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Celebrating Midsummer in Colorado

Each year, Swedes kick off the summer with the Midsummer holiday.

Midsummer is typically celebrated on a Friday between June 20 and 26 at the time of the summer solstice and takes place this Friday this year.

The holiday, second only to Christmas, brings friends, family and Swedes together for a large celebration – the more the merrier. At a typical gathering, you can see people of all ages wearing homemade flower crowns and dancing around the Maypole (a pole, often decorated with flower wreaths). (Swedish actress Alicia Vikander talked with Jimmy Fallon about Midsummer.)

Midsummer is celebrated all around the world with traditions varying from culture to culture. Here in the States there are a number of Swedish and Scandinavian organizations and groups sharing and practicing their traditions.

One such celebration is the annual Scandinavian Midsummer Festival hosted by the Scandinavian Alliance of Colorado (SAC) and features music, dancing, Vikings and beer. The festival starts this Friday evening and continues through Sunday.

Since 1992, SAC, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting Scandinavian culture, has been hosting this weekend-long festival, celebrating and educating others about the community’s Scandinavian heritage.

“My aunt started the festival, and three years ago I took over,” SAC President Sharon Fullner told us earlier this week.

The festival welcomes all ages with arts and crafts stations, dancing in the beer garden, educational booths and even a Viking fashion show.

“This year we’re trying to get more contemporary,” Fullner said. “We welcome anyone wearing traditional costumes from the Nordic country they’re from to participate as well as anyone wearing more modern, Scandinavian outfits.”

There is a long list of featured entertainment, including the Lindsborg Swedish Folkdanslag, musicians Elin Palmer and Ron Tomocik, local elementary school dancers and more.

For more information visit http://www.estesmidsummer.com/.