This is a quiet little festival. There is some shopping vendors, and food vendors. The main attraction is the native music and dance. The entertainers really worked hard and were quite lovely to watch. This area provided ample seating, shade and the sound system was pretty good. There are games, crafts and storytelling to introduce children to Scandinavian culture. There are food and craft displays that are geared more toward adults or older children. The campus was lovely and everyone was very friendly — even those rough and tumble vikings in the viking village were fun to be around!
David B.
Place rating: 5 Tujunga, CA
As a Norwegian-American from immigrants on my mothers side, this annual festival is a chance for me to reconnect with a culture both familiar and far away. Not being in contact with this culture on a daily basis, I have the urge to immerse myself in it when the opportunity arises, whether at the Lutefisk festival at the Sons of Norway or this Scandinavian Festival that I have been coming to this annually for almost 20 years now. There are lots of things to do or learn about and the campus setting is very park like and relaxing. A very pleasant and interesting day can be spent here. The foods, crafts, activities, costumes and spirit of the weekend refresh and center me in my cultural roots, and gives me the chance to talk to and share these common cultural experiences with my own blood. Americans all come from somewhere else, and regardless of ones heritage, we all need to seek out where we came from and enjoy what that means. I highly recommend it to anyone of Scandinavian heritage, whether Dane, Swede, Finn, Icelandic, Sami or Norsk. I also recommend it to those who are of other heritage and would like to learn about this old but deep culture-Scandinavians are much more than just Vikings, you know!
J W.
Place rating: 3 Alhambra, CA
It’s really a small festival but spread out all over campus. There are lots of demonstrations booths. This time they had a Potato Lefsse, Norse fighting, country living, games for children, dances, performances, and arts and crafts demonstrations. Food: Aebleskiver, funnel cake, Italian ice, Swedish meatballs, potatoes, Danish sausages, waffles, pancakes, lefse, and lingonberry juice, There are vendors selling Scandinavian crafts. Some are hand made by the vendor others are imported. Overall good experience. $ 7 admission this year(2011).