Swedish Midsommar Festival


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Swedish heritage comes alive for three days in June with Stromsburg’s Swedish Midsommar Festival. Residents don costumes of yellow and blue – the colors of the Swedish flag – and welcome thousands of visitors to town. Local residents really get into it. Leather vests, chainmail armor and steel helmets of the Skaldborg Vikings are not uncommon… neither are sword battles on town square.

The Swedish Tractor Pull is a hoot to watch, as teams of four people race (if you want to call it that) to the finish line pulling heavy steel farm machinery. Everyone turns out the first night to watch Swedish Dancers at City Square Park. Then come children dancing around the Maypole and finally the crowning of the king and queen. Generations of Stromsburg girls have performed at the festival since its inception in 1952.

The Methodist Church and the Corner Cafe serve Swedish pancakes, which are superb, especially when slathered with lingonberry sauce. A free movie, parade and lots of other Swedish-themed activities pack the festival schedule. The 2017 Swedish Midsommar Festival will be June 16-18.