Special Events at ASI
Midsommar
Saturday, June 20th, 2009- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Celebrate the coming of summer with fiddling, dancing and festivity at the American Swedish Institute’s annual Midsommar Celebration on Saturday, June 20th, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This annual festival includes music, folk dancing, colorful Swedish folk costumes, arts and crafts, food, activities for families, and the raising of the Swedish Midsummer pole.
The Midsommar Celebration is free and open to all. It includes free admission to the American Swedish Institute museum located within the 100-year-old mansion and former home of Institute founder Swan J. Turnblad. The American Swedish Institute is at 2600 Park Ave. in Minneapolis. For information, call (612) 871-4907.
The highlight of the day is the procession and the raising of the majstång (Midsummer pole) at approximately 1 p.m. Playing traditional Swedish music, the ASI Spelmanslag fiddlers lead a procession of musicians and dancers, then raise the decorated pole into place. Everyone is invited to take part in traditional ring dancing around the majstång.
ASI Curator's Tour to Duluth and Grand Marais
Tuesday, September 16th, 2008 - Thursday, September 18th, 2008
Join ASI curator Curt Pederson for ASI's 100 Anniversary Tour- celebrating unique sites and structures built during the same time period as the Turnblad mansion.
Tuesday, September 16th
Leave ASI at 8 a.m. aboard a luxury motor coach, with breakfast & coffee served on board.
Enjoy the scenic fall drive through Duluth's mansion district, arriving at the Kitchi Gammi Club, founded in 1883. Following lunch in the private club's grand dinning room, we will tour the structure described as one of the architectural gems of our country.
In the afternoon tour the unique Karpeles Manuscript Museum to view their exhibit titled “19th Century American Authors”.
After a 4 p.m. check-in at the Radisson Harbor View, we will travel to the Glensheen Mansion for a private evening tour, followed by hors d'oeuvres and skald on the veranda overlooking the gardens and Lake Superior. A sumptuous dinner will be served in Glensheen's Winter Garden Room.
Wednesday. September 17th
Following breakfast at the Radisson's revolving Top of the Harbor restaurant, board your motor coach and travel up the North Shore to Grand Marais. Our first stop is the North House Folk School on the waterfront harbor where our tour members will participate in a unique, hands-on program titled "A Taste of North House". After lunch there will be a tour of the buildings and grounds.
After check-in and enjoying the view at the Aspen Lodge, we drive along to North Shore to our dinner destination, Naniboujou Lodge. Created in the 1920's as an exclusive club, Naniboujou sits in a beautiful spot where the Brule River flows into Lake Superior. Aspen Lodge, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, boasts Minnesota's largest native rock fireplace.
Thursday, September 18th
Begin with breakfast at the Aspen Lodge, and enjoy the morning North Shore scenery en route to Split Rock Lighthouse.
Following lunch in Duluth we return to ASI arriving at approximately 5 p.m.
Cost of tour: $695 double occupancy, $795 single, includes luxury motor coach, lunches, dinners, site admissions, hotels and good company.
Don't miss this special 100th Anniversary tour to northern Minnesota. Reservations must be received no later than Tuesday, September 2nd. Minimum number to go is 30.
Nordic Influence in Midwest Architecture
Wednesday, August 27th, 2008 - 7 p.m.
Christine Albertsson and Todd Hansen, founders of Albertsson Hansen Architecture, will present examples of their work at the ASI Forum on Wednesday, August 27th at 7 p.m. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the Scandinavian influences on the architects’ creations and see how practical solutions can be mixed with great design.
Albertsson was raised in Vermont by parents who had emigrated from Sweden, and Hansen was strongly influenced by Scandinavian after living in Norway for several years as a child. Educated at the University of Pennsylvania, where they met and received their Master of Architecture degrees, Albertsson and Hansen have been drawn to Nordic architecture.
ASI Forum presentations are free for ASI members and are included with museum admission for non-members. Freewill contributions are welcomed. For reservations, call 612-871-4907.
Midsommar is a holiday dear to Swedes everywhere. When daylight returns to the northern reaches of Sweden after the long, dark winter, there is cause to celebrate! And while it is called midsummer, it really marks the beginning of summer. People in Sweden erect maypoles with leafy green birch branches and wild flowers. Music fills the air, lively dancing ensues, and merriment continues well into the night.
Wooden Gears and Swedish Gadgets
Wednesday, September 10th, 2008 - 7 p.m.
The work of master Swedish carver Per Heldorff will be featured the exhibit, “Wooden Gears and Swedish Gadgets,” from August 6th through September 28th.
Heldorff began carving in the Swedish slöjd tradition (a simple style emphasizing technical skill) and progressed to more complex works featuring moving cogs and figures. His work often contains a whimsical element- a wooden banana opens to reveal a hidden compartment, an arm moves a toothbrush over a set of teeth- which, along with his technical mastery and practical engineering ideas, gives his work a unique and intriguing style.
Heldorff will give a public slide presentation of his work on Wednesday, September 10th from 7 to 8:30 p.m. He will explain the blend of creative and practical engineering behind the design of his handmade wooden cabinets, as well as perform classic Swedish troubadour music with his guitar.
7th Annual Minnesota Tile Festival
Sunday, September 20th, 2008 - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
There is no better place than the American Swedish Institute, with its 11 elegant tiled stoves, for the 7th annual Minnesota Tile Festival on Saturday, Sept. 20, from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. The event is organized by the Handmade Tile Association (HTA) and co-sponsored by ASI.
The festival showcases works by 40 local and national artists in the Turnblad mansion gardens and in the ASI auditorium. Watch for artists wearing buttons offering a 10% discount to members of either ASI or HTA with proof of membership.
The full day of activities includes demonstrations, workshops, a historic tile exhibit, and sale of one-of-a-kind art tiles and tile-related artwork from around the United States. Tours of the Turnblad mansion and its tiled stoves begin at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., and 2 p.m. Karen Hovde, an interior designer from Seattle, will give a talk at 1 p.m. on “The Importance of Tile in the Craftsman Bungalow.” Coffee and cardamom rolls are available 10 a.m.–3 p.m., and lunch is served 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Admission to the Minnesota Tile Festival is $5. This year, admission is free for ASI and HTA members, Museum Adventure Pass visitors, as well as children under age 12 accompanied by an adult. For more information, please call 612-781-6409 or visit the Handmade Tile Association website.
Nobel Sashes, Gowns and Crowns:
An Event for World Childhood Foundation
Saturday, September 27th, 2008 - 10 a.m. to noon.
Celebrate with your child and help other children!
Join us on this special morning to support the World Childhood Foundation’s work in Minnesota and around the world!
Tour the Exhibit: “Fit for a Queen: Nobel Gowns of H.M. Queen Silvia of Sweden.
Fun Activities for children ages 3-14: Create your own sash and crown or design your own dress (for the older children) in a fun morning of magical gowns in the ASI castle.
Swedish fika (light snack): After the tour, the young and young-at-heart will sit down to a light Swedish snack.
Attire: Dressing up in “prince and princess attire” is encouraged.
Cost is $7 for children (under age two free of charge); $22 for adults.
Call today to reserve your place! To make reservations, please call 612-871-4907. Reservations are accepted until September 20th.
This event is sponsored by the American Swedish Institute and the Radisson Plaza Hotel.
Proceeds from this event will benefit the World Childhood Foundation. The World Childhood Foundation, founded in 1999 by H.M. Queen Silvia of Sweden, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the most vulnerable children worldwide, especially those who are victims of sexual abuse and exploitation.
