Christmas Market
Saturday, December 7, 2024, 10 am – 3 pm
- 30 artisan vendors
- Nordic gifts and food
- Handmade crafts
- Baked goods
- Entertainment
- Free parking
- Much more
Hot lunch, sandwiches, Scandinavian candy and glögg
- Finnish salmon chowder
- Swedish split pea soup
- Hot dogs with crispy onions, pickles, mustard and/or ketchup
- Risalamande (Danish rice pudding) with cherry sauce or lagkage with berries
- Glögg
- Fazer blue milk chocolate from Finland
- Cloetta Kex choklad from Sweden
Vendors
| B’s Hive | Fused glass |
| Bead Free Forever | Jewelry – handmade beaded |
| Blue Lotus Bracelets | Jewelry – nature driven |
| Deb Owen Designs | Felted wool mittens, collage art, canvas tote bags |
| Esthetic Living | Swedish dishcloths and towels |
| Fire & Ash Co | Wood – cutting boards, coasters, ornaments |
| Floral Surroundings | Floral designs |
| Hand Painted Glass by Linda | Hand painted glass |
| KISSoapery | Natural soap and skin care products |
| Knots on Euclid | Macrame bags and ornaments |
| Lee Skalkos Jewelry | Jewelry – silver |
| Little Red Hen Redux | Christmas decorations |
| N Violet & Company | Body butters |
| Oak & Vale | Candles, diffusers, room sprays |
| Oak Grove NYC | Holiday home and table decorations |
| Oh D’Luxe Candle Company | Candles – soy, diffusers, room sprays |
| Origin Artistry | Cyanotype art – hats, earrings, notecards, ornaments |
| Peace of Nature by Sofi | Jewelry – natural items in resin |
| Playing with Clay | Pottery |
| Potsam & Jetsam | Pottery |
| Robin Ann Jewelry | Jewelry – silver and gold gemstone |
| Siw Potter Hand Knit Clothing | Knit Items |
| Sport Hill Honey Farm | Candles – beeswax |
| StephanieLauren | Dog collars and leashes |
| Vivid Cottage | Stationery, tea towels, notepads, tote bags with floral designs |
| Weir Street Workshop | Accessories – bags, scarves, holiday décor |
| Wolfpit Woodworks | Wood – cutting boards, coasters |
| WrenHouse Atelier | Candles, diffusers, room sprays |
Thanksgiving Floral Design Workshop
Monday, December 2, 2024, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Join Club Member Tina Ahlberg for this fun, low key workshop to make arrangements for your Thanksgiving table. Warm hues of autumn colors in different textures in a style that lets you extend your table decor through the upcoming holiday season. Also makes the perfect hostess gift for a holiday party.
Have a glass of wine or seltzer while creating your masterpiece.
More info and signup at floralsurroundingsllc.com/news
Members of the Scandinavian club get a discount.
August Strindberg’s The Ghost Sonata
Thursday, November 21, 2024, 6–11 pm
The Ghost Sonata (1907) by the famous Swedish playwright August Strindberg (1849–1912) follows a young man’s increasing realization of the world’s wickedness.
The play is presented in English at The Martel Theater in Poughkeepsie, New York by graduating drama students at Vassar College. The translation from Swedish was done by the late Evert Sprinchorn, distinguished Scandinavian scholar and Professor Emeritus of Drama at Vassar College. Swedish was his first language. His parents had immigrated to Jamestown, New York in the early 1900s from Lund, Sweden.
The Club is renting a Ford Transit with room for 9 passengers.
Drive is 1 hour 30 minutes each way.
Cost: $40 per person (includes ticket, transportation and refreshments)
Schedule:
- 6 pm: Departure from Club
- 6:30 pm: Chance to board in Georgetown (Caraluzzi’s)
- 6:45 pm: Chance to board at the Danbury Fair Mall
- 8 pm: Play starts (Runtime approximately 1 hour)
- 9:30 pm: Departure Poughkeepsie
- 10:15 pm: Danbury Fair Mall
- 10:30 pm: Georgetown
- 11 pm: Arrival back at Club
Friday Happy Hour
Friday, November 8, 2024, 6 pm
Casual get-together in the Members Lounge.
- Food: Beef chili
- Beverages
- Fire in the fireplace
- On the flatscreen: American Cornhole TV
- Donation jar for roof project!
