Advice from the Skandia Midsommarfest Guru

Got a question for the Guru? Send it to guru@skandia-folkdance.org by 5 June, and watch for a response in the next newsletter or this website.

Dear Glad Midsommar Guru,
I know Midsommarfest is happening this year and it’s still free, with funding primarily from donations. What’s going to happen next year, when State Parks starts charging $10 a day for parking for those who don’t buy a $30/year pass?

Thinking of the future

Dear Future Thinker,
You aren’t the only one who is concerned about this. With potential fee increases for use of the park and dedicated volunteers becoming less able to do the things they’ve done in the past, there will be a thoughtful re-evaluation of the future of Skandia’s Midsommarfest following this year’s event. As part of gathering information for future decision making, interviewers will be roaming the festival grounds asking questions and collecting feedback. If you aren’t able to attend this year’s festival and want your views included in the re-evaluation, please send an email to the Guru@skandia-folkdance.org or call the
Skandia Hotline at (206) 784-7470.

Hey Guru,
This is the first time I’m going to be able to volunteer for set up on Saturday. Will Skandia be providing food or should I bring my own?

Hates to go hungry

Dear Hates to go hungry,
Glad you’re able to volunteer! Thank you! I wish I could say that Skandia would be providing food, but unfortunately, that would add another layer of work and require more volunteers. Instead, it’s best if you bring your own food and beverages for during the day. By the way, it can also be a good idea to bring sunscreen and gloves, depending on what you might be doing.

When the work is done, Jim and Jane Peterson will again be hosting a barbecue for volunteers (potluck side dishes and desserts are welcome). They also have space for changing clothes to get ready for the Saturday evening dance at the park for volunteers.

Speaking of the dance, it’s from 7:30–9:30—a time when the mosquitoes sometimes act as if we came to the park just for their benefit—so you may want to bring some mosquito repellent, too.


Dear Guru,
What happened to the coffee vendor last year? Will he be back?

Caffeine aficionado

Dear Caffeine aficionado,
Unfortunately, he has not responded. Brian Nelson, our esteemed vendor coordinator, tried to find a replacement without success. Sooooo…our primary food vendor, As You Like It, has been forewarned, so they can make sure to have coffee available—even though it won’t be the espresso we’ve had in the past.

Hey Guru,
Where have you been? Why couldn’t I find your column in the last newsletter? Have you exhausted your supply of “made up” questions?

Disappointed Reader

Dear Disappointed Reader,
So sorry to disappoint you, but what a delight to know that my column was missed! Believe it or not, there were no questions to answer. There has never been a supply of “made up” questions, because all of the questions that have been asked in this column are real questions asked by real folks. In the past, when there were lots of questions, some were grouped together into one when several people asked about the same subject. Given the lack of questions recently, the Guru was wondering if perhaps there just weren’t any new questions to be asked or whether people were going to Skandia’s Midsommarfest Web site to find answers to questions that had already been asked.

Please, if you have a question, or have heard others wondering about something having to do with Midsommarfest, email the question to guru@skandia-folkdance.org or call and leave it on the Skandia Hotline, (206) 784-7470. Questions that arrive before 5 June will be answered in the newsletter that comes out just prior to Midsommarfest.

Dear Midsommar Guru,
I keep hearing rumors that we’re going to have to pay $10/car for parking this year. I’m afraid that will really discourage people from coming. Is it true?

Rumor checker

Dear Rumor checker,
It’s not true. I’m so glad you asked! This is a rumor that we must put to sleep. Parking will be free again this year for participants and guests. Please help spread the word that there is no parking fee this year. It would be sad if people stayed away because of a false rumor. At the same time, we continue to encourage folks to carpool to make sure we don’t run out of space.

Dear Glad Midsommar Guru,
I, for one, appreciate having the performer hospitality tent behind the stage. Knowing how tight the funding is, would it be okay to bring snacks or goodies for the hospitality area?

Hospitality aficionado

Dear Hospitality aficionado,
Ernie Pi is the one who always makes sure there is some form of performer hospitality, and I’m sure he (and other hospitality aficionados) would be delighted if you brought something to share. You may recall that this is one of the areas that was reduced considerably a few years ago in the
interest of simplifying the work to make it more fun for everyone.

Dear Guru,
I haven’t been to Midsommarfest for a long time because I got burned out with all the work involved--putting up the stages on Saturday and taking them down on Sunday. I even remember times when people were still putting up canopies during the Saturday evening dance. I’m told it’s not as much work these days. Is that true?

Burned-out volunteer

Dear Burned-out volunteer,
It’s true! There is work for 10-12 volunteers to haul the stage materials to the park on Saturday, June 4th. However, the City of Kenmore puts the stage up and uses it for their concerts after Midsommarfest. They take it down again around Labor Day and our volunteers haul it out of the park on the second or third weekend in September. Your question also refers to stage(s) plural and we’re only using the one main stage these days to simplify the work. As to putting up the canopies, a new color coding system along with the event map have significantly simplified that project as well. By the time a couple of “canopy set up” volunteers arrived early afternoon last year, the work was almost finished.

