The 2024 Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival will be the 57th festival celebrating the summer solstice and all things Scandinavian on Oregon’s North Coast. The Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival is a three-day festival held the third weekend in June at the Clatsop County Fairgrounds east of Astoria. The festival opens Friday afternoon with vendors, food and live entertainment.
Friday’s major evening events include Queen's Coronation, a Bonfire with Hex burning, and a public dance.
Saturday starts with the Troll Run and Midnight Sun Breakfast there are continuous opportunities all day long for attendees to visit vendors, buy authentic Nordic food specialties from the lodges, and dance and listen to live entertainment from the Nordic lands and the Pacific Northwest. Other major events on Saturday include a costumed walking parade through the fairgrounds, flag raising, raising and dancing around the Midsummer Pole, and a Beer Garden. The Viking Encampment is open to the public with almost hourly demonstrations. All ages are invited to participate in a Kubb (a Nordic lawn game) tournament, and children’s games take place in the Barnefest Area. At 2:45 PM, there is a narrated parade of Nordic folk dress and Scandinavian sweaters. Saturday evening’s concert opens with GASLIGHTER – Songs of the Chicks, and continues with a return of ARRIVAL, Canada’s Tribute to ABBA. Special tickets are required for this always popular event.
Sunday’s activities include a Pannukakku (Finnish pancake) Breakfast, a non-denominational church service, more shopping, food and live entertainment. The event concludes in the afternoon with the raffle drawing and closing ceremonies with flags.
All Scandinavian Midsummer Festival events are open to the public. Admission is family friendly. Multi-generational families attend with youngsters being especially keen to return for the fun, food and family time, and seniors being glad to share their family traditions and history with the upcoming generations. Survey results show that half of attendees are returnees and the other half are newcomers eager to learn about a new culture.
Friday, June 21
4:30pm - 5:15pm - Arena Stage
Saturday, June 22
11am - 11:45am - Arena Stage
1-1:45 PM, Arena Stage
3-3:45 PM, Arena Stage
Sunday, June 23
10 – 10:45 AM, Arena Stage
12 noon – 12:45 PM, Arena Stage
Blum and Haugaard Band
Featured Entertainers from Denmark
Denmark’s number one folk diva, Helene Blum, and fiddler Harald Haugaard are firmly established as two of the finest interpreters and innovators in the Danish musical tradition, bringing to life the nation’s cultural heritage at the very highest level of artistry.
Their own songs and compositions sit beautifully alongside original interpretations of old songs and tunes from Denmark’s rich treasure trove. Backed by Kirstine Elise Pedersen on cello, Mikkel Grue on guitars, and Sune Rahbeck on percussion, the BLUM HAUGAARD BAND is one of the top acts on the new Danish folk music scene, and with one hundred concerts a year, most of them outside of Denmark, they are also tireless ambassadors for Danish music and culture abroad. Their music is timeless, and yet it projects the past into the future; it is at the same time both familiar and strikingly innovative
Friday, June 21
3:15 - 4 PM, Arena Stage
Saturday, June 22
9- 9:45 AM, Arena Stage
2 – 2:45 PM, Arena Stage
4-4:45 PM, Arena Stage
Sunday, June 23
11 – 11:45 AM, Arena Stage
Kehler Williams Duo
Featured Entertainers from Canada
Alex Kehler and Nicholas Williams share a passion for Scandinavian musical traditions, an impulse to explore new acoustic textures and sonorities, and a tendency of accumulating excessive numbers of instruments. Equally at home playing music for a hall of dancers, for an intimate audience, or on a large concert stage, they are always happy to share their knowledge, and to invite listeners to come with them on an engaging musical ride.
Canadian-American Alex Kehler plays fiddle, violin, nyckelharpa. Alex studied baroque violin but since 2011 he has been pursuing his passion for Scandinavian music, playing nyckelharpa and studying with renowned traditional teachers in Sweden.
Nicholas plays wooden flutes, piano accordion, and piano. He studied world music, composition, and improvisation in Toronto, but since then, his passion for the musical traditions of Québec, Scandinavia, Scotland, and Ireland have led him to perform, play for dances, and teach across North America and the UK.
Saturday, June 22
7:30pm (Doors: 7:00pm)
First five rows: $40 ($45 at the door)
Rows F-O: $30 ($35 at the door)
General Admission: $20 ($25 at the door)
Buy your tickets online here:
astoriascanfest.com/concert
Gaslighter and Arrival
Songs of The Dixie Chicks and Canada's Tribute to ABBA
“Gaslighter” is the name of the 8th album by the group formerly known as the Dixie Chicks and is also the name of the Canadian tribute band to the Chicks. The Chicks were one of the best performing all female groups of all times. GASLIGHTER will take the audience into the heart of the Chick’s adventurous spirit and musical artistry. Shannon Saunders on fiddle, mandolin, and backing vocals; Tracy Em on lead vocals and acoustic guitar; and Emily Ashcroft on guitar, banjo, dobro, and backing vocals will be joined by a four-piece back-up band. The talented women capture not only the look of the Chicks, but also their attitude, harmonies, and musical prowess. GASLIGHTER will perform the first half of the special concert on Saturday night of the Midsummer Festival.
