival spotlighted the heritage of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

One highlight of the day was an appearance by Telge Glima, a Swedish cultural society that performs and instructs the public in old Scandinavian games and sports.

"We're here to follow the tracks of our ancestor," said Telge Glima member Michael Maasing. "They're really crazy games. It's for having fun the games, but some of them are pretty rough."

Attending each year has been a mix of fun and networking for Don Olson, a retired professor from North Park University and chair of their Center for Scandinavian Studies.

"It's beautiful this year," said Olson, who has attended the festival since 1997. "It's gotten bigger. This is the best collection of vendors I've seen and of course the food is always good."

Geri Nerby of Barrington attended with her husband, Mel, and friends Carol and Bill Gates of Aurora.

"We see people here that we only see one time a year and they always have neat stuff for sale," said Geri Nerby, who has Norwegian roots. "We're all patriotic Americans, but you still have to teach your children and grandchildren your heritage."

This was Carol Gates' first time at the festival, and she gave it high marks only 45 minutes into it, partly because it reminded her of a trip she took to Norway in 2007.

"It brings back memories," she said.