Dala horses, delicious dinners, and Swedish pancakes are all waiting for you this weekend at the 53rd Annual Kingsburg Swedish Festival. It’s four days of fun with a lot of Scandinavian flair.
If you like small towns, Swedish culture or pancakes, you won’t want to miss it! The excitement kicks off Thursday, May 17, at 5 p.m. and continues through Saturday, May 19.
Kingsburg might be a small town, but it packs a powerful punch when it comes to festivals. With so many activities to choose from, it can seem daunting at first, but if you’re pressed for time, the main events are held on Saturday. However, you can head downtown to Draper Street tonight to sample a Pea Soup and Pancake Dinner and watch the Swedish Festival Queen coronation. Or, you can make Friday’s dinner a Smörgåsbord dining experience in Coffee Pot Park. Or do both!
The festival is a place where people come together, with a heavy emphasis on Swedish pancakes. Lisa Regier is a lifelong Kingsburg resident and her family looks forward to the festival every year, especially running in the Dala Horse Trot. She says, “It’s a great time for us to spend time together. The kids are excited for the yummy Swedish pancakes when they finish the race. We have done it every year since they were little and they really look forward to it!”
The Dala Horse Trot begins at 7 a.m. Saturday in downtown Kingsburg and includes a 10K and a 2-mile run. Even if you’re not a runner in the race, you can grab breakfast from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. in the Downtown Park Pavilion. For $7 you can get pancakes, peaches, sausages, and drinks. I am not a runner, but the menu makes me want to race over there myself. Late registration for the Dala Horse Trot is available at the Chamber Office Friday from 5-7 p.m.
Kingsburg is known for its quaint shops and boutiques and there will be plenty of vendors at the Festival. Perhaps you’ll be tempted by some Dala horse-shaped gummy candies, or maybe you’ll grab some delicious Kingsburg Honey. Either way, it’s a great way to shop local.
Even if Swedish pancakes aren’t your thing (of course they are), you can still have a ton of fun. There are events all day Saturday, including a mobile skate park, hambo dance demonstrations, the raising of the maypole, and even Swedish dance lessons. At 10:30 a.m. on Saturday you can check out the Grand Parade on Draper Street, which is filled with firetrucks, traditional Scandinavian dress, and small town fun.
To sum it up? Music, pancakes, dancing, more pancakes, races, parades, vendors, pancakes, entertainers, and history are all present at the Kingsburg Swedish Festival. So grab a vän (that’s Swedish for “friend” but you’re welcome to drive a van there as well), and head over to Kingsburg this weekend. It’s Scandinavian fun for everyone!
For a complete list of activities and times, follow the festival on Facebook here. To learn more about Kingsburg’s Swedish heritage, check out my post about the Kingsburg Historical Museum here.
Here’s hoping your weekend plans feature some Swedish fun (and pancakes).
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