• 9 a.m. Flower gathering: New Sweden Historical Museum; volunteers bring garden clippers, waterproof shoes, and 5 gal buckets; 4-5 vehicles needed; meet at Museum; FMI: Debbie Blanchette, 896-5874.
• 11 a.m. (after flower gathering) Set up museum grounds: New Sweden Historical Museum; roustabout volunteers are needed to help setup tents, tables, chairs; meet at Museum; FMI: Debbie Blanchette, 896-5874.
Aroostook Repbulican file photo/Debra Walsh
Don’t miss a chance to be part of New Sweden’s annual MidSomar Fest, this weekend beginning Friday, June 19 through Sunday, June 21. Help gather flowers to decorate the Majstang (Maypole), learn the art of Swedish dancing, discover the historical locations right in our own backyard, begin the amazing challenge of tracing your ancestry or just sit down and enjoy numerous delicious Swedish meals, from breakfast to dinner. MidSommar Fest celebrates the beginning of summer, don’t stay inside, get out and treat yourself to music, history, food and dancing — not to mention wonderful hospitality everywhere you turn.
• Suggestions for Friday afternoon: self guided tour of Colony using guidebook map; New Sweden Cemetery, visit Ostlund Farm pond and fields with your picnic lunch, Geocaching, Healthy Maine walks at Thomas Park; the Nylander Museum and the Caribou Historical Center & Museum in Caribou. FMI: Bill Duncan, 896-3461;
• 12:30 p.m. Nylander Museum in Caribou opens: Main Street, Caribou; displays of local natural history and collections by Swedish Colony naturalist Olof Nylander; until 4:30; donation; FMI: Jeannie McGowan, 493-4209.
• 1 p.m. Genealogy Research: NSHS Museum; Lynn Johnson would love to help find your family connections to Sweden; bring information about your ancestors to share and compare; Lynn is chair of the Genealogy committee and is collecting and sharing data on Swedish immigrants who came to Aroostook. Lynn will be at the museum Friday: 1-3:30 p.m.; Saturday: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; Sunday: 2-3:30 p.m; Join NSHS and donate; FMI: Lynn Johnson, P.O. Box 620319, Redwood City, CA 94062.
• 1 p.m. NSHS Museum open: ; artifacts from the Swedish Colony; Regular time; FMI: Debbie Eustis-Grandy, 896-5240.
• 5 p.m. Community Choir Practice: Baptist Church; open to all, time and location may change, call to confirm; Swedish hymns; sing on Sunday; FMI: Pastor Dave Moore, 896-3392.
• 6 p.m. Stockholm Legion supper: Stockholm Legion Hall; Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, rolls, vegetables, carrot jello, homemade desserts, bar service; $10 reservations or at the door; FMI: Rudy St. Peter, 834-2504.
• 7 p.m. Swedish dance & entertainment: Stockholm Legion Hall; we are looking for local talent; there may be dance instruction; $2 suggested donation for entire family; FMI: Bill Duncan, 896-3461.
• 6:30 a.m. Midsommar Frukost: Thomas Park; (Midsummer Breakfast) until 9 am; proceeds to benefit food pantry; donations welcome; $5 adults, $3 children; FMI: Pastor Dave Moore, 896-3392.
• all day Parking is restricted: on Museum grounds; museum yard is reserved for handicapped parking and the bus stop; park only on the north side of the Station Road, a bus is available between the sites and parking areas.
• 9 a.m. Mini bus shuttle: between the Museums and parking areas; until 2 pm; please park only on the north side of the Station Road; handicapped parking only at museum; a bus runs continuously to parking areas: Town Hall, Lutheran Church, behind North Star Variety, Baptist Church, Thomas Park, and Blacksmith shop; cosponsored by Maine Swedish Colony, Inc.; bus $1donation for the day.
• 9 a.m. Genealogy Research: NSHS Museum; Lynn is chair of the Genealogy committee and is collecting and sharing data on Swedish immigrants who came to Aroostook; FMI: Lynn Johnson.
