A Monument to Scandinavian Immigrants Takes Shape in Astoria

Reprinted from The Daily Astorian By Katie Frankowicz Published on October 26, 2018 8:22AM Last changed on October 26, 2018 8:42AM Complete with birch trees, river views, steamer trunks and trolls, the design for a park to celebrate Astoria’s Scandinavian roots is ready. The blueprint will be vetted by the Parks Advisory Board and the Historic Landmarks Commission and could …

2018 Santa Lucia Festival!

7 PM, Friday, November 23, 2018, at Astoria High School Auditorium 2018 Santa Lucia Festival! A Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Association Event In Scandinavia “Santa Lucia” is celebrated in December, but in Astoria, this winter festival of lights is celebrated the day after Thanksgiving to tie in with the opening of the Christmas season. This year’s event starts at 7 P.M. …

Astoria Sunday Market Supports Scandinavian Heritage Park

Photo: Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Park Chair Judi Lampi with Jack Ficken, Astoria Sunday Market Board of Directors President and Greg Cross, Astoria Sunday Market Treasurer The Astoria Sunday Market made a $2,000 grant to the Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Association to support the non-profit’s efforts to construct Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Park. Cyndi Mudge, Director of the Astoria Sunday Market, said that the …

Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Park Selects Architect

Photo: Audrey West, Owner of The West Studio and Principal-in-Charge for Astoria Scan Park project; Judi Lampi, Vice-President of Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Association and Chair of Astoria Scan Park committee; Kristi Park, Project Manager for The West Studio’s Astoria Scan Park design team. The Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Association announced that it has selected The West Studio of Seattle, Washington, as landscape …

Oregon Cultural Trust Supports Scandinavian Heritage Group

The Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Association has been awarded an organizational grant by the Oregon Cultural Trust to hire a consultant to conduct training to help the group organize  a fundraising campaign for Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Park. The Organizational & Professional Development Grant program was developed by Oregon Cultural Trust Partners to strengthen cultural non-profit leadership and organizational effectiveness to better …

Miss Scandinavia 2018!

Miss Finland Kourtney Tischer from Knappa was crowned Miss Scandinavia 2018 at the Queen’s Coronation on June 15, 2018. She was sponsored by the Finnish Brotherhood and proudly wore the same Finnish costume her mother wore in 1994 when she was Senior Miss Finland. Kourtney’s ancestors came from the Swedish part of Finland and some also lived in Norway and …

2018 Scanfest Scholarships

Four scholarships were awarded in 2018! Megan Schacher and Aleks Matthews of Astoria High School (above,) and Kara Dowaliby and Nolan Mathews of Warrenton High School (below,) were awarded scholarships. See more about the Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Scholarship Program – click here.

Official 2018 Court Photographs

We’ve just added this year’s Official Scandinavian Midsummer Festival court photos, taken by the talented Lisa Lamping! You can view all of these, and learn more about each of these young ladies on our 2018 Court page. Click here.    

Scandinavians to Build Heritage Park

From the May issue of Swedish Press Astorians of Scandinavian descent are  celebrating a recent agreement with the City of Astoria that will allow them to build a Scandinavian  Heritage Park in downtown Astoria, Oregon. This monument will honor the thousands of Scandinavian immigrants who made it to Oregon’s North Coast in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It aims also …

Celebrating Swedish by Marriage in Astoria, Oregon

By Janet Bowler The lack of Swedish ancestry never stopped Gerry Swenson or her daughter-in-law Marci Swenson from actively promoting their husbands’ and children’s Swedish heritage in the Scandinavian community of Astoria, Oregon. Gerry’s husband Bob Swenson’s uncle Ragnar emigrated from Sweden (Örsjö in Småland) in 1910. Bob and Gerry are members of Astor Lodge #215 of VASA, and in …