We’ve been trying very hard to spread the wealth (a.k.a. work) around to reduce burn out. Do join us this year and see the difference for yourself!

Dear Glad Midsommar Guru,
With all of the state budget cuts in the news, will we be able to have Midsommarfest at Saint Edward State Park again this year? And, if we do, will we have to pay exorbitant parking fees?

Worried about the money


Dear Worried,
Feel free to spend your worries on other matters. The park is open and we will be celebrating Skandia’s Midsommarfest there on Sunday, 26 June. Also, because our event happens before the end of the state’s fiscal year, there are no additional parking fees.


Hey Guru!
Are we ever going to be able to stop hauling the stage in and out of the park?

Tired hauler

Dear Tired,
Trust me, you’re not the only one who’s tired of hauling the stage! We’re actively pursuing a project of locating a suitable modular stage to purchase that can be donated to Saint Edward State Park. This stage would then be stored at the park and constructed/deconstructed as needed. Preliminary cost estimates are in the range of $25,000–$30,000. Because that’s more than Skandia can fund alone, we’re seeking contributions from other stage users, such as Brewfest and the City of Kenmore, as well as possible grants. In addition to saving volunteer time and back muscles, donating a modular stage would also benefit Skandia in the form of reduced fees for future festivals.

In the meantime, your help will be most appreciated once again this year—unless we pull off a miracle and get it done in time for this year’s festival. The move-in date is Saturday, 5 June, and the move-out date will be either 10 or 17 September, depending on when the most volunteers can be available. There are lots of ways to let us know you’re available and willing to help: send an email to volunteer@skandia-folkdance.org; sign up on the Web site, https://sites.google.com/site/skandiamsfplanning/contact; or talk with Elaine Everitt when you see her at a Skandia event.

Dear Guru,
What’s this I hear about tracking something called “in-kind”? It just sounds like unnecessary paperwork to me. What is it and what difference does it make whether Skandia keeps track of it or not?

Questioning

Dear Questioning,
“In-kind” contributions are non-monetary donations of things such as services (e.g., printing, storage, graphic design), materials (e.g., flowers, lumber), and supplies (e.g., paper, First Aid items). The Midsommarfest budget has benefited from a variety of in-kind contributions over the years and historically, it wasn’t so important to track. What’s different now is that we’re seeking grant money to supplement our regular sources of Midsommarfest revenue (vendors, flower crowns, buttons, and individual contributions). Most grantors these days want to see evidence that they are not the only source of funds, as they consider where to give their money. Skandia is in the early stages of determining what we need to track and how to record it properly.

Excerpts from previous year's questions:

Hey Guru,
Are you making up these questions? Or, did real people actually ask them?


—Questioning the Questions


Dear Questioning,
Believe it or not, real people asked them. However, only a few came in by email to the guru@skandia-folkdance.org. Typically, the questions are expressed by members at various Skandia events—classes, dances, committee meetings—and they get reported to the Guru so they can be answered for everyone in the newsletter. Soon (if not already) it will be even easier for anyone to ask a question right on the Skandia Web site. Few questions were reported this past month, so the Guru is providing excerpts from previous columns where the questions and answers still apply.


Dear Guru,
I think I’m going to be in town this year so I’ll be available to help out. Where do you need volunteers?


—Willing Volunteer


Dear Willing Volunteer,
Thanks for asking! Midsommarfest happens thanks to the efforts of many volunteers. This year, the list of volunteer tasks is online (or should be by the time this gets published). All you have to do is go to the Skandia Web site and click on the Midsommarfest Volunteer link. If you don’t have Internet access, call Elaine Everitt at (425) 482-1121 or (206) 915-9606. She’ll be delighted to hear from you!



Dear Glad Midsommar Guru,
It’s great to know that admission will be free this year—and that you’ll be accepting donations to cover the expenses. One thing I’m not clear about is the parking. Will we still have to pay for parking? How much? Is the park going to require us to park in the lots? What’s the story?


—Concerned About Parking


Dear Concerned,
Yes, parking is free. It will be on the grass again this year, so it’s close to the festival grounds. Plus, the ball field will be available for overflow parking. In the interest of making best use of the available parking (and reducing the impact on the grass), the Guru encourages carpooling where possible.


Dear Glad Midsommar Guru,
Do you have to belong to a dance group to be part of the parade for the pole-raising ceremony? I have a Nordic-looking costume that I’ve thought about wearing to Midsommarfest if it meant I could be in the parade.


—Wants to Be in the Parade


Dear Wants to Parade,
Part of the fun of Midsommarfest is wearing and seeing all the colorful costumes. By all means, wear your ethnic costume! While many of the performers wear costumes that represent specific countries or regions, others wear Nordic-looking costumes that are sometimes referred to as “Ballard Bunads.” Just stop by the Skandia booth and ask where to go to line up for the parade. This year, costumed folks who aren’t in a specific group will have a space near the front, because we believe the more costumes, the better!


Hey Guru,
I’m planning to wear my costume to perform and keep it on most of the day—especially for the costume presentation. I also plan to stay and help with clean up afterwards. If there’s no hospitality tent this year, where can I change clothes?


