Sharpen your axes and gather your clan—BERSERK, our epic Viking festival, is storming back into town on Saturday, September 26th!
TWO Rival Viking Encampments will take over the front lawn—witness warriors crafting tools of the past, playing traditional Viking games, and clashing in combat demonstrations throughout the day. It all leads up to an all-out battle to the “death” at 2PM—you won’t want to miss it!
WHEN: 11am – 3pm TICKETS: Adults $20 in advance ($25 day of), Kids 12 & under $10 ($15 day of) get your tickets here!
Want to be part of the raid? We’re still welcoming Volunteers, Vendors, and Food Trucks to join our mighty village. Fill out the form here.
ON THE LAWN:
⚔️ Viking Encampments Step into the world of Norse warriors—explore daily life, tools, and traditions in our rival camps.
🛡️ Crafts, Games & Warrior Training Fun for all ages—test your skills, train like a Viking, and unleash your inner shield-maiden or berserker!
🪨 Stone Lifting with the New England Stone Lifters Think you’ve got Viking strength? Step up and try your hand at lifting legendary stones—glory (and bragging rights) await!
🔥 Climactic Battle at 2PM The rival camps collide in an epic showdown—don’t miss the action!
🧸 KIDS’ CORNER:
ᚱ Rune-Making Station
Create your own Viking message in ancient runes—mystical, magical, and yours to take home!
🧶 Weaving Station
Try your hand at traditional weaving and craft something colorful, cozy, and uniquely yours.
⚔️ Viking Interaction Zone
Meet the Vikings! Ask questions, explore gear, and step right into the world of Norse legends.
🍽️ FEAST-LIKE FJORD-FOLK:
🧇 Waffle Samples from our beloved Kaffestugan (inside) Warm, golden, and impossible to resist—come taste a Scandinavian favorite.
🥖 Nordic Breads, Prepared Foods, Candies & Scandi Goods (inside Kaffestugan) Stock up on sweet, savory, and everything in between—your Nordic pantry starts here.
🌭 Icelandic Hot Dogs from Gunnar’s Icelandic Hot Dogs A true Reykjavík street food classic—juicy hot dogs piled high with crispy onions, sweet brown mustard, remoulade, and more. One bite and you’ll understand the hype.
Prepare your shield, don your cloak, and get ready to go BERSERK! Skål!
Saturday, September 26th | 11am – 3pm | $20 for adults, $10 for kids | tickets
🌻Join us at the SCC&L for our outdoor Midsummer festival!🌻
Celebrate the summer solstice adorned in a flower crown and dancing around the maypole, or sit back and enjoy your picnic lunch while listening to the live music. There’s something for everyone, and all ages are welcome.
🎁boxed lunch prepared by Kaffestugan
🎶live musical performance by Merulae
🌷singing and dancing around the maypole
🍬Swedish candy and pantry goods for sale
⚽Sweden vs. Netherlands World Cup game showing in the Nordic Hall
Meet us at Boston City Hall Plaza for a ceremonial flag raising to celebrate Sweden’s National Day. Hosted by the Honorary Consul of Sweden in New York, Ann-Kristin Lund, this free event will feature remarks and a musical performance in addition to the flag raising.
Excited to spend a morning with your current craft project,
Or need inspiration for a new one?
If the answer to any of the above is YES, head to the Scandinavian Cultural Center & Library for our Nordic Knit & Craft Gathering! This event is hosted in our Nordic Hall on the 2nd Saturday of every month from 10am to noon. Bring some supplies, whether it’s something you’ve been working on or something brand new, and be ready to show off your project to other curious crafters! Feel free to take a break and head to the Kaffestugan for a coffee, pastry or sandwich to enjoy while you work and chat. This event is open to all, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist–you might learn something new!
Saturday, June 13th | 10am-12pm | free with registration | donations to support free programming are welcome
Repeats on the 2nd Saturday every month through June
*This will be our last craft gathering of the season!
We are thrilled to host a screening of Kings of Kubb, featuring a personalized recorded introduction from directors Steve Dayton and B.J. Hollars. If you’re already a kubb pro, we know you’ll want to see this exciting documentary and join us for some games of kubb (also called “viking chess”) on the lawn afterwards. If you’re confused and wondering what kubb is, come find out! The Swedish lawn game has taken hold over the small city of Eau Claire, Wisconsin–with a population of just 70,000, it hosts the largest weekly kubb league in the world, with 144 teams competing. Filmmakers Dayton and Hollars illuminate the formation of the U.S. National Kubb Championship and what the sport means to its players, four in particular who are vying for the championship.
