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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (June 18, 2015)
Here to stay 2015 Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Court The Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival, taking place June 19 to 21, holds down a long and glorious tradition on the North Coast, from the festi- YDO¶V¿UVW4XHHQ0DUMRULH<RVW (Danish,1968) to last year’s Abbie Johnson (Norway, 2014) who has attended every festival since she was born and was put to work as soon as she could walk. Abbie, her proud par- ents and grand- parents have a long tradition of volunteering to make the event special. It takes a community — and many hands make light work. There’s only one little kink in the works this year. As Abbie’s grand- dad and festival organizer Loran Mathews puts it, “We haven’t decided yet what year to call this festival. We’re not sure about our num- bering — it all depends how you count.” He continues, “If I say I’m 70 years old then you start counting not when I was born but when I’m one year old. So WKDW¶V\HDURQH²DIWHUP\¿UVW full year. Anyway we started in 1967, and we’re still trying to ¿JXUH RXW ZKHQ RXU WK ZLOO be. We’re have a meeting on June 10 to decide.” But whether it’s the 48th or 49th year, any way you slice that krumkake, the Scandina- vian Festival is here to stay, or so this year’s volunteers hope. “There have been a lot of peo- ple involved over the years,” Mathews continues. “It’s been good to keep it going so long, and we want to keep it going DQRWKHU \HDUV$ ORW RI WKH people in the original group are gone, so we’ve had other peo- ple taking over along the way.” The Royal Court There is no better indication that the Scan Fest’s longevity is assured than to look at the impressive royal court. Each of the four lodges — Norway, Finland, Den- mark and Swe- den — nominate a young woman to represent them. These misses are care- fully chosen to represent their culture and have a rigor- ous schedule of speaking en- gagements. Miss Den- mark, Meisha Boettcher, is a MXQLRU DW .QDS pa High School, and her mater- nal great grandparents are 100 percent Danish. Miss Finland, .DLVD -RKQVRQ LV D VHQLRU DW Astoria High School; her Scan- dinavian heritage was passed down to her from her mother who is 100 percent Finn. John- son has been a Viking/Nordic dancer for nine years. Leah Marie Telen, Miss Norway, a senior at As- toria High School, had a great-grandmother who was 100 percent Norwegian. Next year Telen plans to study nurs- ing at Clatsop Community Col- OHJH$QG 0LVV 6ZHGHQ .ULV WLQD .MHOOEHUJ LV DQ H[FKDQJH student at Astoria High School. Her family lives in Uppsala, 6ZHGHQ .MHOOEHUJ ZLOO UHWXUQ Don’t worry if this Scandinavian lingo is puzzling, because there is one thing everyone can enjoy — the amazing food. Miss Scandinavia 2014 14 | June 18, 2015 | coastweekend.com Abbie Johnson to Sweden after the festival and then has two more years of schooling before she grad- uates. There is also an array of Junior Misses with similarly outstanding talents. With this level of involvement of Asto- ria’s young people and gener- ations of family involvement, Mathews’ aspirations for an- RWKHU \HDUV VHHP HDV\ WR imagine. Submitted photo by Janet Bowler Celeste and Ernie Petersen of Astoria, pictured here at the 2014 festival, embody the As- toria Scandinavian Festival’s motto of Explore Astoria and Discover Your Inner Viking. Photo by Damian Mulinix Following her coronation, re- cently crowned 2014 Miss Scan- dinavia Abbie Johnson awaits the start of the torchlight pro- cessional outside the Clatsop County Fairgrounds during the opening of last year’s Scandina- vian Midsummer Festival. Coronation and Ball Janet Bowler, this year’s Scan Fest entertainment chair, notes that the crowning of the new queen is what begins the whole festive tradition. “The 4XHHQ¶VFRURQDWLRQWDNHVSODFH 7 p.m. Friday at the arena. The candidates will each speak on the importance of their Scan- dinavian heritage, and then D SDQHO RI MXGJHV VHOHFWV RQH to reign as Miss Scandinavia ´ The men get involved after WKH FRURQDWLRQ FDUU\LQJ ÀDP ing torches for the Torchlight 3URFHVVLRQ %RQ¿UH DQG IDP LO\IULHQGO\ 4XHHQ¶V 'DQFH As Bowler says, “The men will lead the newly crowned Miss Scandinavia and audi- HQFH PHPEHUV WR WKH ERQ¿UH to throw straw hexes into the ÀDPHV 7KLV WUDGLWLRQ V\PERO izes ridding ourselves of bad luck for the coming year. There will be accordion music