—Hates to Change in the Car


Dear Hates to Change in the Car,
You aren’t the only one asking about this. While we won’t have the same hospitality set up in the past, there will be a couple of family-sized tents for changing clothes. However, you should plan to take things back to your car for safe storage rather than leaving anything in the tent. And, thanks so much for planning to help with clean up!


Dear Guru,
I’m concerned about leaving my instrument in the car
because it could get damaged from the heat—especially if it’s anywhere near last year’s high temperatures. If it gets at all hot, I’m afraid I’ll have to haul it around with me all afternoon.


—Concerned Musician


Dear Concerned Musician,
Thanks for raising this issue before the last Midsommarfest meeting. As a result, there’s a new plan for instrument
storage in a covered controlled space near the stage. There will be a check-in system for security, so you can relax and not worry about hauling your instrument around.

 

Dear Glad Midsommar Guru,
We’re still relatively new to Skandia, having been to some classes. We have heard a little about Midsommarfest, but for a variety of reasons haven’t been able to attend. It’s hard for us to imagine what all is involved. What’s it like?

Multiple Skandia Freshmen


Dear MSF (Gotta love that acronym!),
Wow! I can only begin to describe Skandia’s Midsommarfest in the short space available here. The publicized event is from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on the last Sunday in June—this year, it’s 27 June. Skandia presents a traditional Swedish Midsommar celebration, complete with raising a 45-foot majstång (greened Midsommar pole) at Saint Edward State Park in Kenmore on the north end of Lake Washington.


Because this will be your first time, my suggestion is to arrive early and stay all day so you can take it all in: watching Nordic dance group performances, listening to talented musicians bring Nordic tunes to life, shopping for traditional items and crafts, seeing a wide variety of authentic costumes and learning more about them at a special costume presentation, eating tasty Nordic treats, dancing to live music, and, of course, taking in the whole pole-raising ceremony—maybe even helping to raise the pole. Plus, if you have kids, grand-kids or perhaps other important children in your life, bring them! There are special activities just for them, including dance lessons, a story teller, crafts, making their own Midsommarfest buttons, and best of all, they get to participate in raising a kid-sized Midsommar pole and learn more about the traditions and song dances.


Note that I referred to the “publicized event” earlier, implying that there’s more. To get the full Midsommarfest experience, you’ll want to volunteer on Saturday (or before) to help with set-up activities, or perhaps with the take-down and clean-up on Sunday evening. In addition to getting the work done, it’s a time of visiting and getting to know other Skandia members—conversations that time doesn’t often permit when the focus is on dancing or playing music. The bonus for volunteers is a special dance Saturday evening as a reward for their contribution to the event.


To volunteer, email Elaine Everitt at volunteer@skandia-folkdance.org and let her know when you’re available and what kinds of things you like to do; for example, work with greens, set up canopies, help move supplies, make phone calls, put up signs, distribute posters and fliers, etc.


Dear Guru,
A few years ago, Skandia stopped charging admission for Midsommarfest and made it free. How’s that working? Will it be free again this year?

Wondering

Dear Wondering,
Yes, it will be free—with donations graciously accepted—again this year. Attendance increased significantly because people with only a fraction of Nordic ancestry or perhaps just a curiosity as to what Midsommarfest was all about decided to come. From a workload standpoint, we eliminated the labor and materials hauling required to put up a fence around the festival perimeter as well as the whole admission process.
Thanks to members offering a $5, $10, or $20 for a Midsommarfest button—rather than the $2 minimum donation; generous larger donations from some individual members; vendors; and other Nordic organizations; plus careful attention to keeping costs down, Midsommarfest has been in the black for two of the three years.


Projected expenses for this year are $7,500, with the biggest costs being related to essential facilities (for example, use of the park, Sanikans, garbage, permits, sound, electricity) followed by publicity and printing costs. This is only slightly higher than the actual expenses for 2009. Conservative revenue estimates from a combination of button sales, flower crowns, and vendor fees/donations, are expected to bring in about $2,100. That leaves about $5,400 to be raised through a combination of donations from individuals, organizations, businesses, and festival attendees—a do-able number because Skandia Folkdance Society is a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit.


If you would like to make a contribution, cashiers at any Skandia event would be delighted to accept your check, or you can mail it to Skandia Folkdance Society, PO Box 17123, Seattle, WA 98127-0823. If you have suggestions for other potential sources of funding, please contact Elaine Everitt at skandiamidsommar@gmail.com.


Dear Guru,
I’m relatively new to Skandia and know that it takes lots of volunteers to run Midsommarfest. However, I don’t know what kinds of jobs need to be done. Could I get some kind of a list?


—Wants to Help


Dear Wants to Help,
Here’s a list of jobs that can always use more volunteers:


Do keep in mind that this is only a partial list, there are lots more small miscellaneous tasks that contribute to a memorable Midsommarfest.


Got a question for the Guru? Send it by 8 May to guru@skandia-folkdance.org and watch for a response in the next newsletter.