Midsommar Dag
Gammelgården Museum invites ALL families to come to Scandia on June 21, 2008 for Midsommar Dag….with a special emphasis on celebrating your family coming to America. So, start now…plan a family reunion!
Midsommar Dag includes a wonderful FREE program of Swedish dancers and singers. A Swedish Pig Roast smörgåsbord will be available at Elim and the Scandia Community Center; the Swedish Genealogical Society of Minnesota will be on hand to help trace family information; activities, contests and competitions for the children will be available.
10:00 am
- Historic Buildings Open
- Art and Craft vendors
- Dairy Farm demonstrations
- Family Reunions begin
- Swedish American Genealogical Society available for research Elim Lutheran Church archive records available
- Gazebo treats ( coffee, rolls, hot dogs, 3- meatball sandwiches, cookies and homemade root beer)
11:00 am
- Swedish Pig Roast Smörgåsbord
Elim Church and Scandia Community Center
Reserve tickets 651 433 5053 /some at the door $10.00
Noon
- Scandia Band concert
- Crafts and games for all
Butter making, rope winding, 3 legged races, hoop rolling and more!
1:00 pm
- Musicians, Entertainers and Family Reunion Parade
- Swedish Hambo Dancers
- Svenskarnasdag Girls Choir
- Rev. Leman Olsenius, Invocation
Tents, tables and chairs will be set-up at Gammelgården for families to rent that day; families can have a representative group march in the opening parade from Elim, down the hill to Gammelgården.
Family Reunion signup form(.pdf)
In modern Sweden, Midsummer's Eve and Midsummer's Day (Midsommarafton and Midsommardagen) are celebrated from the eve of the Friday between June 19 - 25. It is arguably the most important holiday of the year, and one of the most uniquely Swedish in the way it is celebrated, even if it has been influenced by other countries long ago. The main celebrations take place on the Friday, and the traditional events include raising and dancing around a huge maypole. One typical dance is the frog dance. Before the maypole is raised, greens and flowers are collected and used to cover the entire pole.
Raising and dancing around a maypole (majstången or midsommarstången) is an activity that attracts families and many others. People dancing around the pole listen to traditional music and many wear traditional folk costumes. The year's first potatoes, pickled herring, sour cream, and possibly the first strawberries of the season are on the menu. Drinking songs are also important at this feast, and many drink heavily.
To many Swedes this holiday is seen as a holiday of partying, and as the start of the summer. The cities become almost deserted as most people travel to the country, often to their summer cottages, to celebrate. Midsummer rivals Christmas as the most important holiday of the year.