• 9 a.m. Välkommen-Bievenue-Welcome table: at entrance to grounds; stop by to join or renew your membership; raffles include American Girl doll; donations accepted; FMI: William Duncan/Kathy Robinson, 896-3461.
• 9 a.m. Capitolium Museum open: Museum; raffles include: American Girl doll Kirsten Larson; T-shirts on sale inside; memberships available; donation; FMI: Debbie Eustis-Grandy, 896-5240.
• 9 a.m. Lindsten Stuga tours: behind museum; traditional Swedish Colony home; donate at the museum.
• 9 a.m. Gift Shop/Capitol School Museum: Capitol School; until 4 pm; new items, many Scandinavian gifts; new one-room school house displays and artifacts; donations.
• 9 a.m. Arts/Folk Life Displays: near Museum; until 4 pm.; exhibitors please call to reserve a space; demonstrations/activities are encouraged; no fee to display only; $20 per site; FMI: Doug Anderson 896-5807.
• 10 a.m. Noak Blacksmith Shop tours: from museum, half mile east from museum on Station Road, look for the sign; demonstrations and displays in carpenter and blacksmith shops; open until 4 pm; donations; FMI: Matt Grandy, 896-5240.
• 10 a.m. Larsson/Ostlund house tours: Station Road; 2 story log house; until 4 pm.; walk down to the pond behind the house, Sunday by appointment; donations; FMI: Jerry Nelson, 896-5789.
• 10 a.m. Dala Horse painting: behind museum; family activity until noon; roosters and hearts too; small fee; FMI: Debbie Blanchette, 896-5874.
• 10 a.m. Hair wreaths: Lindsten Stuga; make-your-own; bring small flowers, florist’s wire, and cutters to share; donation.
• 10 a.m. Sandwiches: beside Museum; coffee, homemade sweets, and sandwiches for sale; FMI: Debbie Eustis-Grandy, 896-5240.
• 10 a.m. Ice cream: near Capitol School; homemade; for sale; FMI: Shirley Erickson, 207-896-5692.
• 11 a.m. Hot dogs: near Capitol School; hot dogs and punch for sale by Ralph Ostlund family and Don Peters.
• 11 a.m. Majstång (Maypole): by Museum; family activity, trimming the Majstång, music and dancing; New Sweden Little Folk Dancers, bring your own seating and sun hat; gather bouquets and give them to the decorators; everyone dances around the pole; the maypole celebrates the colony’s Swedish heritage and the
start of our short summer; donate at entry.
• Noon Baptist Church Open House: First Baptist Church; the first church in New Sweden welcomes you; learn about our 120+ years of ministry in New Sweden; visit our sanctuary and food pantry; Swedish hymnals and Bibles; light refreshments; until 4:40 pm; free; FMI: Dave Moore, 896-3392.
• Noon Lagerstrom House Museum open: Corner of Beckstrom and Sealander roads, Woodland; well-preserved Swedish Colony home from 1896; furnishings, artifacts, tours; open until 4 pm; donations; FMI: Linda Norsworthy, 498-3081.
• Noon Snowman School Museum open: Woodland Center Road (Rt 228), Woodland; one-room schoolhouse from 1895; open until 4 pm; displays, artifacts, tours; donations; FMI: Linda Norsworthy, 498-3081.
• Noon Swedish dance lessons: Museum; everyone participates; instruction by Kathryn Larson and Karen
Soderberg Hinchliffe to introduce you to the fun of Swedish Dancing; donations to muscians and instructors.
• 1 p.m. Nylander Museum in Caribou: Main Street, Caribou; displays of local natural history and collections by Swedish Colony naturalist Olof Nylander; until 4:30 p.m.; donation; FMI: Jeannie McGowan, 493-4209.
• 2 p.m. Kubb, Swedish lawn bowling: near Capitol west side; fun and relaxing.
• 3 p.m. Cleanup museum grounds: New Sweden Historical Museum; volunteers needed; roustabouts help take down tents, put away chairs and tables and cleanup museum grounds; pitch in anywhere.
• 3:30 p.m. Video Screening: New Sweden First Baptist Church; Tater Raisin’ Folk: the hand potato harvest in Aroostook; about one hour in length; many of Brenda Jepson videos contain scenes from Maine Swedish Colony; donation; FMI: Brenda Jepson, 896-3416.
