Portland Scandinavian Midsummer Festival

From Portland Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Website:

Scandinavians have a long tradition of celebrating the Summer Solstice with bonfires and the raising of the Maypole (Majstang). Here in Portland that tradition has been celebrated for 86 continuous years at the Scandinavian Midsummer Festival.

Everyone is welcome at this summer solstice festival. As anyone who's been there before knows, its always a fun, family friendly day filled with games, dancing, food, Scandinavian crafts and of course the raising of the Maypole.

Scandinavians in traditional dress will greet hundreds of visitors beginning at 11 am. Food and crafts are available all day from local Scandinavian clubs and vendors. Two stages of entertainment and a beer garden promise continuous entertainment with live music and dancing, all with a Scandinavian flavor. The Maypole will be raised at 1 pm and the Scandinavian of the Year award will be given during that festive event.

For children the highlight of the day is decorating and raising the maypole. Adults and children alike dance around the pole together and sing traditional songs like Smaa Grodorna r lustiga att se (Little Frogs are funny to watch). As is the custom around a few large holidays, the children will help make and wear flower wreaths which are worn by both women and children. Long ago it was believed that everything that grew contained special magic powers. This belief lives on in the tradition of collecting flowers before going to bed on Midsummer night. Young girls pick seven to nine flowers from different locations in silence. Some even say you have to jump seven fences. Still in silence you go home and put your flowers underneath your pillow. The legend says that you will dream of the man you will marry!