Swedish-inspired Midsummer Fest celebrated locally (4 photos)

MidlandToday received the following note from a reader on how some are celebrating Midsummer Fest locally.

Midsummer Fest in Sweden is celebrated on the Friday before the Summer Solstice. A Midsummer pole is decorated and erected as a focus of the celebration. A smorgasbord  consisting of marinated herring, new potato salad and various other traditional dishes are enjoyed while singing drinking songs and imbibing beer and schnaps. Skol!

Everyone dances around the midsummer pole pretending to be little frogs with no ears and tails. For dessert there is angel cake topped with whipped cream and mounds of strawberries. As the solstice is the longest day of the year the celebration ends when the sun rises shortly after setting.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in effect, guests observed safe protocols by bringing their own utensils, observing social distancing by sitting at separate tables and wearing masks while serving their food.