Event Chair: Ed
Friday Happy Hour
Friday, October 18, 2024, 6 pm
Casual get-together under the string lights outside the Picnic Pavilion:
- Food and beverages
- Firebowl
- Music (radio, basically)
- Corn hole (or other lawn games)
- Donation jar
Event Chair: Ed
Saturday Morning Yoga
Saturday, October 12, 2024, 10 am
Yoga class with certified instructor Maura on the back deck (weather permitting). Otherwise will be held in the Main hall. Bring your own yoga mat. All levels welcome and first timers too.
Free for Members!
Non-members: $15
Did you know that the roots of modern yoga are not just Indian, they are also Scandinavian? What we now call yoga goes back a 100 years, and is a mix of Indian yoga and Scandinavian gymnastics / physical training techniques that were employed as British military exercise drills. Per Henrik Ling (1776–1839) was the gymnastics instructor in the Military Academy at Carlsberg and founded the Royal Central Gymnastics Institute for the training of gymnastic instructors was opened in Stockholm, with Ling appointed as principal. Ling invented physical education apparatus including the box horse, wall bars, and beams. He is also credited with developing calisthenics and free calisthenics. The yoga scholar Mark Singleton states that Ling’s gymnastics shaped the development of modern yoga as exercise in the Western world, although we recognize that Reddit may disagree. Following on from Ling’s work, Niels Bukh (1880–1950) from Denmark, developed a system called Primitive Gymnastics, which “emphasized continuity of movement, rhythmic exercise, and intensive stretching to seek elasticity, flexibility, and freedom”.
Friday Happy Hour: National Drive Electric Week
Friday, October 4, 2024, 6 pm
National Drive Electric Week is a nationwide celebration to raise awareness of the many benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more.
Did you know that Norway boasts the highest EV-adoption rate in the world? 82 percent of new car sales in Norway were electric vehicles in 2023. Watch report by CNBC
The 30 first attendees will get a swag bag courtesy of Nissan!
Event Chair: Peter
Friday Happy Hour
Friday, September 27, 2024, 6 pm
Casual get-together under the string lights outside the Picnic Pavilion:
- Hot dogs
- Beverages
- Streaming jukebox (Spotify playlist, basically)
- Corn hole (or other lawn games)
- Donation jar
Event Chair: Ed
Friday Happy Hour
Friday, September 20, 2024, 6pm
Casual get-together under the string lights outside the Picnic Pavilion:
- Hamburgers & hot dogs
- Beverages
- Streaming jukebox (Spotify playlist, basically)
- Corn hole (or other lawn games)
- Donation jar
Event Chair: Ed
Friday Happy Hour
Friday, September 6, 2024, 6pm
Casual get-together under the string lights outside the Picnic Pavilion:
- Hamburgers & hot dogs
- Beverages
- Streaming jukebox (Spotify playlist, basically)
- Corn hole (or other lawn games)
- Donation jar
Event Chair: Ed
Scandinavian Night at Red Bull Arena
Saturday, August 31, 2024, 4–11:30pm
The Scandinavian Club has been invited to attend the New York Red Bulls game against Philadelphia Union on Saturday, August 31. We’ll rent a 10-seat Ford Transit passenger van and tailgate with food and drinks before the game. Game starts at 7:30 pm. We will also have VIP access to a special Q&A session with some of the Scandinavian players on the team. A few months back the New York Red Bulls completed the transfer of Swedish attacking midfielder Emil Forsberg as well as Norwegian winger Dennis Gjengaar.
Watch Emil Forsberg and New York Red Bulls in action:
Seats in section 225, row 12.
Cost: $89. Members only. Limited to 10.
SOLD OUT! Sorry!
Event Chairs: Peter and Catherine
Friday Happy Hour: Surströmming
Friday, July 19, 2024, 7–9pm
Casual get-together under the string lights outside the Picnic Pavilion:
- Food
- Beverages
- Streaming jukebox (Spotify playlist, basically)
- Corn hole (or other lawn games)
- Firefly lightshow (after dark)
- Donation jar
Special feature:
Opening of the Surströmming can
A spectacle not to be missed!
Get your Instagram video recorders ready!
Surströmming (Swedish for ”sour herring”) is a lightly-salted fermented Baltic Sea herring that has been part of northern Swedish cuisine since at least the 16th century. It is often eaten with tunnbröd, a thin, either soft or crispy bread (not to be confused with crispbread). In addition to the fish, the two most common toppings are potatoes (either sliced or mashed, often almond potatoes) and finely diced red onion.
