- This event has passed.
Come See us at Scandinavian Fest at Vasa Park, NJ
Please stop by to visit our table at the 37th Annual Scandinavian Fest, rain or shine!
Scandinavian Fest is an all-day celebration of Scandinavia at its best — where you’ll discover the customs, the history, the ethnic variety of the six Nordic nations: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Visitors and vendors, alike, are invited to catch a Scandinavian moment — to enjoy the refreshing outdoors at our annual festival in rustic Vasa Park at Budd Lake, NJ.
American Scandinavian Society will be having a table at the Festival – so come and visit us at the ScanFest!
FREE entry with authentic folk dress.
Learn more & purchase tickets at scanfest.org!
Questions? Email info@ScanFest.org
There are Nordic craft & gift vendors offering a variety of items for the home, gifts, and quality jewelry. Food vendors at ScanFest serve a variety of traditional and contemporary Scandinavian foods ……. & more common festival fare (for the less adventurous). A full day of re-enactors, dancers, Vikings, special kids’ activities, Nordic foods, Scandinavian marketplace. Entertainment is covered or indoors.
What’s On for Fest ’23 ?? ( Plenty ! )
Iva Voice & Music: Vibrant vocals & guitar: Youngest “Swedish-American vocalist of the Year” honoree, ever!
Swedish Meatballs: “Toe-tappin’ ” accordion music for listenin’ & dancin’.
Skansen Children’s Club: Scandinavian childrens’ folk dancers
Spirit of Scandinavia: Swedish Jazz: Scandinavian tunes for listening & dancing w/ drums, squeeze-box & sax.
Smörgåsbandet: Even more uf dat gud olt accord’yun moosik dot ve all luff so vell.
Telge Glima: Direct from Sweden: Fascinating Viking old games, sports, & contests of strength & skill
Vidar Skrede: Multi-instrumentalist: fiddle, Hardanger fiddle, guitar, & mandolin. Traditional Norwegian music from his hometown of Rogaland, Norway.
House of Hamill: Captivating show w/ original jigs & reels, traditional folk ballads, stories from the road.
Anders Lundegård, Swedish Saxophone (w/ YimengYu, piano)
Daughters of Scandinavia, talented & charming Norwegian Hardanger fiddles
Hanne Ledefoged-Dollase: Very entertaining, humorous program w/ a few serious moments. Ideal for adults & kids alike. Plus chance for sing-long at the end.
Marja Kaisla: Virtuoso pianist, recording artist, Finlandia Foundation ‘Performer of the Year’.
For Kids:
Ambrose the Astounding: Magic from Wizards, Sorcerers, & Magicians he’s known from ’round the World.
Roger Latzgo: Hans Christian Andersen songs & stories
Jonathan Kruk: Storyteller
Face-Painting all day
Kids’ Craft tent 11:00 – 2:00
Talks:
Bill Faberstrom: Genealogy ‘how-to”
John Miles: all about building & sailing Viking ships; drakkars, Snekkja, busse, knarrs
John Miles: Viking invasions of the British idles
Demonstrators & Artisans:
Blacksmith: Pocono Mountain Forge: their 6th year to demo Viking-inspired creations
“Wire you Waiting”: beautiful, unique Viking-era wire-knit jewelry techniques
Rigr Crafts: historic viking jewelry-making & hair care
‘Heart to Hearth’: Knackebröd making class-demo w/ Susan McLellan Plaisted
Jan Doyle: master weaver & teacher
Betty Baumgardt: Hardanger embroidery demonstration
Denmark’s Tonder Bobbin Lace-making: demo
Contest Arena & Combat Field:
Danegeld Company: History enthusiasts, Vladimir the Rus, Viking Jerk (Yeh-rick), &
Nikolai demo Viking age combat w/ shields, steel axes, swords, spears.
Telge Glima: Direct from Sweden: Team of authentic period Viking games & competition
The Sloshbucklers: Return invasion, er,.. engagement; Viking-theme demo of axe & knife throwing. Wander the encampment; visit the range, & see what the Sloshbucklers are about.
“Norseman”: Viking longship recreation
Faering: Norse viking boat
….. and …. The always-popular 14th annual Wife Carrying contest ! Whazzat ?? Well, grab a wife. Any wife. And carry her through our obstacle course to win her weight in beer. Bring your own, grab one, or rent one of our light-weights.
Food Vendors at ScanFest ’23:
Food vendors at ScanFest serve a variety of traditional and contemporary Scandinavian foods ……. & more common festival fare (for the less adventurous).
HandCraft & Gift Vendors at ScanFest ’23:
Nordic craft & gift vendors offering a variety of items for the home, gifts, and quality jewelry … like these bracelets of woven pewter & silver on reindeer hide made by the Sami Laplanders.