Hey Guru!
Where have you been? Are we going to have Midsommarfest this year?
—Worried Nordic
Dear Worried,
No need to worry anymore, Midsommarfest is happening! Mark your calendar for the last Sunday in June, the 28th this year, and be sure to tell your friends. In fact, plan to join the crew working and socializing as they set things up on Saturday, the 27th.
Your Midsommarfest chair, Elaine Everitt, had advised the Guru to “tread softly” to make sure the park would be open given the state’s budget problems before going full steam ahead with publicity. Now, that’s settled and the committee is in high gear working on preparations.
Dear Glad Midsommar Guru,
I know that Linda Lacy moved to Albuquerque and I’ve heard that Don Meyers is going to Fiddles & Feet. So, my big question is—who’s going to be the Pole Master?
—Anxious
Dear Anxious,
Relax! Linda is coming back for Midsommarfest. She arrives Wednesday evening to help with the preparations and leaves on Monday afterward. She’s also going to be working on the garland and would love to have someone else volunteer to head up the garland crew in the future. Please let her know of your availability to work on the garland by email llacy123@yahoo.com or contact Elaine Everitt.
You raise an important issue. We should have more people ready and trained to serve as Pole Masters for times when Linda and Don are unavailable. If you’re interested or know someone who would be a good candidate, please contact Elaine so she can arrange for training with Don and Linda.
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:
- Pre-festival publicity: distributing posters and fliers, selling buttons
- Stage moving: labor to load/unload stage materials going to and from the park
- Friday: cutting salal, small-leaf ivy, cedar, and other greens
- Saturday: moving Midsommarfest supplies to the park; putting up signs; preparing the garland and rings; setting up and preparing the Kukka Kioski (flower crown booth); carrying the pole from the roof to the grounds; setting up canopies; setting up the pole base; setting up the children’s area
- Sunday: working at the booths (Skandia, flower crowns, children’s); emceeing; greeting attendees, handing out programs and selling buttons; taking the pole down and putting it back on the roof and CLEAN UP at the end of the day—loading everything up and returning it to storage
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 6 June to guru@skandia-folkdance.org and watch for a response in the next newsletter.