The Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival hosts Sankta Lucia, an annual Nordic community celebration to kick off the Christmas holiday season. This festival introduces the 2025 Festival Court to the community, includes the singing of Christmas carols, and the traditional Sankta Lucia Procession of Light.

After the program in the auditorium, there are snacks, live music, and dancing around the Christmas tree.

This is a nice way to start the Christmas holidays, with friends, family, and neighbors from all of our local Nordic societies.

Admission is $1 per person, or $5 for a whole family, and all proceeds go to support the Scandinavian Festival Scholarship Fund which awards scholarships for high school seniors. Parking is free at the Astoria High School parking lot.

To raise awareness for Midsummer Festival taking place the following weekend, Lower Columbia Nordic Lodge members from all the lodges (Danes, Finns, Norwegians, and Swedes) will gather between 16th and 17th Streets in front of the Columbia River Maritime Museum to wave flags, display traditional costumes, and generally show off their Nordic spirit.

The event starts at noon and lasts for about an hour. Honk if you love your Nordic neighbors!

To celebrate the 1st Anniversary of the Astoria Nordic Heritage Park, a special flag-raising ceremony will be held at the park immediately following the 4th Annual Drive-by Optog.

Flags from the United States of America and all the Nordic countries will be raised, the Viking Nordic Dancers will perform, and short speeches will be followed by refreshments.

This accessible-friendly park is an absolute gem - if you have not visited it before, then come to enjoy the Nordic-themed artwork, interpretive materials, relaxing atmosphere, and river view. If you have visiting the park before, then please return and say hello again to the garden trolls and your Nordic friends and neighbours who will be attending this event.

To raise awareness of Nordic heritage and culture in Astoria, and to shamelessly advertise our own most awesome Danish Booth at the upcoming Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival, we will be participating in the 4th Annual Stationary Optog. “Optog” means “parade” in Danish, but in this case we flip the script on a traditional parade - instead of us parading in the streets and spectators lining the sidewalk as we go by, we stand on the sidewalk and the spectators in cars drive by us on the street.

Danish Society members will hold and wave Danish flags and be encouraged to show their Danish pride in by wearing Danish-themed clothing or costumes. Members of all the other Nordic Lodgest from the Lower Columbia area will also participate - Finns, Norwegians, Swedes, and Icelanders. Dress for whatever weather Astoria chooses to have that weekend!!!

Assemble between 16th and 17th Streets on Marine Drive (in front of the Columbia River Maritime Museum)..

PARKING: please park somewhere above Commercial or Duane Streets on the side roads; we are asking people to avoid parking in the Museum parking lot, because we’d like to ensure the Museum has parking for its own visitors and continues to support the Optog in the future.

The Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Association and our local Nordic Community kick off the Christmas season by celebrating together the Festival of Sankta Lucia (Saint Lucy). This is a fun, laid back, family-friendly event that offers a balm for the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

There is music, dancing, and of course the traditional Lucia Procession of Light. Light snacks, live music, and dancing will be hosted after the evening program in the auditorium.

Come join us to sing Christmas carols together and enjoy season’s greetings with family, friends, and neighbors.

• Event begins at 7 pm, Friday 25 November 2022 in the Astoria High School auditorium.

• Admission is $1 per person or $5 per family, with all proceeds going to the Scandinavian Festival Scholarship Fund

If you are looking for something fun to do with your kids or grandkids or your own inner child, then pre-register to join the Finns for a fun morning creating adorable keepsake decorations with a Finnish theme. Members of Suomi Hall will assist anyone with crafting who needs it - all ages are welcome!

• Cost is $10.00 per person

• All materials are provided

• SPACE IS LIMITED - pre-register by calling/texting 503-791-7805 OR send an email to kvancleave53@gmail.com

Acclaimed Finnish singer-songwriter Eeppi Ursin will be performing in Astoria at the Charlene Larsen Center for the Performing Arts. Her newest album, Speechless, is a luscious combination of pop, soul, and singer-songwriter traditions with empowering vocals. This concert is being sponsored by the Finlandia Foundation - Astoria Chapter.

• Tickets are $15 per person

Support the performing arts AND our local Nordic community by attending this special concert!

For more information about the artist see eeppiursin.com

Hungry Danes like good Nordic foods, and this year the Astoria Finns are once again holding there Laksloda Luncheon in person!

Please support our local Nordic community by enjoying lunch with the Finns.

• Lunch includes: laksloda (salmon and potato casserole), Finnish bread, pickled beets, vegetables, and apple crisp for dessert. Coffee and water available.

• $20 adults, $10 for kids 12 and under

• Door open 11:15 am, meals served 11:30 am - 1:30 pm

• Elevator available from lower entrance next to M&N Workwear

• Suomi Hall 244 West Marine Dr. Astoria, Or. 97103

• Majority of parking is out back on river side of building.

