'Don't Miss Events in the U.S.'

Film festivals, Strindberg, Raoul Wallenberg and bonfires.. Events all over Swedish America in the near future. 

  • Pontus Lidberg visits Scandinavia House on May 3rd. Lidberg photographed in lower Manhattan for Nordic Reach Magazine. Photo: Kristoffer Dan-Bergman

  • “East is east and west is west…” ...not necessarily - when it comes to the events we look for as Swedes or Swedish Americans, in the U.S. the “twain will meet”*...

  • "Women with Cows" (Kokvinnor) screened at the San Francisco Film Festival.

  • In New York, Anders Holst returns to Don't Tell Mama on April 26, 7-9 p.m. For more info, see Don't tell mama
    On May 3rd Swedish dancer and choreographer Pontus Lidberg visits Scandinavia House for an evening of Morphoses/Insights. We featured the talented dancer and filmmaker after the U.S. debut of his highly acclaimed movie The Rain. See more on the present event at MorphosesInsights: Dance + Film/Pontus Lidberg and for our earlier interview with Pontus, see The answer to the question
    Looking for a bonfire to celebrate Valborg? The closest one we could find is at the museum in Philadelphia American Swedish Historical Museum The iSwede celebration in New York on April 27 will not include a bonfire but likely “paints the town red”… Valborg’s Eve 2012

  • The official Raoul Wallenberg exhibition, "To me there's no other choice—Raoul Wallenberg 1912-2012," organized by the Swedish Institute and supported by the Swedish government, opened in Budapest in 2012 and is now showing in Portland, Oregon.

  • In Washington DC, see the exhibition To Me There's No Other Choice - Raoul Wallenberg 1912 – 2012 at House of Sweden while you can – it’s only open until Sunday, April 29 at 5 p.m. Opening hours, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, 12 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sundays. (House of Sweden) is located at 2900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007.
    Official presentation of the exhibition by Swedish Institute: To me there’s no other choice Our video from the U.S. opening in New York City: U.S. opening of the Raoul Wallenberg exhibition
    More on Wallenberg, the Swedish hero: 'One man can make a difference'

  • Fires going up all over Sweden as Valborg - Walpurgis Night is coming up. Photo: David Castor

  • In San Francisco, April 26, 1:00 p.m., you may want to see the Swedish documentary “Women with Cows” (2011, 80 min) screened a last time at the San Francisco International Film Festival. Directed by veteran nature and landscape photographer Peter Gerdehag “Kokvinnorna” tells the tale about two sisters in their late 70s. The older sister Britt still lives on the farm and has devoted her life to the cows on the family farm while her sister Inger couldn’t wait to get away from the farm, got married and raised a family of her own. Screened at Sundance Kabuki Cinemas, 1881 Post Street (at Fillmore). More info: Screening of “Women with Cows and later in May The Cutting Ball Theater continues its Strindberg reading series with Strindberg and the Occult – “The Stronger, Pariah…”
    In southern Cal. Newport Beach Film Festival celebrates Swedish cinema with a special Swedish Spotlight on May 1 - 2012 Newport Beach Film festival and on May 8, the August Strindberg Society of LA kicks off a Film Festival – Strindberg & Cinema on May 8. More on Strindberg celebrations marking 100 years since the death of the remarkable Swedish author and artist: 'Watch out for Strindberg celebrations'

  • In the Midwest, Chicago institutions celebrate Valborg at North Park University and, in related news, the Swedish American Museum has been nominated for the Art/Service Organization of the Year Award - cast your vote online at www.andersonvilledevcorp.org Other Museum activities: www.SwedishAmericanMuseum.org

  • Minnesota’s American Swedish Institute won’t celebrate Valborg, probably due to fire regulations… but on May 2, Minneapolis Swedes are in for a treat: Swedish author Jonas Hassen Khemiri visits the Institute for a talk about his novel Montecore and the difficulties of translating, with translator Rachel Willson-Broyles. Hassen Khemiri is one of the by far most interesting authors to debut in Sweden over the last ten years. Don’t miss it! American Swedish Institute, Minneapolis

  • And, of course, everybody, everywhere in Swedish (and Nordic!) America is getting ready for Valborg – celebration of Walpurgis Night, the return of the sun, the coming of spring and May First. With bonfires, picknicks and gatherings outside and.. song. In Cincinnati, Atlanta, Fla… Find out more under our Events Section!

  • *Yes, we’re referring to the Rudyard Kipling ballad in the beginning of this text:
    Oh, East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet,
    Till Earth and Sky stand presently at God's great Judgment Seat;
    But there is neither East nor West, Border, nor Breed, nor Birth,
    When two strong men stand face to face, though they come from the ends of the earth!