July 17, 18, 19, 2020

 Jamestown, NY

Each person attending the Festival will be given a wristband. Those without wristbands will be returned to the main gate for readmission.

• Friday
• TBA
• All Day
• July 17th

• Saturday
• TBA
• All Day
• July 19th

• Sunday
• TBA
• All Day
• July 18st

• Weekend Pass
• TBA
• 3 Days
• All Weekend!

The gate fee covers all events in the Festival except for food, drink and gifts purchased as well as some workshops that offer take home crafts.
*Free Admission to volunteers who help with three hours of assistance and children age 16 and younger.

2020 Highlights

COMING SOON

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Thank you for the Financial Support
This project is made possible with financial donations from many individuals and local organizations/businesses.  In particular we recognize the support of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation and from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by the Tri-County Arts Council.

Festival Food Court

The Scandinavian Folk Festival is presenting an array of Scandinavian Foods in one location in the Scandinavian Food Court.

Scandinavian food will be served by  3Cs catering offering a variety of traditional dishes.  The Beer/Wine wagon, Norm's Korvburgers and the Kaffe Stuga will also return. This will be a great place to gather with family and friends.

3Cs Food Truck

3Cs catering service will provide the traditional food this year. 

The menu includes a variety plate, Swedish meatballs, rice pudding, rotomos, yellow pea soup, brown beans and some non Swedish favorites.

Beer & Wine Wagon

Enjoy Danish Carlsberg Beer or some local favorites or a selection of wines.

Kaffe Stuga

Ice Cream with strawberries is always good on a warm Summer day! Take a fika (coffee break) with a homemade "goodie."

Norm’s Korv Burgers

The American Scandinavian Heritage Foundation will be serving Norm's world famous korvburgers.  Norm Owen created the korvburger for the Scandinavian Folk Festival.  A korv meat patty is served on a rye bun with a choice of lingonberries or other condiments.

 
Other Food Vendors

Mr. D’s

Returning to offer a variety of good ole' festival food, some of which include:

• Curly Fries
• Fried Dough
• Hamburgers

Franklin’s Honey and Apples

They will have their usual kettle corn and honey products, caramel apple dessert, cotton candy, beeswax hand cream, and fruit logs.

Invitation to the Dance

The Festival will be presenting folk dancers, musicians and singers from Sweden. Twenty-five Swedish folk dancers will perform in their colorful costumes every day. Dancers are from Stockholm, Örebro, Gavle, Karlstad, and Gothenburg.   Eight musicians on such instruments as the accordion, fiddle, nyckelharpa, durspel (small button accordion), guitar and ukuleles will perform as well as accompany the dancers. Singers will round out the program. The Jamestown Scandinavian Folk Festival is the destination for this group and their only performance in the United States.   Besides performing, the dancers will lead workshops. Some workshops will be for folk dancers. Other workshops will provide instruction in traditional public gammeldans music such as the schottis, polka, and waltz. The Swedish guests will lead the community in traditional dancing around the midsummer pole. The Swedes will join our local dance teams for a colorful presentation of sixty folk dances and at least 15 musicians. What a joyous traditional celebration of the Swedish culture.    

 

Svenska Spelmän

Our own local Swedish Band, Svenska Spelmän, has performed at all 18 Scandinavian Folk Festivals. All members are from Chautauqua and Warren Counties. Kathy Petersen plays the fiddle and nyckelharppa, Cheryl Ritch performs on the fiddle, Thomas Gestwicki on the guitar/banjo, Timm Reasbeck on the bass and Donald Sandy on the accordion.  They focus on the traditional music of Scandinavia such as the waltz, polka, schottis, ganglot, and hambo.  Their selections provide music both for enjoyable listening as well as dancing.  This band is also the music for the Thule Adult and Children's Folk Dance Teams.  They have performed in the Swedish embassy in Washington, DC and for the King and Queen of Sweden.

Viking Mixed Chorus

The Viking Mixed Chorus from our own Ingjald Lodge - Independent Order of Vikings will perform a concert on Friday evening.  Their selections include Swedish as well as English songs.  

 

Thule Lodge Adult and Children's Folk Dance Teams

The local Thule Lodge Vasa Order of America has two Swedish Folk Dance Teams - one with adults and one with children.  They have been part of our community for a number of generations.  The Adult Folk Dance Team toured Sweden in 2018 and worked with nine different folk dance teams to finesse their dancing skills.  The Children's Folk Dance Team danced with Sweden's Queen Sylvia when she last visited Jamestown.  The mission of both teams is to preserve the heritage of our Scandinavian Culture.