Read more on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surströmming
Or watch as a bunch of tough (and foul-mouthed) Texans open a special delivery from Finland:
Event Chair: Peter
Friday Happy Hour
Friday, July 12, 2024, 6pm
Casual get-together under the string lights outside the Picnic Pavilion:
- BBQ
- Beverages
- Streaming jukebox (Spotify playlist, basically)
- Corn hole (or other lawn games)
- Donation jar
Event Chair: Ed
Euro 2024: Germany–Denmark
Saturday, June 29, 2024, 3–5pm
The Denmark national football team advanced to the last 16 at the European Championship after a gritty 0–0 draw with Serbia on Tuesday. Denmark is now set for a matchup against host nation Germany on Saturday in Dortmund.
Come watch the game live in the Members Lounge on the Club’s 85-inch flatscreen!
Hot dogs, drinks and snacks will be provided.
We are red, we are white, we are Danish dynamite!
Event Chairs: Peter and Ed
Midsummer Celebration
Sunday, June 23, 2024, 12noon–4pm
Celebrate Midsummer with Ring Dance around the Maypole to traditional Swedish music by Wivan Sundman. Bring your own Picnic!
There will be Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Strawberries, Beverages, Fiskdamm etc for sale.
Fun for all ages.
Event Chair: Marianne
Eurovision Song Contest Viewing Party
Saturday, May 11, 2024, 3–6 pm
Sweden was the winner last year, which means that the Grand Finale of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 will take place at Malmö Arena in Sweden. We’ll stream the broadcast live on the Club’s 85-inch flatscreen in the Members Lounge.
Visit the official website for more info: https://eurovision.tv/
Event Chairs: Leena and Birgitta
Sunday Fika
Sunday, May 19, 2024, 3–5 pm
Event Chair: Tina
Spring Artisan Fair
Saturday, May 4, 2024, 10 am – 4 pm
- 30 local fine arts and crafts vendors showcasing handcrafted artistic gifts
- Hot lunch: Choice of Scandinavian split pea soup, Finnish salmon chowder, or seafood quiche. Soups come with piece of Estonian rye bread.
- Baked goods and beverages for sale
- Free admission and parking
Vendors
| Bead Free Forever | Jewelry – handmade beaded |
| Besoleze | Candles – Wax melts, soaps, candles, car diffusers |
| Blue Lotus Bracelets | Jewelry – bracelets |
| Brie’s Art | Mixed media & photography |
| Charter Oak Creations | Watercolor cards, tea towels, coasters, bookmarks |
| Clare Cosslett | Pottery |
| Donna Albano | Paintings |
| Driftwood Design | Driftwood |
| Emmy Starr Designs | Jewelry – gemstones |
| Erin DeLuca Jewelry | Jewelry |
| Gallasdesign | Candles, soap, Swedish dishcloths |
| Heidi Armster | Wool Felt Bags and canvas bags |
| Kate Stephen Jewelry | Jewelry – metal |
| Keep It Simple Soapery | Soap and skincare |
| Knots on Euclid | Macrame items |
| Little Red Hen Redux | Jewelry and gift items – boho style |
| Lydia Tucci Jewelry | Jewelry – silver |
| Oak Ridge Organics | soaps |
| Oh D’Luxe Candle Company | Candles – Soy candles, room sprays |
| Old Redding Farm | Chainsaw carvings |
| Our Woven Community | Accessories, wallets, scarves made by refugee women |
| Peace of Nature by Sofi | Jewelry – resin made with found items |
| Playing With Clay | Pottery |
| Pottery by Barbara S. Reed | Pottery |
| Richard Stein | Wood bowls, platters, containers |
| Robin Ann Jewelry | Jewelry |
| Sabina Furst Designs | Jewelry – gemstones and gilded oyster shells |
| Stephenie Lauren LLC | Dog collars and leashes |
| Vivid Cottage | Greeting cards, calendars, tea towels, canvas prints |
| WrenHouse Atelier | Candles – Scented soy candles, room sprays, diffusers and gift boxes |
Sofia Talvik – Americana/folk with Swedish roots
Concert and Cocktail Party
Saturday, April 27, 2024, doors @ 6 pm, concert @ 7 pm
Having performed at the Scandinavian Club in 2017, Swedish singer songwriter Sofia Talvik is now back for another unforgettable concert.
