Scandinavian Folk Festival

The Scandinavian Folk Festival at the Northwest Arena will continue Saturday July 20 from 10 AM to 7 PM and on Sunday July 21 from 10 AM to 4 PM. This is the opportunity to experience the sights, sounds and tastes of Jamestown area’s cultural heritage.  

Ethnic foods will be featured.  Choices include Swedish meatball dinners and other options served by 3Cs Catering, Swedish waffles and varmkorv (Swedish hot dog with choice of mashed potatoes) by Hot Spot Café and Norm’s world famous korv burgers sponsored by the American Scandinavian Heritage Foundation and served by the Allen Park Women’s Club. Don’t forget the lingonberry drink and Danish Carlsberg beer. Oh, and all the pickled herring you can eat.

Besides ABBAMANIA, the sounds of Sweden will be presented by Smorgasbandet from Long Island on accordions and drums, Svenska Spelman from Chautauqua County on fiddles, nyckelharpa, guitar, banjo and accordion. In addition DemBones will be blasting out music on their trombones, The Thule Adult and Children's Folk Dance Teams will be demonstrating traditional dances..

On Saturday morning, July 20 at 10 AM begin your midsummer celebration by making your own colorful head wreath and by putting flowers from your garden onto the 21 foot tall midsummer pole. Participate in the procession of the pole with the Festival’s musicians and watch it being erected on the corner of Lafayette and W. 3rd St. Then, it is time to join in with traditional ring dances in the street.

Several vendors will be exhibiting their products in the Northwest Arena. Be sure to check out the Festival’s gift shop for unique local inspired t-shirts and many imported, new and flea market items.

A series of educational and fun lectures will occur both days. Bring your musical instrument and attend one of Smorgasbandet’s learn-a-tune workshops. Observe crafters at work and begin to learn some new skills. Want to learn how to play the Viking chess style game called Hnefatafl using our hand carved game pieces?

ABBAMANIA, from Toronto, Canada, the world’s finest ABBA tribute band is highlighting this year’s Scandinavian Folk Festival. When Mamma Mia was on stage in Toronto, this band provided the music. Musically, vocally, and visually this is the most accurate recreation of an ABBA show in existence. The New York Times gave them a review of "vocally superb," the Boston Herald says "Best ABBA show ever" and the Rolling Stone Magazine states “ABBAMANIA is incredible.” ABBAMANIA has performed from Malaysia to Mexico to the Cayman Islands with over 200 shows a year since 1999.

The seven band members will perform Saturday July 20, 2024 at 8 PM in the Northwest Arena, Jamestown, NY during the Scandinavian Folk Festival. Hear every song recreated note for note, sound for sound to make this show the most authentic ABBA production you will ever hear. The 21st annual Scandinavian Folk Festival theme is “Let’s Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of ABBA.” Representing Sweden, ABBA won the Eurovision Contest in 1974 performing “Waterloo.” This event launched their career and led to their music becoming Sweden’s number one export.

This concert is ticketed as a separate event of the Festival. Concert ticket holders can come for dinner with no Festival fee after 6 PM.

The WolfTrap

A Tribute to Abba, Concert at the WolfTrap Theater. August 11, 2024 at 6:30 PM. You can dance, you can jive, and have the time of your life at The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA. Sing along to ABBA’s iconic hits including “Mamma Mia,” “S.O.S.,” “Waterloo,” and many more performed by the top ABBA tribute group in the world. Tickets start at $42, for further info follow this link!

THE SWEDISH AMERICAN CULTURAL UNION (SACU)

DATE AND TIME TBA:  NORDIC IMPRESSIONS ART EVENT Art historian Dr Klaus Ottmann, Deputy Director for Curatorial and Academic Affairs at The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., curates the upcoming Phillips exhibition, "Nordic Impressions: Art from Aland, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, 1821-2018."

HOUSE OF SWEDEN

ICONS: An Exhibition About the Right to Exist. From March 2 until June 30, 2024, Saturdays and Sundays between 12-5 PM.

We all need role models to relate and look up to – be it a superhero, an artist, or a revolutionary. Yet, these universally iconic figures are rarely depicted bypeople with intellectual disabilities. The photo exhibition Icons explores the right to exist and to be seen, regardless of who you are. It features portraits of iconic figures – real and fictional – modeled by 21 individuals with Down Syndrome. Here, they get to act out their dreams and desires: in society, in pop culture, and in art. This exhibition is about more than just photography. Ultimately, it is a powerful reminder that while we are all unique, we are not as different as we might think.  

Icons was born out of a unique collaboration between the Fotografiska Museum in Stockholm, one of the world’s largest centers for contemporary photography, and the Glada Hudik Theater, a Swedish theater group for people with intellectual disabilities. Helena Andersson and Linda Sandberg (idea and design), Emma Svensson (photographer), Pär Johansson (artistic director, Glada Hudik Theater), Pauline Benthede (global exhibition manager, Fotografiska Museum), and Per Broman (founder, Fotografiska Museum) were responsible for the production.

SWEDISH AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (SACC)

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NORDIC DANCERS OF WASHINGTON, D.C.

Wednesdays 7:30 pm: Highland View Elementary School, Silver Spring, MD The Nordic Dancers of Washington, D.C., resumed in September 2023 at Highland View Elementary School in Silver Spring, MD and will meet regularly on Wednesdays through May 22. Come any Wednesday and learn traditional dances of Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway. Music is provided by fiddler and Drott Lodge member Paul Carlson. Newcomers are welcome; no prior dance experience is necessary. Check by email for updated COVID protocols. For more information, visit the website:  Nordic Dancer DC.  To verify the meeting room and check for updated COVID protocols, call 301-864-1596 or send a message to NordicDancers@aol.com.

NORDIC LANGUAGE MEETUP

What we’re about:  Are you passionate or just curious about the Nordic countries and learning or speaking their individual languages? Maybe you are interested in speaking one of the Nordic languages, or just want to hang out with someone from the Nordic countries to find out who we are? If yes, this meetup group is for you! Sponsored by the American Scandinavian Association this group meets once a month at various locations. During the meeting time, we will form smaller discussion groups around the participants' language abilities and interests. The major language groups are Icelandic, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish. Feel free to join even if you don't speak a Nordic language!

Events TBA

 

SONS OF NORWAY WASHINGTON LODGE – CAPITAL VIKING

Lodge Picnics. Washington Lodge will be celebration the summer with three Picnic.  Mark your calendars for three exciting events.  Details of the individual Picnic will be provided in the newsletters and this website.

Saturday June 22, Saturday July 20, and Sunday August 18.