Both teams are always seeking new members so if interested let one of the dancers know.  The Children's Team is under the direction of Mary-AnnEva Ingrao and the instructor for the Adult team is Gerd Brigotta.  Both teams perform to the music of Svenska Spelmän.  

Lilian and Guron Samuelsson

From Orebro, Sweden will provide Swedish music.  They are relatives to Donna Johnson and her family.  We are pleased that they are visiting during the Scandinavian Folk Festival.

If you are interested in become a vendor with the Scandinavian Festival,
you can find the vendor application here.

Vendor Application

T.B.A.

Folkdrakt or Scandinavian Folk Costumes

One of the most extensive collections of authentic vintage folk costumes from the Scandinavian Countries of Sweden, Norway, Finland and Lapland.  Each item of Folkdrakt has come over the Atlantic for its country of origin.  Knowledgeable guides will be available to explain the folkdrakt and their specific origin in Scandinavia on a map.  Perhaps you can locate your own family Parish folk costumes and begin to learn how to make one yourself. Carnahan 169

 

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS FOR THE FESTIVAL !!

An event of this magnitude does not exist without a large number of volunteers (and three hours gets you into the Festival free for a day!). Before the event begins we need volunteers to help put up advertising signs, and distribute flyers. Other pre-festival volunteers are needed to transport our supplies, set up the site with chairs, tables, and signs. During the festivities we need volunteers to help with the admission gate, the info center, and Festival sales booths such as the Gift Shop, Loppis and Hemslöjdsbutik and to help with keeping the Festival neat and clean. We also need people on Sunday evening taking down the Festival.

If you would like to volunteer, please contact:

Mary-AnnEva Ingrao
Volunteer Coordinator
Phone: 716-489-1570
email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Traditional Midsommar Celebration

      After the long dark winter days in Sweden, it is natural to celebrate the long warm light of the days of summer.  Since Sweden is more northerly than continental United States, we do not recognize the contrast of the two seasons as much as the people of Sweden.  Midsummer is the second most celebrated event after Christmas.  In Sweden, they celebrate this tradition on the summer solstice, the longest day of light in the year. 

      We will be celebrating midsummer at the Festival on Saturday July 18 at 11:00 AM.  Beginning at 10 AM one can assist in decorating the midsummer pole with flowers and greenery.  What a great place to insert some flowers from your garden in recognition of your ancestors.  At this time, one can also make a midsummer head wreath in preparation for the grand procession of the pole.  In this procession there will be at least 58 folk dancers in their colorful costumes, the flags of Scandinavia, and thirteen musicians.  When the 18 ft. tall midsummer pole is erected, the community ring dancing will begin.  This is when we all join in the fun, no experience required, instruction provided and enjoy traditional ring dances around the pole just like our immigrant ancestors did back in the 1800s.  Regardless of age or physical status, this is the time and place to celebrate.

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Finnish Wife Carrying Contest   

     On Saturday, July 18 the Scandinavian Folk Festival will conduct the Finnish wife carrying contest.  One really does not need to be married but it must be a male and female at least 18 year's old.  The object is to be the fastest person carrying one's partner around an obstacle course consisting of some bails of hay, tires and water hazards.  The fastest couple wins the female's weight in beer.  (Weighing can be private.)  The second place team wins $50.  Participants must wear provided helmets.  Even if you are not willing to enter, this event is a hoot to watch.  There is no entrance fee.

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Scandinavian Trivia Contest

     Win $100 for the trivia team with the highest point value of correct answers. 

• There will be three rounds of questioning with about 6 questions in each round and one tie breaker question.   
• All questions will relate to Scandinavia.   
• The contest will be held on Saturday July 18.  
• Teams can be up to four people. 
• No internet connections allowed.   
• No fees to enter, just organize your team and join the fun. 
• Nobody gets all the answers correct.

Genealogy Help Table

Volunteer genealogists from the Fenton History Center will help you find your ancestors! 

 

It’s easier than you think!  The genealogists will explain available resources at home and at the Fenton.

 

Festival Cooking Contest -  Pepparkakor Cookies

Do you make the best pepparkokar cookies in the area?  These traditional Christmas cookies, good any time of the year, will be judged by a team of Swedes.  The best cookie will receive $50 and the second best $25.

 

One needs to bring a dozen cookies in order to enter the contest.  A registration from will be completed and each entry will be given a number.  The recipe must also be attached but will not be shared without consent.  Cookies will be judged based on appearance and taste at 4:30 PM on Saturday July 20.  The sample cookies can be delivered between 3:30 and 4:30 to Kim Loux just outside the door to the Exhibit Room in the Carnahan Building.