• 4:30 p.m. Community Choir Practice: Baptist Church; open to all, time and location may change, call to confirm; Swedish hymns; sing on Sunday; FMI: Pastor Dave Moore, 896-3392.
• 5 and 5:30 p.m. Smörgåsbord: New Sweden School, Westmanland Rd.; heritage recipes from church members (two settings) reserve your tickets early!; $15-advanced tickets only; FMI: Judy Holmquist, 498-3525 after 5 p.m.
• 4:30-6 p.m. Swedish Supper: at Svea Hall, Gustaf Adolph Lutheran Church, Capital Hill Rd.; meatballs, ham, mashed potatoes, rotmoss, pickled herring, casseroles, salads, desserts, beverages; no reservations; two settings; raffles; $10 adults, $5 children under 10; FMI: Shirley Erickson, 896-5692.
• 7 p.m. “Ole and Lena discover Sweden” Skit: New Sweden School; Finn Bondeson and Emily Anderson perform their Junior Ex. comedy skit.
• 7:30 p.m. Dance Lessons: New Sweden school; instruction by Kathryn Larson and Karen Soderberg Hinchliffe reintroducing the pleasure of Swedish Dancing; live music; suggested $2 family donation to instructors/musicians; FMI: Bill Duncan, 896-3461.
• 8 p.m. Dance: New Sweden School; family activity; dance music by The Swedish Meatballs; dance instruction before; $2.00 per family or donation; FMI: Debbie Blanchette, 896-5874.
Sunday, June 21
• 9 a.m. Baptist Church Service: at the Church; worship out of the weather; scheduled early so you can also
attend the service in the park; time may change, call to confirm; offering; FMI: Pastor Dave Moore, 896-3392.
• 10:30 a.m. Church Service: Thomas Park; Interfaith worship; special welcome to New Sweden Baptist
congregation; bring a hat; bleacher seating or bring your own; rain location: Gustaf Adolph Lutheran Church; offering goes to New Sweden Historical Society; FMI: Debbie Blanchette, 896-5874.
• 11 a.m. Lunch in the Park: Thomas Park; turkey, salads, and fixings, New Sweden Historical Society members are asked to bring a dish.; $8 adults, $5 children 12 and under, $5 seniors over 65; FMI: Jerry Nelson, 896-5789.
• 12:45 p.m. Carrying the Majstång (Maypole) to the Park: From Capitol Museum on Station Road to Park; come down to the Museum and walk back to park; traditional Swedish walking music.
• Noon Noak Blacksmith Shop: from museum, half mile east from museum on Station Road, look for the sign; demonstrations and displays in carpenter and blacksmith shops; open until 4 pm; donations; FMI: Matt Grandy, 207-896-5240.
• 1 p.m. Sunday Program: Thomas Park; arrival of the Majstång (Maypole); Little Folk Dancers; music by The Maine Event singers and Wednesday Evening Fiddlers from Perth Andover; raffle drawings and more, Lewis Peterson emcee, Honoring Rena Espling Hultgren and Mable Espling Todd. Happy 150th to Caribou!; donate in the Viking helmet; FMI: Debbie Blanchette, 896-5874.
• 2 p.m. Lagerstrom House Museum open: Corner of Beckstrom Road and Sealander Road, Woodland; until 4 pm; well-preserved Swedish Colony home from 1896; furnishings, artifacts, tour; donations; FMI: Linda Norsworthy, 498-3081.
• 2 p.m. Genealogy Research: Museum; ; FMI: Lynn Johnson.
• 2 p.m. Capitolium Museum open: Museum; after the program; donation; FMI: Debbie Eustis-Grandy, 896-5240.
• 2 p.m. Capitol School Museum/Gift Shop: Capitol School; until 4 pm; new items, many Scandinavian gifts; new one-room school house displays and artifacts; donations.
Midsommar Notes: This schedule is constantly being refined; volunteers and contributions needed. Midsommar is a major fund-raising event for many Swedish Colony organizations, please support us with your time and donations.
