This is the 18th year for the festival that occurs in Bond Park at the intersection of Elkhorn Avenue (Estes Park's main street) and MacGregor Avenue in the middle of downtown Estes Park. Saturday, June 26 the festival takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, June 27, the festival opens with a 10 a.m. church service followed by activities until 4 p.m. There is no admission to enjoy the festival.
The event opens on Saturday morning with raising the Maypole followed by entertainment that runs continually throughout the day. Featured are various folk dance groups and live Scandinavian music performances. Sunday's events continue with more dance lessons, music performances and Viking demonstrations. There is always a chance to join in and dance along.
Among the performers are Muggy's Uff Da Band, upbeat musicians from Albuquerque who play immigrant music; Decorah Nordic Dancers, a group of ninth grade dancers from Decorah, Iowa and the Norwegian Society of Texas Leikarringen who promote Norwegian heritage through music and dance. Other performers are the Fjellborg Vikings, Foresman Family who teach traditional Scandinavian dances, Ron Tomocik of Denver who specializes in Icelandic music, and Lindsborg Swedish Folkdanslag.
Fjellborg Vikings present a Viking tent village with demonstrations of various skills including Icelandic lace knitting and carding/spinning. For children there will be hands-on spinning and felting. For adults there will be workshops on Swedish weaving (called Huck Embroidery), traditional Norwegian knitting and Hardangar and Bondesøm embroidery. Throughout the event, the warriors will be giving demonstrations of live combat using sword, axe, spear and shield.
For information about the festival, call 303-449-9596 or visit www.estesmidsummer.com
