Eeppi Ursin_ Featured Entertainer from New York
| Friday, June 20 | |
| 5:45 – 6:30pm | Arena Stage |
| Saturday, June 21 | |
| 11:00 – 11:45am | Arena Stage |
| 3:00 – 3:45pm | Arena Stage |
| 6:00 – 6:45pm | Arena Stage |
| Sunday, June 22 | |
| 10:00 – 10:45am | Arena Stage |
Eeppi Ursin is a New York -based platinum-selling, award-winning singer-songwriter, jazz vocalist, composer, arranger and pianist originally from Finland. Ursin is known for her angelic-strong voice and exceptional skill set ranging from top-class performance to writing music for various groups. Her stage presence combines warmth, style, humor and virtuosity. Her recordings and performances as a singer vary from pop, jazz, dance, a cappella and children’s music.Throughout her career Eeppi has captivated audiences all around the world performing as a vocal soloist at prestigious venues with acclaimed artists such as trumpeter Leroy Jones and Spirit of New Orleans, Vocal Ensemble Club For Five, and UMO Jazz Orchestra, to name a few.
In 2022 Eeppi was chosen as Performer of the year by Finlandia Foundation National – a nomination that sent her on a 17-concert tour performing at venues all around the United States. In 2014 she was chosen to perform as the soloist at the President’s Independence Day Reception in Finland. In 2001 she won the 1st prize in the Lady Summertime international jazz vocal competition. Eeppi Ursin is also the American Scandinavian Society Cultural Grant -recipient along with many other recognitions and grants.
Don’t miss seeing this epic singer/musician at this year’s Scandinavian Midsummer Festival.
Lindsborg Swedish Folk Dancers
| Friday, June 20 | |
| 2:45 – 3:30pm | Arena |
| Saturday, June 21 | |
| 9:00 – 9:45am | Arena |
| 4:00 – 4:45pm | Arena |
| Sunday, June 22 | |
| 12:00 – 12:45pm | Arena |
| 1:45 – 2:30pm | Exhibit Hall |
| (with the Viking Nordic Scandia Dancers) | |
The Lindsborg Swedish Folk Dancers (LSFD) is a group of high school dancers and musicians living in the small rural Kansas community of Lindsborg (founded by Swedish settlers) who are dedicated to promoting the study and appreciation of traditional Swedish folk dance and music. Founded in 1963, the group performs at local celebrations such as the Midsummer's Festival, Svensk Hyllningsfest, St. Lucia Festival, and other local events throughout the year.
Members of LSFD procure their own costumes, choosing from authentic Swedish provincial designs. Accompanied by the group's own musicians, the dancers learn and master authentic Swedish and Scandinavian dances. Known as ambassadors for their hometown, the group is recognized as one of the premier Swedish folk dance groups in the United States. Every four years, LSFD travels internationally with a performance tour across Scandinavia.
Financial support for LSFD, a nonprofit organization 503(c), is generated through performance donations and numerous fundraising projects.
The Viking Nordic Scandia Dancers
| Friday, June 20 | |
| 7:00pm | Arena |
| Queen’s Coronation | |
| Saturday, June 21 | |
| 10:00 – 10:45am | Arena |
| 3:45 – 4:30pm | Exhibit Hall |
| Sunday, June 22 | |
| 1:00 – 1:45pm | Arena |
| 1:45 – 2:30pm | Exhibit Hall |
The Viking NordicScandia 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 VIKING NORDIC SCANDIA DANCERS are led by Kevin and Bernadeth Ladd.
This group, from Clatsop County, began in 1971 and has provided our youth with the opportunity to continue the tradition of the Nordic dance culture.
Coreen Bergholm and the Scandinavian Country Band
Accompanied by Ryan Phillips
| Friday, June 20 | |
| 8:30 – 10:00pm | Exhibit Hall |
| Queen’s Ball | |
| Saturday, June 21 | |
| 6:45 – 9:00pm | Exhibit Hall |
| “Nordic Stomp” Dance | |
Playing for the Queen’s Ball on Friday evening after the Coronation, and again on Saturday evening, for the Nordic Stomp.
The Nordic Stomp is a new event this year that encourages everyone, whether amateur or skilled, to come and show off your dance moves. There will be many opportunities to join in some interactive dances as well. The music will be provided again by our local Nordic band, Coreen Bergholm and Scandinavian Country.
Coreen immigrated to Astoria from North Dakota in the 1960’s and learned the Scandinavian repertoire from her mentors Sven Sundstrom and Jorgen 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, John Orr on guitar, David Graves on percussion, Susan Hinton on euphonium/baby tuba, and Todd Carlson on base.
Accordionist Ryan Phillips will be joining Scandinavian Country this year, on Friday evening for the Queen's Ball. 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. We are pleased to have Ryan playing at our festival again.
