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How Swede it is: 6 days of Swedish Days
GENEVA – As the 69th annual Swedish Days Festival opened Tuesday morning in downtown Geneva, revelers embraced the cooler temperatures to enjoy its offerings of food, music, shopping and entertainment.
The six-day festival, sponsored by the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, usually draws tens of thousands of people to the city’s downtown.
Holly Olson of Batavia sat in a chair outside of the All Chocolate Kitchen eating chocolate gelato and people-watching.
![[Vida Beitz, 6, of St. Charles (right) makes a craft with Charlotte Frederickson, 5, of Sycamore (with her mom, Chanla) at the School of Art tent during the first day of Swedish Days on June 19. The annual festival runs through June 24.]
“I come every year,” Olson said. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
Olson estimated she has been coming to the festival since 1970.](2b8b2e46-57a5-4a83-a614-69632d571705/image-pv_web.jpg)
[Vida Beitz, 6, of St. Charles (right) makes a craft with Charlotte Frederickson, 5, of Sycamore (with her mom, Chanla) at the School of Art tent during the first day of Swedish Days on June 19. The annual festival runs through June 24.]
“I come every year,” Olson said. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
Olson estimated she has been coming to the festival since 1970.
[Lyla Feulner, 2, plays with her balloon on the Courthouse Lawn during the first day of Swedish Days on June 19. The annual festival runs through June 24.]
“I always make it a point to come out on Tuesday,” Olson said. “I like the sales, and the food, and the music on the [courthouse] lawn. I like the evening concerts. I like to go to those. And I like the vibe of the fact that it’s a happy time. People are ready for a festival. It’s the granddaddy of festivals and you look forward to it.”
[Melanie and Bill Thompson of The Thompson Duo perform on the Courthouse Lawn during the first day of Swedish Days on June 19. The annual festival runs through June 24.]
Olson was grateful the weekend’s heat wave passed and temperatures were a more moderate 80 degrees as opposed to 95 degrees.
“But what’s Swedish Days without a thunderstorm? Olson said laughing. “There’s going to be rain this week in the forecast.”
[Mike and Nancy Richardson of Geneva prepare corn to be cooked at the Rotary Club tent during the first day of Swedish Days on June 19. The annual festival runs through June 24.]
Cindy Martin of St. Charles and Debbie Griffith of South Elgin sat at a table under an umbrella having Cajun chicken tortellini from Chianti’s while contemplating their next stop.
“It’s got a little kick,” Griffith said.
While Martin had not been to the festival for a while, Griffith said she’s been coming for 40 years.
[Sadie Files, 9, of Batavia has a baseball skull painted on her face by Mireille Page of the Midwest Fun Factory during the first day of Swedish Days on June 19. The annual festival runs through June 24.]
“When I was younger, I liked the beer gardens,” Griffith said. “Now, I like the food, people watching and running into old friends, shopping and they have some great bands.”
Martin said she used to come more often when her children were little, especially for the Swedish Days Parade.
“It would be hot and we wore sunscreen and hats,” Martin said.
[Mike Simon, owner of The Little Traveler, restocks their iconic pink bags for shoppers during the first day of Swedish Days on June 19. The annual festival runs through June 24.]
Food booths at the festival are run by local non-profits as fundraisers, such as the Knights of Columbus, the Geneva Lions Club and Homes for Endangered and Lost Pets.
The Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva was offering Swedish and Italian meatball sandwiches and pizza at its booth.
“Business is good,” said volunteer Mary Swanson, the wife of 5th Ward Alderman Robert Swanson. “It’s the first day of the festival and we have good weather. We have meatballs from Josef’s [Elegante Meats] and pizza from Charlie Fox’s.”
[Shoppers browse the tent sale at The Little Traveler in Geneva during the first day of Swedish Days on June 19. The annual festival runs through June 24.]
Wheaton residents Katelyn Alderman and her fiancee Noel Bustamante were enjoying Swedish meatballs from Chianti’s and roasted corn on the cob from the Knights of Columbus.
“I’ve been coming for 10 years,” Alderman said. “I’m Swedish – 90 percent. And since we’ve been together, he’s been coming with me.”
Bustamante said he enjoyed the food, the music and the culture of the festival.
“Just to walk around and see what it has to offer,” Bustamante said.
Local stores and restaurants put their goods up on Third Street’s sidewalks featuring everything from jewelry to clothing, coffee and tea to housewares, ice cream to smoothies.
Other attractions and a full schedule are available on the Geneva Chamber of Commerce website, www.genevachamber.com.