MERA Nordic Festival Offers Entertainment for the Whole Family

Saturday, June 19th will see the MERA Schoolhouse in McDonald's Corners bustling with exciting experiences for the whole family as it hosts a noon to midnight Nordic Festival.

Visitors will be welcome all day long as there will be a full-sized troll house, with regular storytelling sessions for children, musical instrument making workshops, a Nordic café offering up a range of authentic foods, a Nordic art display, straw-figure workshops and Norwegian horses on display.

As well, there will be a beer tent, traditional musical entertainment and a steer-on-a-spit Viking supper. At sunset, there will be a celebratory parade, with willow lanterns, a horse-drawn float with musicians, people with musical instruments and the general public, with and without Nordic costumes. An outdoor music concert of Finnish music and a bonfire will round out the day.

The Nordic Festival is hosted by the MERA Schoolhouse arts and crafts committee, with generous support from the Canada Council. In previous years, MERA Festivals have included a Greek theme with a labyrinth and a Celtic Festival with Celtic banners flying throughout the district. Over 1,500 people have attended these festivals.

A huge colourful mural, measuring 12 feet by 82 feet and hanging on the wall of a nearby municipal building, will overlook the festival. Designed by artist Marie France Nitski, it was created over three weeks by more than 30 volunteers dedicating over 400 hours in its creation. It is filled with Nordic mythical images, celebrating the Nordic contribution to world literature and culture.

Prior to the Festival, there will be a free workshop to create Finnish straw figures and decorations led by local artist, Liisa Rissanen held at the MERA Schoolhouse on May 15th and 16th. On Thursday, June 3rd, Karima Ellis, an internationally-known basketry artist from England will be making a free presentation on willow lanterns at MERA. As well, Ms. Ellis will be offering a willow lantern workshop from June 8 -12th. There is a modest $5.00 fee, and all participants get to keep their lanterns. Children with adult accompaniment are welcome. Participants will be encouraged to bring their lantern to the festival parade.

Day passes for the Festival are $5.00 for individuals and $10.00 for a family. The Viking supper costs $10.00 per adult, under 16 years of age costs $5.00.

McDonald's Corners is located about 25 minutes north of Perth, via Highway #511 through Lanark Village to Regional Road #8. Individuals can register for the workshops by leaving their names and telephone numbers at (613) 278-0388.

For Media information, please contact Tom Shoebridge (613) 259-2452 or email: tomshoe@superaje.com

Caption: Willow lanterns like the ones pictured above will be part of the Nordic workshops to be lead by British artist, Karima Ellis, and the sunset parade at the Nordic Festival, June 19th.

Caption: Willow lanterns like the ones pictured above will be part of the Nordic workshops to be lead by British artist, Karima Ellis, and the sunset parade at the Nordic Festival, June 19th.