It is an honor and a privilege to serve as this year’s Grand Marshals for Astoria’s 58th Midsummer Festival.
For me, Kevin, the Scandinavian Midsummer Festival journey began when my parents, Bonnie and Dave Ladd, answered a newspaper ad that read: “Teach your kids Scandinavian Folk Dancing.” I was the youngest of three boys—and since they were short on male dancers—I was thrown into the mix at just three years old. I still remember performing when the festival was held at the fairgrounds, in what’s now the downtown swimming pool location.
Ella and her daughter, Doreen Simonson, led our dance group for a few years before stepping away. That’s when my mom, Bonnie, and Carolyn Knapp took the reins. As we kids grew older, the group naturally split: the Nordics (2nd–6th grade) and the Vikings (7th–12th grade). Not long after, the parents wanted in on the fun too—and so, the Scandias were formed.
A couple of years after high school, I started dating Bern. She had no idea what she was getting into with all the dancing and the festival—but she embraced it wholeheartedly. We married in 1992.
A few years later, a group of us began discussing how to create a special area at the festival just for children—with games, face painting, and storytelling. With the help of Brenda and Chuck Higgins, Susan Jackson, Roberta and Bern Ladd, and myself, we launched Barnefest in 1997. Since then, Bern has led Barnefest, creating joy for generations of children. She’s also a member of the Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Association and currently serves as President of the Viking Nordic Scandia Dance Group.
In 2005, I stepped into my mom’s shoes as Dance Instructor, working alongside Bev Hoofnagle until her retirement in 2020. Over the past 50 years, more than 500 children and adults have participated in our dance groups.
Each festival feels like a family reunion. We reconnect with relatives, old friends, and former dancers. And whether you’re a longtime attendee or here for your very first Midsummer celebration—welcome to the family. We hope you’ll return next year and help keep the tradition alive.