www.midsummersday.org/atom.xml -
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Published on: 3/23/2008
Last Visited: 3/23/2008
"We felt that the event, over the years, had sort of lost a lot of its original intent, which was a celebration that focused on Swedish heritage and invited people to be an intimate part of that," said Becky Anderson a co-chairman, with Susan Achenbach, of this year's Midsummers.
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"We have had meetings with others who have long experience with Lindsborg's Midsummers, and who also had been to Midsummers festivals in Sweden," Anderson said."It seems that our Midsummers had become very performance-driven, with visitors and guests outside looking in.But in Sweden, people are able to participate, take part in so many ways, much like, say, our Fourth of July.""When people go somewhere, they want to experience, not just observe," Anderson said.
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Or they might just want to learn how to say 'Happy birthday' in Swedish," Anderson said."In this village, we'd like to have lots of parts of life that you would find in a Swedish town.""We hope that Midsummers is not so much about climbing on bleachers and watching, as it is about people walking around and doing, taking part, and we hope people from Lindsborg will participate, help us with these new features," Anderson said.There is a Swedish game, she said, called "Kubb," similar to lawn bowling."Wouldn't it be fun to have the first annual Kubb tournament, showing people how to play it, and then go with a tournament?There will be music as ever, and dancing, with the youthful Lindsborg Swedish Folkdancers and their elder counterparts, the Lindsborg Folkdanslag, each celebrated locally and nationally for their talent and jubilance.The festival will feature a children's area with crafts, games, and story-telling.Throughout the day Lindsborg, its people and many of its visitors will be in Swedish costume, adding to the flavor of Midsommardag.The celebration will continue later in the day downtown, and ultimately to the Old Mill Museum and its Swedish Pavilion and Heritage Complex for the traditional raising of the maypole and more Swedish dancing.Midsummers, said Anderson and Achenbach, is not simply about Lindsborg, but it is also about visitors having an enjoyable day and taking away a good experience.
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"The educational experience of this is important," Anderson said.