Sofia Talvik blends elements of folk and pop with a twang of Americana to create a special niche of Folk music. She binds together intimate, heartfelt songs with personal anecdotes from her many tours in the USA and Europe, creating a warm and relaxed environment for the audience. Foot percussion and rhythmic guitar picking create a steady base for her show-stealing vocals. Performing mostly original songs in English, Sofia brings a novel mix to her American audiences with a few fresh interpretations of Swedish traditional songs.
Tickets:
Members: $35
Everyone else: $50
Included with ticket:
- Smörgåstårta of the seafood kind. Plant-based option also available.
- Soft drinks, including lingonberry juice
- Dessert with coffee/tea
Cash bar available, including signature cocktail.
Visit website for more info: https://sofiatalvik.com
Red Cross Blood Drive
Thursday, March 28, 2024, 9 am – 2 pm
Severe Blood Shortage, Donors Urgently Needed
Right now, eligible and healthy donors are strongly urged to make an appointment to provide lifesaving blood products to patients. Please sign up to give now.
To schedule your appointment visit
REDCROSSBLOOD.ORG
USE SPONSOR CODE: SCANDINAVIAN
Swedish Waffle Day with Oskar and Jeff
Sunday, March 24, 2024, 1 – 3 pm
Oskar and Jeff are returning the the Club to reprise their fantastic performance from last year!
Oskar Stenmark, born in Gothenburg, Sweden, is the tenth generation in his family to play music. His trumpet has been heard at the Super Bowl, The Matrix Resurrections and he has opened up for Lenny Kravitz among others.
Jeff Washburn is a multi faceted singer and guitar player.
Together they are bringing Swedish classic hits in an intimate setting. You will hear music by ABBA, Roxette and Avicii for example, this dynamic duo is not to be missed!
Oskar Stenmark – Flugelhorn and trumpet
Jeff Washburn – Guitar and voice
Price of admission:
- Member: $15
- Non-member: $20
- Child: $10
Ticket includes:
- Concert (approximately 1 hour)
- Waffles
- Beverage (coffee, tea or soft drink)
We’ll have an array of the traditional Swedish waffle irons that make thin, crispy, heart-shaped waffles. Served with strawberry jam and sweetened whipped cream.
“Våffeldagen” (Waffle Day in Swedish) stems from a mispronunciation. The traditional Feast of the Annunciation, or “Vårfrudagen” (Our Lady’s Day) in Swedish sounds an awful lot like “Våffeldagen”, and so over time, this became less about the conception of Jesus, and more about crispy, delightful waffles.
In earlier times most Swedes were poor, living off the land and coping with a very harsh climate. Late March marked the start of the crop growing season and the increased availability of eggs and milk. As eggs symbolized the start of spring, it became popular to use them to make waffles to celebrate.
Welcome!
Event Chairs: Peter and Catherine
Sunday Fika
Sunday, March 17, 2024, 3 – 5 pm
Who needs soda bread, when you can have Swedish Fika with friends on a Sunday afternoon instead?! Scandinavian Butik in Norwalk is sponsoring this event, so please join me, maybe bring your knitting or handicraft, and spend a couple of hours catching up with a friend.
New Members welcome! Come and see the club’s latest facelift!
A small, suggested donation of $5 will go straight to the Scandinavian Club.
Easy parking.
Any questions, please contact Tina Ahlberg, at floralsurroundings@gmail.com
If you want to join, send me a quick email with a HEJ, and I can plan the café accordingly! Sign up encouraged but not necessary.
Event chair: Tina
Happy Hour: Sportlov – WRC Rally Sweden
Friday, February 16, 2024 @ 7 pm
- Food (menu TBD)
- Drinks
- Fire in the fireplace
- WRC Rally Sweden on Rally.tv
- Donation jar
WRC Rally Sweden is the World Rally Championship’s ultimate winter challenge. Watch in awe on the Club’s 85-inch flatscreen as cars ‘dance’ between snowbanks in the frozen forests of northern Sweden, topping speeds of up to 125 miles per hour on studded tires. Precision is key in this rally.