ARRIVAL, Canada’s Tribute to ABBA, will perform the second half of the concert on June 22. They return to the Midsummer Festival for the fourth time and there will be dancing in the aisles! This authentic sounding six-piece tribute band to ABBA includes seasoned professional musicians who will thrill us again with favorites like Dancing Queen; Money, Money, Money, The Winner Takes it All, and Mama Mia. The 2022 ARRIVAL concert was standing room only. You won’t want to miss the fun listening to Scandinavia’s all-time hit band’s tunes.
GASLIGHTER and ARRIVAL will perform at 7:30 on Saturday, June 22. Doors open at 7 PM. A separate ticket is required for this event. Advance tickets are on sale soon - please check back. This event takes place INDOORS in the arena. Reserve seats are chairs. General Admission is bleachers.
A ticket to the ARRIVAL/GASLIGHTER concert includes FREE admission to the festival after 5 PM. The arena with the vendors closes at 6:30 PM and reopens at 7 PM for seating. The beer garden will be open with beverages and snacks and the Scandinavian Café of Vancouver, Washington, will cater a Scandinavian Buffet in the Exhibit Hall from 4 – 7 PM.
Clatsop County Fairgrounds Arena is located at 92937 Walluski Loop in Astoria. Will call tickets will be available for pickup at the venue before the show. Doors open at 7 PM. Online ticket sales stop at 12:00 AM, on Thursday, June 17th. Tickets will then be available at the door to the event, but prices increase. A separate ticket is required for this event.
Saturday, June 22
5:30pm - 7pm - Exhibit Hall Stage
Coreen Bergholm's Nordic Accordion Band
Saturday, June 22
5:30pm - 7:15pm - Beer Garden
Ray Räihälä and Randall Weese
Friday, June 21
7 PM – Queen Coronation, Arena Stage
Saturday, June 22
10-10:45 AM, Arena Stage
3:45 – 4:30 PM, Exhibit Hall Stage
Sunday, June 23
1 – 1:45 PM, Arena Stage
Nordic Viking Scandia Folk Dancers
from Astoria, Oregon
The Viking Nordic Scandia Dancers will perform on all three days of the Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival at the fairgrounds. This dance group includes dancers from second grade to adults. The NORDIC DANCERS are the youngest group and several members are performing at their first midsummer festival. Experienced teen-age dancers make up the VIKING DANCERS who are frequently joined by the adults from the SCANDIA DANCERS. The NORDIC VIKING SCANDIA DANCERS are led by Kevin and Bernadeth Ladd.
Friday, June 21
8:30 PM – Bonfire after Coronation
Saturday, June 22
8:30 – 9:15 AM – Exhibit Hall Stage during Breakfast
Sunday, June 23
8:30 – 9:15 AM – Exhibit Hall Stage during Breakfast
Ryan Phillips
Accordionist from Astoria, Oregon
Accordionist Ryan Phillips returns to the Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival for the first time since 2018. Ryan learned how to play the accordion from Eileen Hagen. One of his first appearances at the festival was when he appeared on stage as a youngster with accordionist Myron Floren of the Lawrence Welk Band. Ryan will be strolling and performing solo tunes. He’s pleased to be participating in this year’s festival as his daughter Riley is Senior Miss Finland.
Friday, June 21
8 – 9:30 PM Beer Garden
Saturday, June 22
4-5 PM Beer Garden
Beer Babes
from Astoria, Oregon
The BEER BABES are all members of the Rose City Accordion Club and started as an informal group in the beer garden at the 2023 Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival. They came to the festival in 2023 to participate in Coreen Bergholm’s Astoria Nordic Accordion Band and had so much fun they volunteered to perform again this year. The members are Susan Schwab, Bobbie Fererro, and Lisa Roeder. Who knows? They may be joined by other enthusiastic accordionists as well.
Sunday, June 23
9:30-10:30AM Exhibit Hall Stage
Squeezer and Friends
Accordions from Astoria, Oregon
2024 Grand Marshal Coreen Bergholm has performed on accordion at all of the Midsummer Festivals since 1978 except for two. Her band Scandinavian Country will play for the Friday evening Queen’s Ball. She will lead the Astoria Nordic Accordion Band in its second appearance at the Midsummer Festival on Saturday evening from 5:30-7 PM and she will return on Sunday morning with her friends Bobbie Fererro and Lisa Roeder to entertain from 9:30 -10:30 AM in the Exhibit Hall. Coreen is a true WONDER WOMAN!
