Midsommar is a community celebration of the summer solstice that is especially popular in Scandinavia. An ancient holiday rooted in paganism, it was originally celebrated as a fertility festival, comprising the practice of rituals associated with nature with the hope for a good harvest the following autumn.
Midsommarfest, as presented by Skandia Folkdance Society, is a traditional Swedish celebration of the summer solstice, recreated in as authentic a manner as possible, complete with the 2:30 p.m. raising of a garlanded Midsommar pole, a serpentine dance around the pole, and hundreds of costumed musicians and dancers – traditions practiced in Sweden for centuries. Over the years since the 1959 inception of Skandia Midsommarfest, the festival has expand to include contributions from all the Nordic and Baltic countries so that the rich cultural diversity of all those lands can be experienced by Skandia Midsommarfest attendees.
MIDSOMMARFEST: SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 2019
11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
St. Edward State Park, Kenmore, Washington
Admission: FREE, donations welcome
