Valborg is a Swedish tradition that marks the arrival of spring and is often seen as an opportunity to bid farewell to the winter months. One of the central elements of Valborg celebrations in Sweden is the lighting of large bonfires. These bonfires are typically lit in public spaces, such as parks or community squares, and people gather around them to socialize, sing songs, and enjoy the warmth of the fire. In addition to bonfires, other common activities during Valborg include singing traditional songs, particularly ones associated with spring and nature.

We invite the community to come gather around the fire for our second Valborg in Andersonville! In addition to the festivities and in celebration of Earth Month, we will have eco-friendly and sustainability resources available. Chicago Swedish Mixed Chorus will be performing at 7PM. Gamelan Naga Biru is performing from 6-7PM. They are an ensemble that combines traditional and contemporary themes through storytelling from around the world and Indonesian performing arts. The stories are for all ages and told in English. Their current production is a puppet show called ‘Saving Spring’. It is a blend of Scandinavian and Indigenous folktales, and includes interludes featuring an Aesop’s fable adaptation.

Thank you to our Valborg sponsors: Chiro One, the Andersonville Sustainability Community Alliance and The Floriography Fellows