Saturday, June 22
1pm - 1:40pm - Beer Garden
2pm - 2:40pm - Beer Garden
3pm - 3:40pm - Beer Garden
Shanghaied in Astoria
Olio Acts in the Beer Garden
Now in their 40th season, SHANGHAIED IN ASTORIA, is part-vaudeville, part-soap opera, and part 1950’s style Hollywood musical, all combined into a fun and entertaining look at traditional local cultural folklore, including immigrant cannery workers from Scandinavia. What originated as a celebration of Astoria tradition has become a tradition itself and you don’t want to miss it! Catch Shanghaied cast members performing their olio acts on the hour from 1-4 PM in the beer garden at festival on Saturday, June 22, 2024
Friday, June 21
5:45pm - 6:30pm - Arena Stage
Brownsmead Flats
Friday, June 21
8pm - 11pm - Exhibit Hall Stage
Scandinavian Country
Queen's Ball Dance
Returning for the Queen’s Ball on Friday evening after the Coronation will be local favorite Coreen Bergholm and her band, Scandinavian Country. Coreen is the 2024 Grand Marshal for the 2024 Midsummer Festival. She immigrated to Astoria from North Dakota in the 1960’s and learned the Scandinavian repertoire from her mentors Sven Sundstrom and Joergen Madsen. As a “snow bird,” Coreen spent seventeen winters leading an accordion band at the Yuma (Arizona) Sons of Norway. Scandinavian Country plays the local favorite dances like the Varsouvienne and the Butterfly as well as polkas, schottisches, waltzes, and hambos. The band even plays the Chicken Dance and the Hokey Pokey! Other musicians include Bobbie Fererro on accordion, Donna Mansfield on violin, John Orr on guitar, and David Graves on percussion.
Friday, June 21
2pm - 6pm - Horse Arena by Midsummer Pole
Saturday, June 22
9am - 4pm - Horse Arena by Midsummer Pole
Sunday, June 23
9am - 3pm - Horse Arena by Midsummer Pole
Icelandic Horses
Jackie and Larry Taylor
Jackie and Larry Taylor of Yelm, Washington, return to the 2024 Midsummer Festival to show their Icelandic horses in the horse arena in the low building next to the Midsummer Pole. Icelandic horses are a pure breed that developed in Iceland. The horses are mostly pony-sized but are still called horses. They are short backed and can carry a two-hundred-and-twenty-five-pound man. They are long-lived and hardy and have unusual gaits. Jackie and Larry will provide demonstrations of these attractive animals and the Taylor family will answer your questions. This year there will be bleachers by the horse arena so you can sit a spell and admire the beautiful Icelandic horses in the arena.
Friday, June 21
4-5:30 PM, Exhibit Hall Stage
Saturday, June 22
9:30 – 10:15 AM, Exhibit Hall Stage
12 noon, Midsummer Pole
Sunday, June 23
9-9:45 AM, Arena Stage
The Polka Dots
Saturday, June 22
11:30 AM – Optog Walking parade to Midsummer Pole
12:15 PM – Dancing around the Midsummer Pole with the Polka Dots
2-2:20 PM - Exhibit Hall
VASA Youth Group Swedish Dancers
Saturday, June 22
12 noon – 12:45 PM: Arena Stage
1:15 – 1:45 PM: Exhibit Hall Stage
And perhaps outside if the weather cooperates?
Leikarringen of Portland
Saturday, June 22
10am - 4pm - Outdoor Encampment
1pm - Viking Demonstration - Loom
2pm - Viking Demonstration - Combat
3pm - Viking Demonstration - Chainmail
Sunday, June 23
10am - 3pm - Outdoor Encampment
12pm - Viking Demonstration - Loom
1pm - Viking Demonstration - Combat
2pm - Viking Demonstration - Chainmail
Viking Encampment
The Empire of Chivalry and Steel
The EMPIRE OF CHIVALRY AND STEEL specializes in the recreation of the culture of the Middle Ages, including the art forms, events (feasts, tournaments, ceremonies and wars), and combat arts from that period. The purpose of this nonprofit educational corporation is to study (and teach the general public) ideals and history from 800 AD to 1650 AD within the geographical boundaries of Europe and to provide an organized effort in the collection, interpretations and distribution of historical data through publication and demonstration. Empire of Chivalry and Steel participants will open their Viking Encampment to the public on Saturday and Sunday and provide demonstrations of Viking looms, Viking combat, and Viking chainmail on both Saturday and Sunday afternoon.