A few special events

It's Memorial Day weekend, but there are a few things going on in Scandinavia America ... and it's definitely time to mark your calendars for the National Day and Midsummer events that are happening near you. 

  • Garbo in a still from the film ”Inspiration” in 1931. She was born on September 18 in 1905.
  • NOW OPEN
    Mystic, CT
    The Vikings Begin: Treasures from Uppsala. One of the world's finest early Viking-age collections is at Mystic Seaport. Priceless treasures, including helmets, shields, weapons, glass, and thematic sections on Viking warfare, trade, the Baltic Sea, a ship burial, Norse gods, and relations to other cultures employ rare archaeological finds in the discovery of how this maritime society lived more than a millennium ago. On exhibit through September. Mystic Seaport has been the U.S. home of the Viking ship Draken Harald Hårfagre (www.drakenhh.com). Mystic Seaport, 860.572.0711 / info@mysticseaport.org. www.mysticseaport.org/locations/the-vikings-begin

  • An archeological find on exhibit at The Vikings Begin: Treasures from Uppsala. Attend a lecture on how Vikings were people too - at the Nordic Museum in Seattle. Photo by Joe Michael/Mystic Seaport Museum
  • California
    Oskar Stenmark is the 10th generation in his family to pass on the tradition of music from his family's Swedish village, a cultural hub for over two hundred years. His trio's music is a mix of historic polskas, waltzes and folk songs mixed with a contemporary expression and sounds from New York in his tour "In My Grandmother’s Footsteps." www.oskarstenmark.com
    +MAY 24 - Svenska Kyrkan-Church of Sweden San Francisco with SWEA International and Consulate General of Sweden in San Francisco, CA. 6.30 p.m.
    +MAY 25 - The Samarkand, with The American Scandinavian Foundation of Santa Barbara, CA. 7.30 p.m.
    +MAY 26 - House Concert, SWEA Orange County, CA. 6.30 p.m.
    +MAY 27 - Lutheran Church of the Cross, Aliso Viejo Campus, CA 2 p.m.
    For more info, see www.facebook.com/events/1887887597910019
    Supported by the Embassy of Sweden in Washington D.C. and The Swedish Arts Council.

  • Oskar Stenmark plays on the West Coast for the first time. Photo Diego Llarrull
  • TUESDAY, MAY 29
    New York, NY
    Nordic Book Club, 6-7 p.m.
    This month read and discuss "The Endless Summer" by Madame Nielsen, which was featured in a book talk at Scandinavia House in March. This novel focuses on the love story of a Danish woman and a much younger Portuguese artist, in a way that confronts ideas of time, sexuality and tragedy. When the season of their love affair draws to a close, how will their decisions have affected the lives of those around them? Scandinavia House, 212.779.3587 / jennifer@amscan.org / www.scandinaviahouse.org/events/endless-summer

  • Greta Garbo as Queen Christina in the 1933 film with the same name.
  • WEDNESDAY, MAY 30
    Berkeley, CA
    Greta Garbo Rarities, 3-4:30 p.m.
    Rarely screened 35mm film fragments, commercials, and newsreels from the archives of the Swedish Film Institute depict Greta Garbo at various points throughout her career. Guest presenter Jon Wengström offers context for the works. Wengström is curator of the archival film collections at the Svenska Filminstitutet, Stockholm. BAMFA, 510.642.0808 / bampfa@berkeley.edu / www.bampfa.org/event/greta-garbo-rarities

  • NATIONAL DAY has events already on June 2, but check our listing for more that may be in your area on June 3-6.
    There may even be some early MIDSUMMER CELEBRATIONS near you, so check our calendar so you can mark your own

  • California
    Sveadal, San Jose
    2,3 June 2018
    Golden Gate Vasa Lodge celebrates Sweden Day all weekend, including the 3rd annual Akvavit Kryddat Brannvin World Championship. 408.272.1700 / www.vasagoldengate.com / www.sveadal.org

  • Florida
    Davie
    2 Juni 2018
    The Swedish Church’s National Day Celebration. Church service, Majstång, children’s games, Sommar buffet och tårta. 954.604.0605 / www.svenskakyrkan.se/florida / florida@svenskakyrkan.se