The Scandinavian Midsummer Festival, one of Metro Vancouver's most beloved cultural festivals, returns for the 26th year to entertain and enlighten attendees at the Scandinavian Community Centre and grounds in Burnaby, June 24 and 25.
The long-running family-friendly festival is the largest event for the Scandinavian Community Centre Society, with involvement from five Nordic country associations: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, which have a lot in common with Canada, especially climate, geography and latitude.
The annual festival attracts large numbers and continues to see attendance that's ideal and sustainable. "Our numbers have gone up from previous years and we're expecting around 3,000 people," says Martin Emslie, PR and media coordinator for the Scandinavian Community Centre.
"This is an event for the entire Burnaby community and the Metro Vancouver area, celebrating an element of summer and a lot of shared values from Scandinavian heritage, bringing community together in a very well-organized way."
Gates open Saturday, June 24 at 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Beer gardens stay open until 11 p.m., with limited food selections), and Sunday, June 25 at 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Opening ceremonies begin shortly after the gates open, including speeches from political and Indigenous dignitaries and more.
Enjoy two days of festival highlights: raising of the Midsummer Pole after the opening ceremonies, a Viking village, cultural displays, troll garden, marketplace with more than 50 vendors, including crafts and products; bonfire and sing-along, waffle tent, salmon BBQ, beer garden, live musical performances, dancing, traditional Scandinavian foods and baking, kids' activities, and more.
Popular main events
Don't miss Saturday's ceremonial raising of the Midsummer pole, celebrating the returning light and summer, decorated in greenery and flowers. A traditional walk/dance around with Scandinavian Dancers, and the mischievous roving Knotty Trolls who add to the merriment.
Enter to participate in the Hobby Horse Ride & Race on Saturday and test your stick horse-riding skills as you weave and jump your way through a short obstacle course. For the race, you'll be matched against similar age/skill-levels, and you can rent or bring your own steed.
Participate or cheer on your favourite couple in Sunday's interesting Wife Carrying Contest (Finnish origins), where one person is carried by the other, regardless of marital status or gender, while racing around an obstacle course for the best time. Winners are awarded their "wife's" weight in Carlsberg beer. Kippis!
Traditional food, entertainment
Indulge in customary cuisine with standouts like, Danish smørrebrød sandwiches, various pastries (Emslie notes the Swedish cinnamon buns (kanelbullar), topped with pearl sugar are popular), waffles (Scandinavian breakfast is a big deal), and Swedish and Finnish meatballs, with lingonberry jam. "There's a wide assortment of Scandinavian candy, too," says Emslie. "Candies that aren't typical or found in Canada."
Enjoy the salmon BBQ while listening to performances on the beer garden stage, with a bonfire continuing into the evening.
A number of high-quality singers and musicians perform throughout the festival next to the beer garden and on the main stage, including: Midsummer choir, Midsummer Spelmanslag, Vancouver Dorfmusik, the Heather Soles Quintet, Capilano Brass Ensemble, Juno Awards-winner Cat Torin (with Pugs & Crows), Juno Awards-winning pianist Mike Creber, Bo Fred Olsson, and the Beagles, just to name a few.
Displays and exhibits
Explore the historic Viking village built and inhabited by Reik Félag, a Norse Culture Recreation Society. Play Old Norse games, learn about Viking trade practices and observe demonstrations, like weaving and how Vikings lived in 1000 AD.
Car enthusiasts will delight in the vintage Volvo car show by the Volvo Club of B.C., with some interesting vehicles from the sixties, seventies and later.
The authentic Finnish sauna is one of Emslie's favourite exhibits. "It's a museum piece (not actually used), and a historian gives talks about what's typical of a true Finnish sauna."
Festival admission is free under age 16; $15 for 16 and over on Saturday, $10 on Sunday, with free parking both days; 6540 Thomas Street, Burnaby. It is also within a short bus or a 20-minute walk to Sperling-Burnaby Lake Skytrain Station.
For more information, visit scandinavianmidsummerfestival.com.