Watch the best video clips from last year’s WRC Rally Sweden:
One of the races on Friday, for example:
SS5 #42 BRATTBY 2
Distance: 10.76 km (6.7 miles)
Elevation: 116 meters (380 feet)
Weather: –19℃ (–2℉)
More info: https://rallysweden.com/en/stage/ss5-brattby-2/
Sportlov (literally, “sports break” in English) has its origins during World War II when it was too expensive to heat the schools in Scandinavia during the coldest month of the year, so children were given a week off.
The tradition continued when people realized that keeping children out of school for a week dramatically reduced the spread of colds and flu. And today, different parts of Scandinavia enjoy sportlov in different weeks to avoid overcrowding on the slopes.
Event Chairs: Ed and Kevin
Petra Jasmiina – Concert with semlor
Saturday, February 10, 2024, 2–4 pm
$15 for Members
$20 for everyone else
Price of admission includes a semla, coffee (or tea or soft drink), concert.
Subject to availability, additional semlor may be purchased after the concert.
Semlor – fluffy brioche buns with a hint of cardamom, filled with whipped cream and almond paste, then dusted with powdered sugar – are traditionally served for Shrove Tuesday (Swedish fettisdag, French Mardi Gras).
Petra Jasmiina is a singer-songwriter, producer and creative entrepreneur originally from Finland, now living in New York City. Her music is a unique blend of pop and folk with classical and cinematic elements, and is rooted in soulful storytelling and finding the beauty and poetry in the mundane. In 2022 her music video “Naïve” gained wide international praise and accolades such as “Best Pop Music Video” at Europe Music Awards and “Platinum Video” at MUSE Creative Awards. She is also the founder of Petrafied Productions, a mission to inspire, empower and enable independent artists to realize their visions in both song and film.
Find Petra’s music on…
Spotify | Apple Music | Amazon Music | YouTube
Find more information and join Petra’s newsletter on petrajasmiina.com
Connect with Petra on the socials:
Instagram | Facebook | TikTok
Food and theater trip to New York City
Sunday, January 21, 2024, 10:30am–7pm
Join us on a chartered bus for a fun Sunday in New York City where we’ll start with brunch at Scandinavia House before heading down to Greenwich Village for a new theatrical performance about Finnish immigrants in Minnesota in the early 1900’s.
About the Brunch at Björk Cafe & Bistro
Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue
Appetizer: Small crispy green salad
Main course: Choice of:
- Smörgåsbord plate
- Gravlax florentine
- Pytt i panna
Coffee and tea with cookie platters
Still and sparkling water
Wine and beer
About the Play
The play “Bloody Finntown” is primarily about Finnish immigrants in 1916 in Finntown, Minnesota. Tensions escalate after a cave-in at the Oliver Mining Company, impacting the Rajamäki family and triggering a miner strike, resulting in conflicts and tested loyalties amid rising emotions. Written and directed by Gene Morgan.
About the Theater
The Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street
Founded in the 1950’s, the Players Theatre has provided a Greenwich Village home for innovative performing artists and their audiences for decades. Comprised of a large 200 seat theatre space, rehearsal studios and a cafe, the theater provides space and opportunities to artists at all stages in their careers. The “Bloody Finntown” play will be performed in the theater’s smaller, 50 seat theatre space.
About the Ride
Transportation will be provided by DATTCO, a third generation family-owned business established in 1924 and headquartered in New Britain, Connecticut. Their “Mini-Coach” bus will seat up to 24 people.
- Price: $125 per person
- Includes brunch, theater ticket and a seat on the bus
- Limited to 24 Members and guests
Event Chairs: Catherine and Peter
Happy Hour (and Movie)
Friday, January 12, 2024, 6pm – movie at 7 pm
- Hot dogs
- Drinks
- Movie “Sisu”
- Popcorn
Event Chairs: Ed and Kevin
Movie: Sisu (Finland, 2022)
This historical action thriller film takes place during the last days of World War II. A solitary prospector crosses paths with Nazis on a scorched-earth retreat in northern Finland. When the soldiers decide to steal his gold, they quickly discover they just tangled with no ordinary miner.
Watch movie trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2k4QAItiSA
Sisu is a Finnish concept described as stoic determination, tenacity of purpose, grit, bravery, resilience, and hardiness. It is held by Finns to express their national character. It is generally considered not to have a literal equivalent in English (tenacity, grit, resilience, and hardiness are much the same things, but do not necessarily imply stoicism or bravery).