The official Dedication of the new Astoria Nordic Heritage Park will take place Friday June 17th immediately preceding the opening of the Astorian Scandinavian Midsummer Festival.

Music and entertainment start at 10 AM. The short ceremony begins at 10:30 AM and will include dancers in Nordic folk wear costumes, lur call, flags and anthems, a few speakers, and a ceremony where ASHA gifts the park to the City of Astoria and the community.

PARKING: Please park south of Marine Drive and leave the Columbia River Maritime Museum parking lot available for their guests. Carpooling is recommended. There will be a drop off zone on Marine Drive adjacent to the park. There will be bleacher seating and 300 chairs will be set up next to the Riverwalk. First come, first served.

Support our local Nordic community groups and our cultural heritage by making time to join this important community event.

PLEASE NOTE THE CORRECTION TO THE TIME - THIS EVENT BEGINS AT 11 AM

To increase awareness of Nordic Culture and advertise the upcoming Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival, the Festival Committee is sponsoring a 3rd Annual Stationary Optog on Saturday, June 11th (the weekend before Festival).

All the Nordic Lodges from Astoria will be out with their flags and traditional costumes to wave and greet drivers on Marine Drive, between 16th and 17th Streets in Astoria (just in front of our own most excellent Columbia River Maritime Museum).

Being Astorians, people will show rain or shine, so please support our Nordic communities by joining in or honking enthusiastically as you drive by on Saturday.

PARKING FOR PARTICIPANTS: please park up on Duane or Commercial streets, and please avoid parking in the Maritime Museum lot - the Museum has been supportive of this event, but we need to keep the Museum lot open for their visitors.

The Finnish Brotherhood will again be taking orders for home-made joulutorttu (star-shaped Christmas prune tarts), a traditional Nordic pastry for the holidays. You can bake and eat them right away, or freeze them and eat them later.

• $20 per dozen, frozen and ready to bake

• Place order by calling 503-440-9002

• Last day to order is 08 December

• Pick up will be on 10 December and 11 December from 10 am - 2 pm behind Suomi Hall, 244 West Marine Drive, Astoria, OR 97103

The Finnish Brotherhood will again be taking orders for home-made joulutorttu (star-shaped Christmas prune tarts), a traditional Nordic pastry for the holidays. You can bake and eat them right away, or freeze them and eat them later.

• $20 per dozen, frozen and ready to bake

• Place order by calling 503-440-9002

• Last day to order is 08 December

• Pick up will be on 10 December and 11 December from 10 am - 2 pm behind Suomi Hall, 244 West Marine Drive, Astoria, OR 97103

Astoria’s Nordic community will hold Sankta Lucia celebrations on Friday evening 26 November at the Astoria High School Auditorium.

• Take some time away from hectic holiday activity to celebrate with Astoria’s Nordic community while enjoying music, dancing, Christmas carols, the presentation of the Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Court, and the Procession of Light

• Admission is $1 per person, or $5 per family - all proceeds go to the Scandinavian Festival Scholarship Fund

• Please be COVID safe - stay healthy, mask up, and protect yourself and others by getting vaccinated.

See the Festival website for updates and more information.

The Finnish Brotherhood Auxiliary will be serving up traditional laksloda (potato and smoked salmon casserole) on Saturday, October 16th from 11 am to 2:00 pm.

The annual Fall event will be a “to go” event again this year. Preorder by calling 503 440-9002 by October 14th, then pick up your lunch by driving behind Suomi Hall on October 16th and your meal will be delivered to you vehicle.

Meal includes laksloda, green beans, beets, freshly baked bread and apple crisp for $15.00.

Suomi Hall is located at 244 W. Marine Drive, Astoria, OR 97103

Hungry Danes heartily recommend stopping by for a nice hot lunch!

They are only going to sell 150 of the lunches, so call early or you might miss out!!!!

Carrying on their longstanding Midsummer tradition, the auxiliary of the Finnish Lodge is offering drive thru/pick up creamed rice and fruit soup (riisipuuro ja hedelmakeitto).

Place your order by calling a friendly voice at 503-440-9002 by June 17 2021. Price is $15 per quart.

Pick up your order by driving behind the hall at 244 West Marine Drive in Astoria on Saturday, June 19 sometime between 11 am and 3 pm. No need to get out of your car--the Finns will hand you your order in exchange for $15 in cash.

Kiitos!

Unfortunately the Astoria Nordic Community’s annual Santa Lucia celebration, which traditionally kicks off the holiday season on the Friday evening after American Thanksgiving, is cancelled for 2020.

However, we are hopeful that will will be able to gather together again in 2021, so please keep an eye on this calendar for updates!

We miss everyone and are thinking of you at this special time of year.