How Swede it is in Geneva

GENEVA – The 67th Geneva Swedish Days festival will swing into action June 21 as Third Street and the surrounding downtown area of Geneva will be transformed into a go-to center for music, food, activities, sales, a parade and carnival.

The six-day festival, which closes in the afternoon on June 26, will offer its regular attractions – the carnival, children’s activities, a quad power jump and music – but also some new features, said Geneva Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman Laura Rush.

“New this year is a 5K run,” Rush said. “Its official name is ‘Swedish Days 5K Lopp’ – it’s the Swedish word for “race” or “run.” Geneva Running Outfitters partnered with us. … It’s going to start down by the Gunnar Forest Preserve at 8 a.m., and it goes around Geneva, not necessarily through it. At the end, we will be giving the runners breakfast at the Geneva Lutheran Church’s Swedish Pancake Breakfast.”

Registration is $35 online through the chamber’s website, www.genevachamber.com. The cost increases to $40 after June 23 and on the day of the race.

“The man and woman who are winners in the race will get to ride in the Swedish Days Parade on June 16,” Rush said. “We’re hoping this is the first of many.”

The heather gray and royal blue graphics on the run T-shirts also state “charter member,” Rush said.

Though Sweden Väst is not new, it is moving to the southeast corner of James and Third streets – the empty lot north of the Geneva History Museum, 113 S. Third St., Rush said.

Sweden Väst is offered from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 25 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 26 and features Dala horse art, textile art, rosemaling and watercolors. Food includes Swedish delicacies, such as salmon spread, pickled beets, limpa bread and lingonberry sauce. Lutefisk will be available on Sunday only.

“This will be our third year of the craft beer tent, and it’s moving by the Rotary booth on Campbell Street,” Rush said. “Penrose Brewing and Stockholm’s are supplying the craft beer. Stockholm’s also has hard root beer and hard apple cider.”

This will be the sixth year without the craft show, Rush said. Though a mainstay for many years, as the festival expanded, there wasn’t anywhere to fit the show.

“It’s fine,” Rush said. “We feel there are still enough bargains to find in Geneva. It’s still a shoppers dream if you want to come down and find deals.”

Other attractions will include the Geneva’s Got Talent Finals at 6:30 p.m. that Saturday at the Central Stage; the 46th annual Granquist Music Competition from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 25 at Geneva High School, 416 McKinley Ave.; Cosmic Golf Night at Stone Creek Mini Golf (in the dark with glow-in-the-dark golf balls) from 9 p.m. to midnight June 24 and 25; an ice cream eating contest from 6 to 7 p.m. June 21 on the Central Stage; and the Friends of the Geneva Public Library used book sale from 5 to 9 p.m. June 23, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 24 and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 25 at the library, 127 James St.

A full schedule is available by visiting the Geneva Chamber of Commerce website, www.genevachamber.com.