top of page
2018_Scandinavian Midsummer Festival in

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

Revel in the eclectic mix of entertainment, featuring traditional dances and lively music that capture the spirit of Nordic culture across the Pacific Northwest. Friday evening sets the stage for music and dancing near a blazing bonfire, while Saturday showcases the traditional Midsummer pole raising.

FRIDAY SCHEDULE

SATURDAY SCHEDULE

5:00 PM

6:00 PM

7:00 PM

8:00 PM

Doors

Dan Schlesinger

Dance lesson

Varelse

10:00 PM

End

Vasa Rosebuds dance group

Tulehoidjad Estonian folk dancing

Catarina New Martin

Portland Nordic Chorus

Midsummer Pole Ceremony, Dancing, Tug of War

10:00 AM

11:00 AM

12:00 PM

1:00 PM

2:00 PM

3:00 PM

4:00 PM

5:00 PM

End

Hapsala folk dance music

Jimmy Granstrom

Dan Schlesinger

Nordic Northwest is pleased to present Dan Schlesinger this year to showcase a contemporary approach to the traditional music. Dan will be performing Scandinavian folk tunes on euphonium with accompaniment. He plays a variety of styles of music, including jazz and classical, on euphonium & trombone. When the onset of the pandemic prevented musicians from performing alongside one another, Dan developed a "one man band" approach where he performs live as a single solo brass musician accompanied by backing tracks that creates a sound like an ensemble of instruments.  For more info:  https://www.gigsalad.com/dan_schlesinger_portland

Dan Schlesinger.png
dance lesson.png

Dance Lesson with Kim Majors

Swedish Freestyle Slängpolska (A Nordic medieval swing dance) taught by Kim Majors. A dance form that is both modern and old, it is egalitarian and generally done with two people. Partner with whomever you want, make it work for you! Even more fun when partners trade who leads and follows within the same dance! It is easy, just walking to the beat of the music. Learn moves to accompany various forms of Nordic folk music. It amalgamates movements from all and any of the folk dances found in the Nordic countries into a dance that is both structured and at the same time freeform. It is a developing form out of Sweden in present day that many dance it to, not only traditional folk dance music, but also the "new Nordic" sound. The perfect style to accompany the sounds of our own local and new Nordic folk band Varelse.
Kim Majors has been dancing, performing and teaching Swedish and Norwegian folk dance for over 30 years. She is excited to bring this new and old dance form to our community attending Midsummer along with this new part of the event this year.

Varelse

For several years after returning home from studying Scandinavian folk music in Sweden, Amy Hakanson searched for fellow musicians interested in exploring modern and traditional Scandinavian folk music. She finally found them in Collin Stackhouse, Joe Pomianek, and Steven Skolnik. Together the quartet form Varelse, and since the autumn of 2018 they have been creating their own blend of instrumental folk fusion.

varelseband.jpeg
Vasa Youth Group.png

Vasa Youth Group

The Vasa Rosebuds: Currently under the direction of Christine Smith. Vasa Rosebuds have routinely performed and led majstång dancing at Midsummer celebrations in Portland and Astoria. Within the past 5 years, they’ve traveled internationally to dance and participate in Midsummer celebrations in Sweden and Canada. In December they were featured at Nordic Northwest's ScanFair in Portland with a dance performance and a Lucia pageant. Additionally, they have performed many times at the Junction City Scandinavian Festival, participated yearly in the Junior Rose Festival Parade, and danced at many other local multicultural celebrations. They also performed at the Grand Opening of IKEA in Portland.

Catarina New Martin.jpeg

Catarina New Martin

"How Swede it is", Born and raised in Sweden, multi instrumentalist Catarina New Martin and her husband/percussionist Al Martin is presenting a variety of Folk to Classical to Jazz music, well known to the Swedish traditional music library. 

Tulehoidjad
Estonian folk dancing

ulehoidjad "Torch Bearers" is the Estonian folk dance group of Portland, Oregon. Formed in 1950, Tulehoidjad has taught Estonian folk dances to the four generations of Estonian immigrants and many American friends. Keeping Estonian traditions alive and teaching Americans about Estonian folk dance are the primary aims of Tulehoidjad folk dancers.

Torch Bearers Tulehoidjad.png

Jimmy Granstrom

Jimmy Granstrom is a Swedish songwriter whose songs have been played in Sweden and Portland Radio Project (PRP) 99.1FM in Oregon, including Project Earthbridge's "2019 Again" which was in rotation on PRP for more than two years since its release in March 2021. Subsequent Project Earthbridge singles "Alicia" and "Made Of Stars" were selected for P4 Sörmland, which is a major Swedish radio channel equivalent to a regional BBC radio station in the United Kingdom. Jimmy also co-wrote the song "Stranger With My Face" with composer Omri Lahav. "Stranger With My Face" has been played on the radio in Sweden, England, Mexico, Brazil, Uganda and on PRP.  More recently, "When We Were Small" was in rotation on P4 Halland (another major Swedish radio station equivalent to a regional BBC station) as well as in Namibia and played on the radio in Uganda, Mexico and England. 


 

At Midsummer, he will play clips of his original songs as well as translations of famous Swedish songs, as well as sharing song introductions and spoken lyrical excerpts from songs.

Granstrom & Rogers.png
scandchorus.jpeg

Portland Nordic Chorus

Portland Nodic Chorus is a mixed community chorus celebrating their friendship and common interest in Nordic Culture and Music by rehearsing and performing music with a Scandinavian connection. They sing primarily in Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish, and English.

bottom of page