Scandinavian American Cultural and Historical Foundation to host two-day event
The campus of California Lutheran University will once again be transformed into a microcosmic Scandinavia during the two-day Scandinavian Festival in spring 2007.
The festival, scheduled for Saturday, April 21, and Sunday, April 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., will include entertainment, food and celebrations that represent the cultures of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. The festival will also pay homage to the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
The colorful weekend of flags, anthems, Old World costumes and music includes special attractions such as a bustling Scandinavian Marketplace and a delicious array of Nordic delicacies like lefse and abelskivers.
Since the turn of the century, Scandinavian immigrants on the West Coast had a dream of starting an institution of higher learning in California. In 1959 that dream became reality when a Lutheran college was founded and the son of Norwegian pioneers, Richard Pederson, provided the land on which Cal Lutheran now thrives. The Scandinavian Festival has been a tradition at Cal Lutheran for more than 30 years: It celebrates the heritage of the college and the pioneers of the Conejo Valley and provides an opportunity for others to learn about the unique Scandinavian culture.
The event is sponsored by the Scandinavian American Cultural and Historical Foundation with support from California Lutheran University. For more information about the 2007 Scandinavian Festival, please call Dick Londgren at (805) 241-1051 or e-mail ScanCenter@callutheran.edu . A Web site dedicated to the Scandinavian heritage of the University is accessible at www.callutheran.edu/scanfest