Skamokawa Swamp Opera
Band members in photo, from left to right:
Erik Friend, Andrew Emlen, Wren Hendriks, and Kyleen Austin
| ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY | |
| Friday, June 20 | |
| 4:00pm – 5:15pm | Arena |
Taylor Icelandic Horses
| Friday, June 20 | |
| 2:00 – 6:00pm | Outdoor |
| Horse Arena | |
| Saturday, June 21 | |
| 9:00 – 4:00pm | Outdoor |
| Horse Arena | |
| Sunday, June 22 | |
| 9:00 – 3:00pm | Outdoor |
| Horse Arena | |
Jackie and Larry Taylor of Yelm, Washington, join us again for the 2025 Midsummer Festival to show their Icelandic horses. They will belocated in the horse arena next to the Midsummer Pole.
Icelandic horses are a pure breed that developed in Iceland, with the first arriving aboard the Viking ships of Norse Settlers between 860 and 935 AD. 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. There will be bleachers by the horse arena so you can sit a spell and admire the beautiful Icelandic horses in the arena.
The Brownsmead Flats
| Saturday, June 21 | |
| 1:00 – 1:45pm | Arena |
| 5:00 – 5:45pm | Arena |
Polka Dots
| Friday, June 20 | |
| 4:00 – 5:30pm | Exhibit Hall |
| Saturday, June 21 | |
| 9:30 – 10:15am | Exhibit Hall |
| 12:30 – 1:15pm | Outside |
| (Dancing around Midsummer Pole) | |
| Sunday, June 22 | |
| 9:00 – 9:45am | Arena |
Leikarringen Of Portland Dancers
| ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY | |
| Saturday, June 21 | |
| 12:00 – 12:45pm | Arena |
As of 2023, Christie Stilson, Leikarringen of Portland Director, has a performance group of dancers ages 12 and up.
Many of the dancers were involved with the group when they were young and they have now returned in their 20s and 30s. Some are dancers new to the Scandinavian community.
We learn and perform dances from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and even a few from Estonia and Germany. The dances are generally fast-paced, as well as some set figure dances.
Audrey Cereghino 2024 Miss Scandinavia Violinist
Audrey is our reigning 2024 Miss Scandinavia. She will be handing her crown to the
newly crowned 2025 MISS SCANDINAVIA, during Friday evenings coronation, June 20th.
Audrey will play her violin while leading the 2025 Miss Scandinavia and
her court to the Hex Burning Bonfire outside following the coronation.
VASA Youth Group Swedish Dancers
| Saturday, June 21 | |
| 12:30 – 1:15pm | Outside |
| (Dancing around Midsummer Pole) | |
| 2:00 – 2:45pm | Arena |
The VASA Youth Group Swedish Dancers are coming to us from Portland, OR., currently under the direction of Christine Smith.
Vasa Rosebuds have routinely performed and led majstång dancing at Midsummer celebrations in Portland and Astoria.Within the past 5 years, they’ve traveled internationally to dance and participate in Midsummer celebrations in Sweden and Canada. The group has also performed many times over the years at the Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival and we appreciate them being a part of our festival again this year.
Christine and the VASA Dancers will lead the dancing around the Midsummer Pole on Saturday, June 21 at approx. 12:30pm. Come and join in the celebration!
Nordic Accordion Band
| ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY | |
| Saturday, June 21 | |
| 1:00 – 2:30pm | Exhibit Hall |
The Nordic Accordion Band will return to the Midsummer Festival to perform accordion favorites from 1:00 – 2:30pm on Saturday, June 21, 2025, in the Exhibit Hall. This group of seasoned accordion players and a novice or two will be accompanied by violin, drums, and bass. They will play the favorite accordion tunes that Sven and Jorgen used to play as well as some new ones.
Come and enjoy the music of these very talented musicians.
Beer Babes
| Friday, June 20 | |
| 4:00 – 6:00pm | Beer Garden |
| Saturday, June 21 | |
| 4:00 – 5:00pm | Beer Garden |
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 in 2024. We’ve invited them back for the 2025 festival to play again and hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
Members are: Susan Schwab, Bobbie Fererro, and Lisa Roeder.
ASOC (Astor Street Opry Company)
Shanghaied in Astoria Olio Acts
| Saturday, June 21 | |
| 1:00 – 1:45pm | Beer Garden |
| 2:45 – 3:15pm | Exhibit Hall |
| 3:15 – 3:45pm | Beer Garden |
| 5:30 – 6:15pm | Exhibit Hall |
Now in their 41stseason, 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 Saturday only.
Dick And Todd Carlson
| Saturday, June 21 | |
| 8:30 – 9:15am | Exhibit Hall |
| 1:00 – 2:30pm | Exhibit Hall |
| (with Nordic Accordion Band) | |
| Sunday, June 22 | |
| 8:30 – 9:15am | Exhibit Hall |
My name is Dick Carlson. I was born and raised in Eugene Oregon. Graduated from U of O majoring in Business and Accounting.
My wife, Patty, and I have lived in Tillamook for over 55 years.
I have played accordion for about 35 years as an amateur. In the late 1990's, I played at the Astoria Scandinavian Festival in the booth area, and have participated in Coreen Bergholm’s Nordic Accordion Band for the past two years.
I enjoy playing with my son, Todd, who is an excellent tuba and bass musician.
Come to the festival and enjoy listening to the music performed by Dick and Tyler Carlson on Saturday and Sunday morning.