Crowning of royalty moved to Evangelical Free Church
The Swedish Festival festivities moved over to the Evangelical Free Church because of rain. PCN photo by Rick Holtz-
"Overall Buddies" performed with the help of local dancers Friday evening at the Swedish Festival. The performance was cut short by a few minutes because of the heavy rain. PCN photo by Rick Holtz
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Sherri Georges serves up a delicious slice of cake during the Taste of Sweden on Friday at the Swedish Festival. Taste of Sweden returns to the Viking Center on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. PCN photo by Rick Holtz
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What a difference a few hours make. There was hardly a storm cloud in the sky when the Swedish Festival opened on Friday. A few hours later heavy rain moved through the area, forcing the festivities to move inside to a secondary location. PCN photo by Rick Holtz
STROMSBURG — Not even rain can dampen their spirits.
The 71st annual Swedish Festival came to a grinding halt Friday evening as heavy rains moved through Polk County. After about an hour delay the event moved over to the Evangelical Free Church before resuming with the crowning of Swedish Royalty and the naming of the Super Swede and Honorary Swede.
The Swedish Dancing, a long-standing tradition of local children performing dances, was canceled because of the rain. The young performers will be back out at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
It was not the first time rain has cause a Swedish Festival disturbance. Jack Anderson remembered one year where heavy rain forced festival-goers to move over to the old Stromsburg High School.
"You just hate to see this," he said.
Festival coordinator Sharon Noyd said that even when festivities move, they do not spill the beans on the announcements.
"The families get them there," she said.
Noyd remembered when the crowning of royalty was moved to the high school in 2013. When it was time to crown Roni Branting queen, she was nowhere to be found.
"We searched everywhere for her," Noyd said. "When we finally found her she was in the grocery story cleaning toilets."
The Swedish Festival will resume Saturday morning with Swedish Pancakes being served at the Salem Lutheran Church at 7 a.m. and a breakfast buffet at Corner Cafe from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The 5K/10K/1 mile is set to start at 8 a.m. Taste of Swede will resume in the Viking Center at 8 a.m. The 3-on-3 basketball tournament will tip off at 8:30 a.m. and the horseshoe tournament will start at 9 a.m.
