This weekend, the third and fourth floors of Smith will be transformed into a Scandinavian holiday wonderland complete with music, dancing, food and shopping.
This is the 22nd year that the 800-member Portland-based Scandinavian Heritage Foundation has organized ScanFair, an event that funds Norse language, history and literature classes at Portland State.
”This has been a tradition for years and years,” said Scott Burns, a board member of the foundation and Portland State geology professor. “Since we here at PSU are the Vikings, it fits right in with our mascot. There is a huge population in Portland with Scandinavian heritage, and we are one of few universities offering Swedish, Finnish, Danish and the Norwegian language.”
Organizers are hoping that students, especially, will take a break from their studying to see what the festival has to offer.
”The dorms are close by, and with so many students living on campus, it would be a great way to take a little time off and enjoy the music, food, and some warm hospitality,” Burns said.
The affair is expected to draw between three and four thousand people and will be held Saturday and Sunday, with a traditional dance and lessons on Saturday night. Traditional Scandinavian musicians and dancers will come from Oregon and Washington to entertain the guests.
The event costs $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and students, $3 for children six to 12 years old and is free for children under the age of five. It will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, with the ScanFair Dance from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday.
Jewelry, artisan-quality sweaters from Norway, dolls and embroidery will be among the arts and crafts available for sale.
”The part that I think is the most exciting is seeing all the Swedish Christmas decorations that are so different from the ones we have here in America,” said Elizabeth Mendenhall, who has been participating in the festival since its beginning back in 1984. “The Swedish decorate with hearts almost like Valentine’s day, using straw and candles–for me it’s so nostalgic.”
This year Mendenhall will be working with the League of Swedish Societies to make three of the typical Scandinavian dishes available this weekend. Her group is making yellow pea soup, which is customarily served on Thursdays throughout Scandinavia, as well as rice pudding and fruit soup.
Also available will be Danish aebleskiver, an apple pancake ball, Norwegian lefse (similar to a crepe) and krumkake, a cookie pressed on a waffle iron. Vorm korv can be found as well–a long hot dog served with Swedish mustard–one of the only things the Swedish eat as street food, Mendenhall said.
Children are encouraged to come, and a special Pippi Longstocking room will be ready to keep them entertained with crafts to make and a Christmas tree to decorate.
At 12 p.m. on Saturday the pickled herring-eating contest will be held to determine who can eat an 8-ounce jar of the fish the quickest. Entrants must be 21 years old because the prize is a bottle of locally produced Medoyeff Aquavit, an anise-flavored schnapps made in all Scandinavian countries.
Recipe:
Can’t make the festival? Try a taste of the cold north with this recipe in your own kitchen
These two will be served together at the festival, the sweet tart fruit paired with the creamy rice pudding.
Rice Pudding
¾ cup rice
1 ¼ cup water
2-3 cups milk
2-3 tablespoon sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup whipping cream, whipped
In a saucepan, mix rice and water. Cook slowly until water is dissolved. Add smaller amount of milk, sugar, cinnamon stick and butter and continue cooking until rice is very soft. Add more milk as needed. When rice is done and milk is absorbed, stir in the vanilla. Cool in fridge. Fold in whipped cream before serving.
Fruit Soup
8 oz. mixed dried fruits (cranberries, apricots, pears, apples). Trader Joe’s has a wide selection
6 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons water
Cut fruit into small pieces. Mix fruit and water in saucepan and let sit for a few hours. Add cinnamon stick and sugar and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and cook slowly until fruit is soft. Dissolve cornstarch in cold water, add to soup while cooking. Boil for a few minutes and remove from heat. Cool.