The 2012 Scandinavian Festival takes place on Saturday, November 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 114 Carlisle SE. The church is located just south of Central in Albuquerque's Nob Hill. Admission is free, and free parking is available.
The festival is much like the Greek Festival, with booths and tables set up with traditional arts and crafts. There will be jewelry, Swedish and Norwegian folk art, cards, cookbooks, Christmas ornaments, t-shirts and jewelry for sale. There will be freshly baked Scandinavian goods for sale, baked by members of the Scandinavian Club.
Women from the Scandinavian Club will dress in traditional ethnic costume and serve Old World cookies and coffee. There will also be a crafts corner for kids.
Rosemaling
There will be special Rosemaling crafts for sale. Rosemaling is Norwegian rose painting, a traditional folk art that came to America when Norwegian immigrants brought the tradition with them. In the United States, the art was applied to bowls, spoons, furniture and frequently to dowry chests and wooden trunks. Despite its decline as a decorative art in the 19th century, rosemaling began to flourish again in the late 20th century. Today, the art is once again taught and competitions take place, both which help keep this tradition alive.
Music and Dance
The best part of any ethnic festival is the music and dance. Dancers will perform in traditional Scandinavian costume. See them at 11 a.m., 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. Each performance will last about 20 minutes.
The Scandinavian Festival in Albuquerque is sponsored by the Rosemalers of New Mexico. Call 505-266-0094, for more information, or visit the Scandanavian Club of Albuquerque online.
