Musicians exchanged tunes prior to walking in the procession at Gammelgården, leading to the celebration around the midsummer pole in Scandia, MN. Ross and Marta Nelson are in the foreground and the musicians from Scendraget of Sundsvall, Sweden in the back. ENLARGE IMAGE »

Participants in the procession at Scandia, MN, walked from the traditional Swedish midsummer meal to the midsummer pole. Musicians from Sundsvall, Sweden, joined performers from Scandia and the Twin Cities. ENLARGE IMAGE »

Midsummer is here, everyone plays, everyone dances; joy and happiness during the långdans at Gammelgården’s midsummer celebration in Scandia. ENLARGE IMAGE »

Frances Olson on fiddle and Carolyn Spargo on accordion performed the music for the traditional song games around the midsummer pole in Scandia. They were joined by another visiting musician from Sundsvall, Sweden. The participants danced something Swedish American, called, “Vi kan dansa labadu,” in which they sit on each other’s laps as they make their way around the circle. Photo by V. S. Arrowsmith. ENLARGE IMAGE »