A Smorgasbord of Scandinavian Fare at Festival

The smell of sauteed onions and pork sausages permeated the air at Cal Lutheran University on Saturday as dancers, European delegates and others gathered for the school’s 25th annual Scandinavian Festival.

“We chopped up 300 pounds of onions last night,” said Kip Hacker of the Aid Assn. for Lutherans, as he flipped sausages and adjusted his plastic Viking hat.

But the onion-and-sausage sandwich wasn’t the only Scandinavian fare offered at the festival, which was co-sponsored by the Scandinavian American Cultural and Historical Foundation.

Swedish pancakes, smoked salmon and a plentiful smorgasbord delighted the thousands who attended the sunny outdoor event. Baltic dancers and consuls from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Finland paid tribute to Cal Lutheran’s Scandinavian background.

The university, which opened in 1959, was built on land donated by Richard Pederson, the son of Norwegian immigrants. It was his family’s dream that the land be used for the educational advancement of the youth of his church, community and nation, according to Cal Lutheran spokeswoman Lynda Fulford.

The smells, music and flags reminded many of the fair-goers of their former homes.

The sight of herring and sugary round Danish pastries made Astrid Erikson of Camarillo nostalgic for her homeland of Sweden. She said she was happily surprised to see so many other Scandinavian people at the festival, which continues today from noon to 5 p.m. at 60 W. Olsen Road.