Midsommarfesten(Midsummer Festival), the great Swedish Holiday, was celebrated on Sunday, June 24, at Elliotts Park. Fifteen thousand gathered in a setting of natural beauty and enjoyed the most ideal summer weather as well as the enjoyable program that the Swedish National League had arranged for the day and evening.

The Vikings, The North Stars, and Idunas furnished music, taking turns continuously. After the grand opening by the combined bands, Attorney George E. Q. Johnson delivered a hearty speech of welcome to the gathered thousands. Following this greeting the Maypole, which was decorated with flowers, was the center of attraction. "America" and several Swedish folk songs were sung by the Harmony, Orpheus and Iduna Male choruses. Following the beautiful soul stirring singing by these three excellently trained male choruses there came the joyful Swedish folk dances around the Maypole. Afterwards there was presented what proved to be the high-light of the day; intricate 2folk dances, some of them so ancient that many of the assembled Swedes had never before seen them. The Swedish Folk Dance club put on an excellent exhibition that held the crowd in suspense throughout each number. At the final step of each dance there came a storm of applause, the like of which had never before been heard at a gathering of "hyphenated" citizens.

At the finale of the folk dancers' exhibition, the assembled crowd moved about like waves on the ocean. All were looking for and meeting relatives and friends whom they had not seen for years, thus in hundreds of cases the national holiday became a family or friends' reunion.

At 4:00 P.M., the second part of the program of entertainment was opened with the crowning of the May Queen, Lilly Hagerman, 5401 Fifth Avenue, Chicago. Mr. F. A. Lindstrom was the speaker of this occasion. His coronation speech was grand enough to have been delivered at the crowning of European royalty. In honor of Queen Lilly the three choruses, directed by 3Joel Mossberg, sang Skaldens Blomma (The Bard's Blossom), I Brollopsgarden (In the Wedding Garden), and Muntra Musikanter (The Merry Musicians). Prominently grouped with the queen were four Maids of Honor; Naomi Okeson, Anna Hagman, Florence Hallgren and Selma Hultgren.

One of the most amusing parts of the program was the competition between a group of young men who insisted they be given a chance, by lottery, of playing the part of Uncle Ola whose privilege it was to be the first (and only) man to kiss the newly announced winner of the Midsummer Bride title, who was also crowned in the old Swedish traditional manner.

Following the coronations, two prominent Swedish heavyweight wrestlers met for the Swedish Championship. They were Lundin and Samson, Lundin winning the match.

The festival proved a success in every way.

The musical portion of the program was unusual in that the services of bandsmen and vocalists were freely and generously given for no compensation. Cooperation and unlimited friendship, wonderful entertainment made this years Midsummer festival the grandest ever celebrated in any country having a real Swedish National League. We are already thinking of next year.