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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2018
Sven Sundstrom
Grand Marshal for
the 2018 Optog
The Grand Marshal for the
2018 Optog (walking parade)
at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, June
16, is Sven Sundstrom.
Sundstrom
emigrated
from Sweden in 1959 and
eventually settled in Astoria,
Oregon, to work at the Asto-
ria Plywood Mill. He and his
wife Maureen were involved
with the first Scandinavian
Midsummer Festival in 1968.
They and their daughters,
Lisa and Yvonne, continued
to participate for years.
Maureen passed in 2012
and Sven recently moved to
Portland to be closer to his
daughters, but he’ll be back
this year for all three days of
Sven Sundstrom, grand
marshal of the 2018 Optog
the festival.
“Those of us who started
the Astoria Scandinavian
Midsummer Festival did
something really special,”
Sven said. “We wanted
all the countries of Scan-
dinavia to come together,
because we knew it would
be stronger and more suc-
cessful that way. We wanted
the music, the dance and the
foods from each country. We
brought some unique fes-
tivities — like the singing
of the national anthems, the
raising of the Midsummer
Pole, the Bonfire and burn-
ing of hexes, the Folk Cos-
tume Style Show, and in the
old days, we had a parade
downtown. We learned to
know and accept each other
and we’ve had a wonderful
time.”
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The original letter of declaration for the first Astoria
Scandinavian Midsummer Festival, composed in 1968
‘MAY ALL MY ILL-LUCK DEPART
AND BE BURNT UP WITH THEE’
Let it so be declared, that on June 15th,
Saturday at 7:30 PM, we will celebrate a
MIDSUMMER NIGHT FESTIVAL, or a
NIGHT IN SCANDINAVIA, put on by
Astoria’s Scandinavian Folk Dancers, and
the local lodges and clubs and the people
of Scandinavian descent and heritage. The
event to take place at the 4-H fairgrounds
with one and all invited to attend.
charred wood is burned on the hearth with
a prayer; some is given to those who are
sick; Ashes placed in the roof will pre-
vent fires from breaking out in the house;
to look at the bonfire through garlands of
flowers is a sure preventative of sore eyes
and eyelids. These are some of the old
beliefs for the purpose of the MIDSUM-
MER’S EVE BONFIRE.
A great MIDSUMMER BONFIRE will
be kindled to cast aside for another year,
evil spirits and bad luck. The young and
the old of both sexes will gather about
and pass the time with dancing and sing-
ing, and feasting on delicacies of Scandi-
navian flavor. People dance around the fire
and cast into the flames wood and bits of
straw to counteract the power of the trolls
and other evil spirits who are believed to be
abroad that night; for at the mystic season
the mountains open and from their cavern-
ous depths the uncanny crew pours forth to
dance and disport themselves for a time.
If an animal happens to appear before the
fire, the peasants are firmly persuaded to
believe it is the EVIL ONE in person.
A small admission charge will get
you into a place at the fire, and an eve-
ning that’s true and meaningful as in times
of old. Proceeds to go towards the travel
expenses and summer activities of the
Scandinavian Folk Dancers.
A girl who sees the nine fires on MID-
SUMMER’S EVE will marry before the
year is out. The charred pieces of wood
from the fire are carried home and care-
fully preserved throughout the year.
During thunderstorms a piece of the
Won’t you join us on this eve, to re-cre-
ate and re-capture an old and familiar cus-
tom? We want all Scandinavian countries
represented in displays, food and music,
song and dance. If you can contribute to
any of this, please let us know. Perhaps
you know of someone who can help us if
you can’t. However, we want you all to
come and if you own a Scandinavian cos-
tume, please wear it and help us to create a
true “NIGHT IN SCANDINAVIA”
Thank you,
Mrs. Laurence Obie, Director
ASTORIA’S SCANDINAVIAN
FOLK DANCERS