and a GDQFHRUWZRDURXQGWKH¿UH´ Miss Scandinavia and her father or special partner usual- O\OHDGWKH¿UVWGDQFH%RZOHU notes that if you like the Chick- en Dance, the Hokey Pokey, or ORFDOIDYRULWHV²WKH%XWWHUÀ\ and the Varsouvienne — this family-friendly gathering is for you. There will even be some experts showing off a waltz, schottische, polka, snoa, tango, hambo or humppa. Scandina- vian Country of Astoria will provide the tunes. Try your hand at Scandinavian cuisine. Lou Ann Thorsness has provided a recipe: Don’t Forget the Food But don’t worry if this Scandinavian lingo is puzzling, because there is one thing ev- HU\RQHFDQHQMR\²WKHDPD] ing food. Corleen Mathew’s krumkake is legendary. Then there’s Norway’s potato lefse; riisipuuro from the Finns; Dan- ish meatballs with red cabbage can’t be missed; and the Swed- ish pea soup is to die for. Those Scandinavians seem to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Lou Ann Thorsness, in charge of the Sons of Norway booth, shares a bit of history about her country’s offerings. “Our lefse is really ‘hardan- JHUOHIVH¶PDGHIURPÀRXUQRW potatoes, and was passed on to me by the ladies from the ORGJH.ULQJOHZDVDOVRSDVVHG to me by the lodge ladies, in- cluding my Aunt Edith Hellig- so and the late Lois Ahola — both Astoria natives. “And we can’t forget spritz — this recipe is from my mom, Nancy Thorsness, who died 2015 Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Court 2015 Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Junior Court Crown Bearer Junior Miss Iceland Stian Matthews Delaney Patterson Junior Court Chaperone The Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival celebrates tradition, pageantry and food June 19, 20 & 21 Story by CATE GABLE 2015 Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Court Kringle Submitted photo The Olney Grange provides a beef dinner Friday night featuring beef pot roast, baked potato, green beans, salad, pie and a beverage for $13. in 2010. Although she wasn’t Norwegian, my dad Frank was. We’ll also be making pepper- kake and Scandinavian almond bars.” There is a Norwegian Christmas tradition of having seven kinds of cookies during WKHKROLGD\V<RXRIWHQVHHWKLV referred to as the ‘”Magic 7.” As Thorsness says, “My under- standing is that you can make more, but it should always be an odd number. I’ve estab- lished a crazy tradition, with help from family and friends ² , PDNH DERXW GR]HQ cookies of 13 different kinds.” So whether it’s the pageant- ry, the food, or the family fun, stop in any day at the festival Ingredients 2 cups sugar 2 cups sour cream 2 egg yolks 2/3 cup melted butter 1 teaspoon Anise-liquid (can also use seeds) 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 4 to 5 cups fl our Directions 1. Mix the sugar, eggs, sour cream and anise together. 2. Add the melted butter 3. Add in the dry ingredi- ents. Slowly add the fl our, mix- ing as you go until the dough can be handled. 4. Roll the dough out and cut into 7-to-8-inch strips, about the length of a pencil 5. Twist into a “B” or pretzel shape. 6. Bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes. Abbie is a freshman at Linfi eld College majoring in nursing. Her Norwegian heritage comes from her ma- ternal great-grandfather, who was 100 percent Norwe- gian. Abbie’s mother, Tara Johnson, was Miss Norway in 1989, and her sister Helen was Miss Scandinavia in 2010. Abbie’s family is active in the local Scandinavian community, and Abbie has attended every festival since she was born. She helps the Sons of Norway make lefse for the festival and considers it a privilege to continue a tradition so close to her family’s heart. She encourages everyone to get involved in their heritage. Laura Biederman Laura is a teacher at John Jacob Astor Elementary School and a member of the Finnish Brotherhood Lodge. Laura’s grandmother was 100 percent Finnish. Senior Court Chaperone Bev Hoofnagle Bev has been a part of the Viking/Nordic Dancers for 30 years. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren. Now retired, she enjoys spending time with her grandkids and riding motorcycles. Stian attends Lewis and Clark School. His maternal grandmother was born and raised in Finland. Stian enjoys sauna at home and eating lutefi sk during the Christmas holiday season. He’s attended every festi- val since he was born, and his brothers have also been crown bearers. His favorite beverage at the festival is the lingonberry juice. Stian has attended the Norwe- gian Camp at the Sons of Norway to learn a Scandi- navian language, and his family hopes to travel to Scandinavia soon. Delaney is a student at Lewis and Clark Elementary School. Delaney dances with the Nordic dancers and will perform with the group at the festival this year. 2015 Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Senior Court 2015 Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Senior Court 2015 Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Junior Court 2015 Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Junior Court Senior Miss Sweden Senior Miss Norway Junior Miss Sweden Junior Miss Norway Kristina Kjellberg Leah Marie Telen Payton Harper Raelee Anne Telen Payton attends John Jacob Astor Elementary School. Payton’s maternal great-grandmother was 100 per- cent Swedish. Payton looks forward to the bonfi re on Friday night because she and her grandmother, Billie, make hexes to throw in the fi re. Payton and her mom are members of the Vasa Lodge 215, and in 2016 her family will visit Sweden. Raelee is a student at Lewis and Clark Elementary, and her sister, Leah, is Miss Norway. Her Norwegian her- itage comes through her great-grandmother. Raelee dances with the Nordic dance group and attended her fi rst festival last year. Being on the court has been fun for Leah because she’s learned more about the Norwe- gian side of her family. Kristina is an exchange student at Astoria High School from Uppsala, Sweden. She looks forward to attending her fi rst festival this year to see how Scandinavian-Amer- icans celebrate Midsummer. Kristina can’t wait to try the Scandinavian delicacies off ered for sale because she misses the food from home. To prepare for being on the court, Kristina talked to her parents about her family his- tory and has learned interesting things about her ances- tors. Kristina will return home to Sweden soon and has two more years of school before graduation. Leah is a senior at Astoria High School. Her great-grandmother was 100 percent Norwegian. Leah enjoys watching the dancing at the festival, es- pecially when her little sister dances with the Viking/ Nordic Dancers. Sampling Scandinavian foods at the festival is also a favorite activity, especially the Swed- ish meatballs. This year, Leah had the opportunity to visit the Sons of Norway Lodge in Gearhart to learn how to make lefse. Next year Leah plans to study nursing at Clatsop Community College. 2015 Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Senior Court 2015 Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Senior Court 2015 Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Junior Court 2015 Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Junior Court Senior Miss Finland Senior Miss Denmark Junior Miss Finland Junior Miss Denmark Kaisa Johnson Meisha Boettcher Avery Biederman Sophie Rose Alsbury Kaisa is a senior at Astoria High School. Her Scandi- navian heritage comes from her mother, who is 100 percent Finn. Kaisa was Junior Miss Finland in 2005 and a Viking/Nordic dancer for nine years. Kaisa looks forward to participating in the Troll Run at the festival Saturday morning, June 20. Kaisa thinks the festival is important because it’s helped her to learn about her ancestors and their culture and to keep their tra- ditions alive. After graduation, Kaisa plans to attend the University of Oregon and major in English to be- come a teacher. Meisha is a junior at Knappa High School. Her ma- ternal great-grandparents are 100 percent Danish. Meisha enjoys shopping and eating at the festival. Her favorite foods include aebelskivers, krumkake, smoked meats, lefse, cold smoked salmon, and tarts. Being on the Scandinavian Midsummer Court is fun for Meisha because she’s met others in the communi- ty who share her Danish heritage, and she has been able to hear their stories. Avery attends Lewis and Clark Elementary School. Her great-grandmother was 100 percent Finnish. Avery has attended many festivals and always enjoys sampling the prune tarts. She’s even eaten lutefi sk at the Finnish lodge. Sophie attends Warrenton Grade School. Her family has been involved in the Lower Columbia Danish So- ciety for many years. Her mother was both a Junior and Senior Miss Denmark. Sophie looks forward to the festival every year so she can eat aebleskivers, Danish pastries off ered for sale by the Lower Columbia Danish Society. June 18, 2015 | coastweekend.com | 15