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 …
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 …
ASTORIA SCANDINAVIAN HERITAGE PARK committee hits the ground running w/ City approval BY KAISA SCHLARB IN DECEMBER, the Astoria City Council voted unanimously in favor of the Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Foundation’s (ASHA) proposed Scandinavian Heritage Park, to be constructed at the site of People’s Park at 16th and Marine Drive. Applause erupted among attendees, many of whom were descendants of the …
Junior Miss Iceland Holly Bjaranson is from Hammond and has great-grandparents who are Norwegian, Icelandic and Swedish. She learned her heritage from her parents and grandparents and looks forward to the Midsummer Festival so she can dance, participate in the Barnefest (children’s activity area), and make more friends. Senior Miss Sweden is Madalyn Hellberg from Camas, Washington. Her grandparents are …
The Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Association announces a change in leadership. Leila Collier, who lead the festival committee for the past three years, is stepping down. The two new co-chairs are Tony Larson and Carla Oja. Larson has a law degree from Willamette University and is of Danish descent. He’s a professional mediator, Chairman of the Scan Oregon Lodge, Life …
The Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Association is rejoicing that it has finally reached an agreement with the Astoria City Council which will allow it to move forward with its plans for a monument honoring Scandinavian immigrants in the former People’s Park in downtown Astoria on the Riverwalk. When the monument is completed, the park will be renamed Scandinavian Heritage Park. Fundraising …
By popular demand, ARRIVAL, Canada’s tribute to ABBA, will return to the 2018 Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival accompanied by DREAMS, Canada’s Fleetwood Mac Tribute Band. ARRIVAL performed their ABBA show to a large and enthusiastic audience at last year’s 50th anniversary festival and people who saw the show and people who missed the show have requested that we bring this …