2020 ASTORIA SCANDINAVIAN MIDSUMMER FESTIVAL CANCELLED
APRIL 15, 2020 – The Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Association and Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Association have made the difficult decision to cancel the 53rd annual Midsummer Festival scheduled for June 19-21 at the Clatsop County Fairgrounds. Large summer events like this are being canceled all over the region to protect the health of visitors and participants.
2020 Festival Co-Chair Tony Larson and Carla Oja released a joint statement: “The Scandinavian Midsummer Festival is a time we come together to celebrate the long summer days and our heritage through music, dance, food, and community. It will still be a time to celebrate. We recommend people plan a midsummer celebration at their homes with their family this year – plan a bonfire and Viking dinner, or a pannukakku or aebleskiver breakfast, discover a Scandinavian craft or learn a Nordic tune or dance. And we urge you to share your celebrations through photos on social media!”
Vendors who registered and paid for 2020 will receive a refund. The Midsummer Festival is a tradition that will return in 2021. Information about how to support the Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival is available at www.astoriascanfest.org. Progress with Astoria Nordic Heritage Park continues and is online at www.astorianordicpark.org. Please mark your calendars with next year’s festival dates – June 18-20, 2021.
Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Association scholarships for graduating seniors will still be awarded and the deadline for applications is May 1, 2020. Applications are available – Click Here.
The Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival started in 1968 and is sponsored by the Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Association (ASHA), of Astoria, OR. ASHA received non-profit status in 2011 driven by a continued mission to preserve traditional Nordic culture and heritage through customs, language, food, and the arts, and to educate the citizens of Clatsop County and surrounding areas about the culture and heritage of the Nordic countries. The Association is further enriching the community by raising funds to build the Nordic Heritage Park. For more information about the park go to AstoriaNordicPark.org. For more information about the festival go to AstoriaScanFest.org or visit our Facebook page.