Scandinavian Heritage Festival

MAY 27 & 28, 2022

Ephraim City will welcome visitors to the annual Scandinavian Heritage Festival as it returns again for the 46th year on Memorial Weekend, Friday and Saturday, May 27-28. The festival will feature two full days of music, entertainment, crafts, arts, demonstrations, speakers, stories, food, vendors, sports, car show, tours and a parade.

Visitors from all around come to enjoy the traditional festivities. About 650,000 Utahns trace their ancestry to Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Iceland. Many of those living in Sanpete County are descended from 19th century Scandinavian converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

One of the best recommendations for visitors is to seek out the information booth located at 150 E. 100 North and pick up an event guide and map. The guides there will help to answer any questions about the festival. Visit the Scandinavian Festival’s website at scandinavianfestival.org for more information.

The activities will include the following events.

VIKING HISTORICAL RE-ENACTMENT GROUP

Come and enjoy a group of Norse and Celtic enthusiasts as they portray Scandinavian costumes, trades and art. These reenactors will host Viking games, show demonstrations of Scandinavian trades, tell stories and display interesting items for viewing. Visit them in the space just northwest of the Snow College Noyes Building.

OLDE SCANDINAVIAN CRAFTERS VILLAGE

Check out the Olde Scandinavian Crafters Village just west of the Snow College Noyes Building. There will be arts and crafts activities for kids as well as various traditional artisans demonstrating trades such as blacksmithing, woodworking, Swedish rug weaving, soap making and doll carving.

In addition, artists will be demonstrating bobbin lace making, tatting, harbinger, black work, crocheting, knitting and yarn spinning. Each year brings something new; come and find out what it is!

PIONEER REENACTMENTS

Pioneer Reenactments will show festival goers how the pioneers lived, worked and played starting at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 27. Come to Pioneer Park, 149 N. Main Street, for two days of reenactments that will give modern-day folks a glimpse into the pioneer way of life.

See how pioneers cooked historic Scandinavian recipes over an open fire, then stick around for demonstrations on period sewing and woodworking. Then listen to some good old-fashioned pioneer storytelling.

Beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 28, historical tours of the Hansen House and other pioneer cabins will be available.

The kids should have fun participating in pioneer children’s games and activities. The reenactments and demonstrations will be offered from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

HERITAGE CONFERENCE

The Scandinavian Festival Heritage Conference gives participants an opportunity to learn about Scandinavian and pioneer influences in the lives of early settlers in Ephraim and the Sanpete Valley. The presentations are particularly interesting for those with Scandinavian or other pioneer ancestors.

The conference will take place at the Snow College Huntsman Library (located near the northeast corner of 100 East and Center Street in Ephraim). Go to scandinavianfestival.org for more information.

QUILT EXPO

The Scandinavian Heritage Festival’s Quilt Expo will begin Friday, May 27. It is presented upstairs in the Ephraim Co-op Building, 96 N. Main Street, on Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The expo includes quilts from local artists, particularly quilts that exemplify Ephraim’s Scandinavian or pioneer heritage and Mormon pioneer handicraft as kept alive by today’s aficionados.

A patchwork of quilts is expected to be shown at the Scandinavian Festival Quilt Show, with types ranging from hand sewn to machine sewn, appliqued, pieced and perhaps even antique. Antique quilts that have been in a family for years are welcome as are quilts by young or first-time quilters and quilted projects other than blankets. Tied or kit quilts are not encouraged.

Local quilting groups may contribute quilts to the show, but others are encouraged to bring their works in as well. The show will be judged by the Ephraim City Scandinavian Festival Board. For more information, go to scandinavianfestival.org/quilt-show.

VARPA COMPETITION

OPEN PLAY OF SCANDINAVIAN-THEMED YARD GAMES

Beginning at noon on Friday and Saturday, festival attendees will have the opportunity to participate in traditional yard games played by many in the Scandinavian region. Games will be set up on the lawn north of the Snow College Noyes Building. Some of the games that will be offered are Varpa, Kubb, and Mölkky.

Instructions will be made available at each station informing everyone about how to play the game and the history behind each game. Participation in the games is free to the public.

Kids 12 years and younger will have the chance to compete in an outdoor game dating back to the Viking Age. Varpa (meaning to throw) requires strength and precision as participants toss rocks at a pole and attempt to land their rocks the closest. Many compare this game to horseshoes and bocce.

Participation in this competition is free. The competition will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday and noon on Saturday. Prizes will be given to the winner! Registration is free for this competition.

Farmers Floral & Gifts

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Carter’s Laundromat

30 East 100 North • Mt Pleasant • (435) 462-2226 or (435) 851-1339

Self-serve Large Capacity Washers & Dryers Open 7 days a week 7am - 8pm

MOVIE IN THE PARK

To close out the Friday festivities, the Scandinavian Festival will be hosting a Movie in the Park featuring “How to Train Your Dragon 2.” The Viking-themed animated feature will begin at 8:30 p.m. and all that attend the festival are invited to participate in the cinematic experience.

The movie will be held in the large green space between the Greenwood Student Center and the Snow College football field. Admission is free.

FUN RUNS

Saturday begins early with this year’s Viking races! Starting at 6:30 a.m., participants can register or get ready to run this year’s Copenhagen 1K. This event is for those who want to warm up before the bigger races or do a small race with the family. The 1K run will begin and end at the pavilion in the Ephraim Sports Park located at 210 E. 300 North.

