2023 Scandinavian Court

2023 Senior Court



2023 Junior Court & Crown Bearer


Miss Finland, Olivia, was crowned Miss Scandinavia in June 2022. Miss Norway Raelee was runner-up and served as Lucia Bride in November 2022.

Miss Finland 2022 / Miss Scandinavia 2022

Olivia Esnard


Olivia Esnard lives in Warrenton and is a senior at Seaside High School. She is sponsored by Friends of Suomi Hall in Astoria and enjoyed previous festivals as an opportunity to make friends and eat good food. She was Junior Miss Finland in 2013, Senior Miss Finland in 2022, and participated many times in the parade of national folk wear. Olivia’s mother Sari was born in Finland and emigrated to the United States in the 1960’s. After high school, Olivia plans to study marine biology at Oregon State University.

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Miss Norway 2023 / Miss Scandinavia 2023

Molly


Molly is a junior at Astoria High School and is sponsored by the Sons of Norway Nidaros Lodge. She enjoys watching the bonfire and dancing around the Midsummer Pole. Molly looks forward to making her speech at coronation and will be sure to mention that her grandmother taught her how to make krumkake. Molly’s heritage is both Norwegian and Swedish. She’s a volunteer at the Flavel House and is interested in historical preservation.

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Miss Sweden 2023 / Sankta Lucia Bride 2023

Sofia


Sofia lives in Beaverton and is a senior at Mountainside High School. She is sponsored by VASA Swedish Lodge #215. Her grandparents were very active in the Midsummer Festival for many years and Sofia has attended the festival since she was little. Her grandfather Sven immigrated from Sweden. As a child Sofia liked getting her face painted in the Barnefest and now she likes shopping in the vendor booths. Sofia is helping to create her school’s yearbook and plants to attend a community college and take health classes next year.

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Miss Denmark 2023

Sophie


Sophie is a junior at Warrenton High School and is sponsored by the Lower Columbia Danish Society. She was Junior Miss Denmark in 2015 and has worked in the Danish aebelskiver and frikadeller booth at past festivals. Sophie’s Danish heritage comes from her grandmother. She looks forward to meeting new people at the 2023 festival and learning to put herself forward.

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Miss Finland 2023

Eliza


Eliza is a junior at Astoria High School and is sponsored by Friends of Suomi Hall. She enjoys visiting the vendor booths at the festival and looks forward to being more directly involved this year. Eliza gets her Finnish heritage from her dad’s side of the family and likes sports and art at school.

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Senior Court Chaperone 2023

Emmi Collier


Emmi Collier is a PE teacher at Astoria Middle School. Previously she taught in the Sweet Home School District for five years. Emmi participated in previous festivals as Junior and Senior Miss Finland and as a Scandinavian dancer. Her grandparents immigrated to Minnesota in the 1950’s and then eventually settled in Astoria. Emmi visited Finland as a child and hopes to return as an adult. She looks forward to attending events with the senior court.

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2023 Scandinavian Junior Court

Junior Miss Denmark 2023

Isla


Isla is a student at Astor School and is sponsored by the Lower Columbia Danish Society. She likes wearing authentic folk wear at the festival and helping in the Danish booth. She’s been to Scandinavia to visit Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. Isla prefers cartwheels to walking.

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Junior Miss Finland 2023

Maci


Maci attends Astoria schools and is sponsored by Friends of Suomi Hall. Her grandmother is 100% Finnish. Maci attended Suomi Summer School in 2022 and learned some Finnish songs. She likes to dance and eat Nordic food at the festival.

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Junior Miss Norway 2023

Anna


Anna is a student at Lewis and Clark Elementary and is sponsored by the Sons of Norway Nidaros Lodge. She is proud to wear the Junior Miss Norway sash and looks forward to being in parades and making new friends. Her family helps set up the festival and works in the booths. Anna and her family like to make Scandinavian crafts and decorate the house for Scandinavian holidays. She has both Norwegian and Finnish heritage and attended Finnish summer school last summer. Anna has been to Epcot Norway but hopes to go to the real Norway someday.

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Junior Miss Sweden 2023

Violet


Violet is a student at Lewis and Clark Elementary and is sponsored by VASA Swedish Lodge. She has attended the Midsummer Festival with her parents and grandparents since she was a baby. She loves to travel and has visited Denmark and plans to visit Iceland and Sweden next year. Violet’s family likes to prepare a huge Scandinavian smorgasbord brunch for family, friends, and neighbors on Christmas morning. Violet joined the Nordic Viking Dancers when she was five years old. Violet has 2 brothers, 44 first cousins, and is a fourth-generation Astorian.

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Crown Bearer 2023

Liam


Liam attends Lewis and Clark Elementary and is sponsored by VASA Swedish Lodge #215. Liam is a true Scandinavian: not only is he Swedish, but he is also Finnish, Norwegian, and Danish. His great-great-grandmother left Finland at age 18 and traveled alone to Astoria where she met her Swedish husband at a dance where the Josephson’s Smoke House now stands. Liam loves celebrating Swedish Christmas traditions with the local VASA Swedish Lodge.

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Junior Court Chaperone 2023

Tami Stelzig


Tami Stelzig is a kindergarten teacher for the Astoria School District. As a child she was a Scandinavian dancer and went to the festival with her family. Now she helps with setting up the festival and liked seeing her daughter as Junior Miss Finland in 2019. Tami assisted with Suomi Summer School last summer, bakes traditional Scandinavian foods, and is part of the Scandinavian Dance group. Both sides of her family have Finnish heritage and her mom is also Norwegian. Tami has traveled to Finland and is known for her polished skills at crafting, baking, and canning.

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