St Lucia Celebration Featuring the Swedish Fiddlers

Enjoy an evening of Scandinavian tradition and music

The tradition of celebrating St. Lucia goes back centuries and the crowning of St. Lucia in Scandinavian countries can be traced back nearly 100 years. The Dala Heritage Society has been keeping this tradition alive since 1978. We invite you to join us at 3pm on December 15th as Isabelle Keehr, our current Lucia, crowns the next year’s Lucia at Calvary Lutheran Church in Mora. The community is invited to the event which includes entertainment by the Swedish Fiddlers and fika afterwards (coffee and a treat, a Swedish tradition). The event is free of charge and is sponsored by a generous grant from the East Central Regional Arts Council.  

Our featured performers, The Swedish Fiddlers, have been sharing Swedish fiddle music with audiences in both Sweden and the United States for decades. Their fiddling style can be traced back to Daniel’s great grandfather, Bruce’s father Edwin Johnson, who immigrated from Sweden in 1924. They have helped to keep the unique style of fiddling from the town of Rättvik, Sweden alive in Minnesota. 

In the 50s, 60s and 70s, the families of Edwin Johnson and John Erickson, known as the “Rättvik Fiddlers”, would play their fiddle music in area dance halls and Swedish festivals. Both families immigrated to Minnesota and have ties to the Cambridge area. In 1984, Paul Dahlin, Edwin’s grandson, taught a class on Swedish fiddle at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. The ASI’s Spelmanslag, the group of musicians which formed as a result, now has over 40 members. A group of these musicians performed at the Dala Heritage Society’s Midsummer celebration in Mora in June. 

The DHS is pleased to offer this opportunity for the community to experience the music of the Swedish Fiddlers as we celebrate the tradition of crowning St. Lucia. We look forward to having you join us for an evening of Scandinavian traditions and Swedish music at this free event!