Also at the park starting at 7 a.m., the Scandinavian Festival’s “Nordic 10K Run” will begin with the Run Like Lars 5K beginning shortly afterward at 7:30 a.m. To get into the Viking mood, each participant will be given their own “Viking beard” to wear as they storm to the finish line.

Each participant will be given a T-shirt at the finish line of each race. Participants will also be given the opportunity to take a picture with Lars the Viking at the end of each race.

Registration is currently open for each race. You can register online at https://ephraimcityrecreation. sportsites.com/player#Root10284b297-e303-46c38783-6a30911eda260.

VIKE ON A BIKE

Vike on a Bike, a mountain bike race for all experience levels, will begin Saturday morning before the festival’s parade. Participants will be able to select their course option based on the level of difficulty they would like to attempt. All participants in this race will receive a T-shirt commemorating their achievement. For more information, call Beverly Thomas at (435) 340-1052.

LIONS CLUB AEBLESKIVERS BREAKFAST

Start Saturday off with an appetizing breakfast hosted by the Lions Club. The annual Aebleskiver Breakfast will be served from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Ephraim City Senior Center, located at Pioneer Park at 149 N. Main. lights is the annual Saturday parade starting at 10 a.m. The parade route follows Main Street from 300 South to 300 North. The parade will provide an opportunity for attendees to reflect upon the Scandinavian heritage of this part of the country. Families, businesses, organizations, or, for that matter, anyone may enter the parade. All appropriate family friendly entries are welcome.

A Scandinavian theme is encouraged for each entry. There is no entry fee, but entries must pre-register online at scandinavianfestival.org/parade.

On the day of the parade, entries are required to check in at the corner of 300 South and 50 East and will line up on 300 South on the east side of Main Street starting at 9 a.m. For further information about the parade, send an email to parade@scandinavianfestival.org.

CAR SHOW

Take a walk down memory lane and view all the original vehicles at the Car Show on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. They will be parked at 100 East between Center and 100 North. Prizes will be given for each of the top divisions, with one grand prize given for Best of Show.

For more information or to register, visit scandinavianfestival.org/car-show.

SPILLINGSSKATTEN TREASURE HUNT

“Spillingsskatten,” or Spillings Hoard, the world’s largest Viking silver treasure ever discovered, was found in 1999. In Ephraim, they have hidden their own “Spillingsskatten,” and it is your job to find it! Look for a small brown wooden box hidden in plain sight at the festival on Saturday and return it to the information booth. A prize will be given to the one who returns the treasure.

The information booth will hand out its first clue at 11 a.m.

MÖLKKY COMPETITION

Join in on another Scandinavian yard game competition by signing up this year’s Mölkky. Festival attendees of all ages can register for free and compete to win a prize! This tournament begins at 1 p.m. on Saturday the 28th.

BEARD CONTEST

Do you think your beard compares to the beards of Eric Bloodaxe, Erik the Red or the great Viking Egil Skallagrimsson? Come show off your facial hair at the festival’s Beard Contest and be judged by a selected panel that includes Lars the Viking.

Judges will rate each beard on a rubric and the person with the highest-rated home-grown beard will be crowned the champion of this year’s beard contest.

WIFE CARRYING COMPETITION

Wife Carrying originated in Finland, and its history is based around “Ronkainen the Robber.” Ronkainen and his thieves were accused of stealing food and women from the surrounding villages. They then carried these women on their backs as they ran away. It’s also been said that the men would go to villages near their own to steal other men’s wives only to marry the women themselves.

It was rumored that Ronkainen trained his men to run with the weight of a woman by making them haul heavy rucksacks. Eventually, it evolved into a sport!

The Scandinavian Festival will be holding its own version of a wife carrying competition this year! Register to compete online at https://ephraimcityrecreation.sportsites.com/player#Root10284b297-e30346c3-8783-6a30911eda260 or on site Saturday, May 28. You must be 17 years or older to compete.

PICKLEBALL

The Scandinavian Days drop-in Pickleball Tournament will take place on Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Snow College tennis courts, 375 N. 200 East. Doubles partners will be chosen by a random draw and participants play until they lose. There’s no entry fee, but please sign up by 3:45 p.m. It’s doubles only, and players are responsible for making line calls and game regulations.

For more information, call Sharron Bird at (435) 340-0646 after 3 p.m. or Brad Bird at (435) 851-1240 or visit scandinavianfestival.org/athletic-events.

R to L - Queen Kallie Mellor, 1st Attendant Makazsha Harward, 2nd Attendant Elizabeth Allred, 3rd Attendant Matty Owen SPRING CITY PIONEER DAY CELEBRATION JULY 18-24, 2022

July 18-22 Itty Bitty Spring City Contest Spring City Trivia Contest July 20 Saga of Spring City/Announce Citizen of the Year/Ice Cream Social July 21 Children’s Baking Contest July 22 Street Dance July 23 7:00 - 9:00 am - Fireman’s Breakfast 7:00 am - 5K Run/Walk 10:00 am - Parade 11:30 - 1:30 pm- Park Party to include midway games, balloon art, face painting,infl atables 12:30 pm - Community Barbecue 12:30 - 1:30 pm - Liam Herbert Concert In The Park 12:30 pm- Corn Hole Tournament 1:30 pm - Announce Baking Contest Winners 2:00 pm - Coins In The Sand 7:00 pm - “Spring City’s Got Talent” Announce Winners of Itty Bitty Spring City and Spring City Trivia Contests July 24 7:00 pm - Old Time Gospel Music Revival

Visit Springcityarts.org for information about our new Spring City Arts Music Festival presenting FREE music in Spring City all summer, including the

Spring City Bluegrass and Folk Music Festival