Celebrate Nordic heritage at Scandinavian Day

Experience five Nordic cultures in one place at Scandinavian Day, which takes place 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, at Vasa Park, 35W217 Route 31, South Elgin. Admission is $10; free for kids ages 12 and younger.

According to festival organizers, Scandinavian Day is dedicated to the preservation and celebration of the five Scandinavian countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

Open to people of all ages and backgrounds, the festival provides a venue to honor and present all things Scandinavian, past and present. The crafts, dance, education, food, music, and merchandise of the festival, combined with the historic setting of Vasa Park, are intended to create an atmosphere full of the hospitality and warmth of Scandinavia.

The festival begins with a morning church service and welcome at 10:30 a.m. Visitors can purchase Scandinavian food such as Swedish pancakes, Aebelskivers (pancake puffs), Swedish meatball plate, herring and all the fixings, Danish hot dogs, waffles, ice cream and more, then stroll and shop along a vendor walkway and check out children's activities.

Also featured will be Nordic beer tasting, a living history encampment, exotic animals by Animal Awareness, pony rides and face painting.

Entertainment includes the modern and the traditional. Relive the 1970s when ABBA Salute - Dancing Queen takes the stage at noon.

Be sure to see the DeKalb Foot Stompers at two shows, 2 and 5:15 p.m., as they head off into their musical retirement. The band, a longtime favorite in the DeKalb area and at NIU homecomings, has been together for 45 years.

Other performers include Ron Eckberg at 1:30 p.m., Leikarringen Heimhug Norwegian Folk Dancers of Chicago at 2:45 p.m., Swedesong Girls Ensemble at 3:15 p.m., Chicago Swedish Glee Club at 4 p.m., and Nordic Folk Dancers of Chicago at 4:45 p.m.

Parking is free. For details, call (847) 695-6720 or visit www.scandinaviandayil.com.