ScanFest '09!

After a few years of busy schedules and missed opportunities, my mom and I were able to attend ScanFest '09 last month. Located in Budd Lake, New Jersey, ScanFest, short for Scandinavian Festival, celebrates the heritage of Americans whose roots reach back into the Northern region of Europe, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland. My mom, like many who share similar roots, has a light complexion, (fish-belly white as she calls it), lots of freckles and green eyes. Since I have my dad's darker Sicilian looks, I've felt a strong urge to keep in touch with the side of me that's essentially under the surface, which is why I was happy to venture out into the woods of New Jersey in search of this festival.

When we first walked in we were given stickers with our nation's flag on it. We had prepaid online for a reduced rate, but tickets at the gate were 14.00$. Although, many of the festival-goers were decked out in traditional garb, which landed them free admission to the day's festivities. The festival had a large variety of tents set up with jewelry, embroidered bags, shirts, sweatshirts, dresses, books, glassware, pins, figurines, paintings, all for sale and all with ties to a particular Scandinavian country. Some of the items were handmade and some were imported. The most traditional pieces, including a painted, wooden, Swedish horse varied in price from a few bucks to hundreds of dollars depending on where the piece originated from and whether or not it was handcrafted. After much deliberation I purchased a white T-shirt with a wonderfully robust viking head printed on it as a souvenir. I also picked up a miniature viking carved out of wood for a friend. My mom found some trinkets for herself and before we knew it, we were starving. Food vendors cooked traditional meals mixed in with staple choices, such as Icelandic crepes, kettle corn, Swedish coffee bread, Danish pastries, sausages, and more. I stuck with a veggie burger and sweet potato fries, but my mom had a meal that her mom used to make for her: Swedish meatballs with lingonberries and crackers.

After lunch we browsed the aisles some more and also visited the Artisans section where artisans from all over set up instructional booths and taught traditional skills, such as Scandinavian woodcarving, paper-cutting, and weaving-a skill my mom had mastered in college. There is something about connecting with customs that go back hundreds of years that felt fresh and enjoyable, and at the very least, they were quite entertaining to observe. At the end of our day we bought some delicious ice cream and watched the live band. Many of the festival goers danced with their partners or friends with moves I had never learned. But my mom had learned the dances when she was younger and being there allowed me to hear more of her memories and reminisce about a culture she was more familiar with. Going to a festival like this is a first step in enjoying a part of your past and making it feel not so far away.

If you are interested in connecting with any piece of your heritage, I recommend doing a quick online search to find events or festivals near you because you may be surprised at what events your community holds each year. As far as ScanFest goes, you can find more information by visiting http://scanfest.org/