On Friday, tents lined the grassy area with various items for sale, most of which in the spirit of Scandinavian culture. This is precisely in line with how Festival Coordinator Don Sandy has described what the annual festival all about.

“This is all about celebrating the Scandinavian culture,” Sandy said.

Preservation of Scandinavian culture is the festival’s emphasis, Sandy said, noting a vast amount of Jamestown’s population has roots in Scandinavian ancestry.

“We estimate that more than half the people who live in Jamestown have a Scandinavian ancestor and Jamestown was a destination for Swedes, particularly coming in from the 1860s to the 1920s,” Sandy said. “Most of the people now are the third of fourth generation from that (time period) and so generation after generation the culture gets diluted.”

David Sally and Brian Newman practice throwing knives and axes at targets inside the "Viking Village," during the Scandinavian Folk Festival in Gerry on Friday.

Sandy expressed his gratitude for the event, and despite all the work, said he will miss the festival on Monday when everyone is gone. “This is a way for people to reestablish those roots,” Sandy said.

Inside the Market Tent, which comprises three separate booths, have numerous items for sale. One booth was designated as the gift shop; the second booth had handmade Scandinavian-related items; and the third was the loppis booth, which means flea market.

Sandy said the “loppis” booth consists of items that Scandinavian descendants are getting rid of.

“A lot of Swedes, maybe, are getting rid of some of their items,” Sandy said. “(Their Grandparents) used to have a lot of Swedish stuff but now the younger kids don’t want all that stuff. Heaven forbid I want everything of my grandparents but not everybody is that way.”

Everything that is sold or showcased at the festival must be related to Scandinavian culture. For example, Sandy said a random sunglasses vendor wouldn’t be necessarily be allowed to participate in the festival.

The festival is filled with events throughout the weekend, including competitions as well as a Viking Village just past the main stage. There, one can take a trip back into history and interact with historical reenactors from the entertainment group the Sloshbucklers, from Wellsville.

The village is also equipped with a blacksmith, a spinster and Vikings to teach you how to throw an axe.

Reenactor Brian Newman said the Viking Village is a place that represents the trade work that would’ve been going on in earlier medieval times.

“We’ve got a little bit of everything that would’ve (been) needed to pull together in order to have a functioning village,” Newman said.

The Sloshbucklers come back to the Scandinavian Folk Festival year after year. For Newman, he said he considers it home.

The Scandinavian Folk Festival will continue today from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The festival includes various competitions, food and drink, as well as live musical performances.