Välkommen to the Centennial Svenskarnas Dag (Swedes Day) at Good Templar Park, the oldest ethnic festival in Illinois. This year marks are 100th year in Good Templar Park. Enjoy the video!

*Please note: There are no rides on the Icelandic horse. However, pony rides will be available as part of the children activities.

We are celebrating 100 years of Svenskarnas Dag (Swedish Day) at Good Templar park. The first event was held on Sunday, June 25, 1911 at Linden Park in Evanston.  The next year, 1912, it was held on Sunday the 23rd of June at Riesig Grove in Riverside. Then in 1913, Swedish Day was held at Ravinia Park for the next 11 years through 1924 when the organization decided to purchase their own property.  We acquired our current location and have celebrated Swedish Day annually every third Sunday in June since 1925 here at Good Templar Park in Geneva.

Svenskarnas Dag (Swedish Day) has provided an opportunity for the numerous Scandinavian immigrants to enjoy the traditional celebration of Midsommar. This annual celebration family festival at Good Templar Park is open to the public and attended by people of all nationalities, this festival still focuses on the Scandinavian celebration of Midsommar, the longest day of the year.

There is an entrance fee is $7 per person at the main gate, free attendance for children 12 and under, active military, and those in traditional Scandinavian costume.

Svenskarnas Dag (Swedish Day) Events

9:00am Gates open

Food Swedish Pancake meals served (extra cost)

Vendor Village An assortment of Nordic crafts available for purchase

10:00am Worship Service Music accompaniment: Holmstad Covenant Senior Living Voice Choir,

Children’s Activities: Bounce House, Pony Rides, Visit Icelandic Pony “Blue”, Crafts (Viking Shields, Flower Hair Bands, Dala Horse.)

Food Meatball and Herring (fried sill) dinners served (extra cost)

Museum: Visit the Park’s Museum to see memorabilia of Svenskarnas Day (Swedish Day) and Good Templar Park

Cottage Tours: Tour three cottages which features more than 50 Swedish style “Stugas” in the Park’s private campground. These cottages are actively used as summer residences for park members. Extra cost $5 per person

Viking Ship Tours: Visit the authentic Nordic Viking Ship, modeled after the Gokstad and built in 1892 to sail across the Atlantic, and featured at the 1893 Columbian Exhibition World’s Fair in Chicago. See the accompanying a Viking encampment, and learn what it was like to be an actual Viking. Extra cost $7 per person

11:00am Bill Robinson & Friends (Bill Robinson - Hammered Dulcimer; Mike Gleeson - Fiddle; Sue Gleason - Bass; Greg Ferdson - Guitar)

Food “Swedish” Hotdogs, Sloppy Joes and PG&J sandwiches served (extra cost)

11:45 Maypole Raising and traditional Swedish Dances

12:30pm Presentation of Colors & US National Anthem & Swedish National Anthem

12:45pm Swedish American Children’s Choir

1:30pm Nordic Folk Dancers

2:15pm Viking Reenactors

3:00pm Dancing Queen - ABBA Salute

4:30pm Festival ends

Traditional Scandinavian Meals

(food available while supplies last for extra cost)

Swedish Pancakes (Pannkakor) Meal:

**Pork Sausage available at additional cost.

Swedish Meatball (Kottbullar) Meal:

Fried Herring (Sill) Meal: .

For your Sweet Tooth (Gottegris). Bakery Items & Treats from Iversen's Bakery

Cardamon Coffee Bread (Kardemummabrod)

Almond Tart (Mazariner)

Ice cold Lingonberry Lemonade. A refreshing thirst quenching treat.
16oz cup of Pink Lemonade mixed with Lingonberry syrup on ice