“It’s not quite bowling. It’s not quite bags. And it’s far more than “throwing sticks at blocks.” When the Nordic lawn game arrived in the United States, American players quickly discovered that—even with skill, strategy, and mental toughness—kubb can break your heart… or heal it.
KINGS OF KUBB follows four elite competitors, each willing to risk everything for a shot at the U.S. National Kubb Championship, held in the Kubb Capital of North America (Eau Claire, WI). As the stakes rise on the pitch, real-world pressures beyond it reveal a powerful story of legacy, rivalry, and the fragile line between friendship and ambition. What does it cost to be the best? And how high a price will one pay to be crowned the King of Kubb?”
Saturday, June 6th | 1pm | $10, $5 for members | tickets
EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholders receive free admission. To reserve free tickets, email caroline@scandicenter.org
As June settles in and the city air turns thick with heat and possibility, join us for a screening of Summer with Monika, Ingmar Bergman’s sensual, restless portrait of young love and fleeting freedom.
Released in 1953 and considered groundbreaking in its frank depiction of sexuality and desire, Summer with Monika follows two young lovers who escape Stockholm for an idyllic summer by the sea, chasing a life untethered from responsibility, routine, and expectation. What begins as sun-soaked romance slowly shifts into something more raw and aching as summer fades and reality presses in.
Dreamy, rebellious, and deeply atmospheric, the film captures the intoxicating feeling of youth suspended in time — cigarette smoke curling through warm air, long Nordic evenings, the shimmer of water, and the quiet sadness that often lingers beneath beautiful moments.
A landmark of Swedish cinema and an early glimpse of Bergman’s emotional brilliance, Summer with Monika remains as provocative, intimate, and haunting today as when it first premiered.
97 minutes | Swedish with English subtitles
Saturday, June 13th | 1pm | $10*, $5 for members | tickets
*Free admission for anyone who qualifies for WIC, EBT, or ConnectorCare. Email caroline@scandicenter.org to reserve a ticket free of charge or request tickets in person at the event.
Celebrate the arrival of summer by making a pajaki with us!
Hosting a fun Midsummer craft mashup! Pajakis are a traditional Polish craft–and here we marry it with a Swedish maypole!
They can be small mobiles hung in your home, massive chandeliers displayed in museums, or anything in between! We will decorate ours with midsummer felted flower and strawberries. Leave with your own charming summer decoration.
All materials will be provided. Make sure to reserve your spot early, as space is limited!
Saturday, May 30th | 10am-12pm | $50 per person, $40 for members | tickets
Join us at Boston City Hall Plaza to commemorate the 201st anniversary of the first organized Norwegian emigration to the United States. On July 4, 1825, the sloop Restauration set sail from Stavanger, Norway, carrying 52 hopeful emigrants seeking a new life in America. This voyage marked the beginning of a significant chapter in Norwegian-American history, leading to nearly 900,000 Norwegians immigrating to North America over the next century.
The flag-raising ceremony will honor this historic journey and celebrate the enduring ties between Norway and the United States. The event will feature the hoisting of the Norwegian flag, remarks, and a performance by children from Eliot K-8 Innovation School, who will sing the American and Norwegian National Anthems.
This event is free and open to the public. All are welcome to attend and celebrate this milestone in our shared history.
Thursday, May 14th | 12pm | free | Boston City Hall Plaza
Saturday, May 16th
17. mai family picnic
Scandinavian Cultural Center – 206 Waltham Street – West Newton, MA 02465
Schedule of Events
12:30pm – Gather for 17. mai parade at the entrance to the SCC
12:45 pm – Step-off time for the parade
1pm – Welcome and tale for dagen
1:30pm – Lunch
2:15pm – Games for the children
Tickets for lunch will be sold as people arrive.
Adults: $15 (smørbrød, beverage, and dessert)
Children: $5 (pølser m/lompe, beverage, and dessert)
(Additional smørbrød may be purchased for $10 each.)
Welcome to celebrate Vappu (Finnish May Day) with Suomi-koulu and Finlandia Foundation Boston Chapter.
We are hosting a Vappu picnic at the Scandinavian Cultural Center on May 2, 2026 from 12.30 to 3 pm! We have traditional Vappu-munkki (donuts) made by Sweet Finnish bakery, Rindge NH. We are also crafting Vappu-masks with children.
You can bring your own picnic blanket and drinks or enjoy Kaffestugan’s baked goods and drinks. (If it rains, we will be inside). This event is free of charge.
BERSERK RETURNS! 
TWO Rival Viking Encampments will take over the front lawn—witness warriors crafting tools of the past, playing traditional Viking games, and clashing in combat demonstrations throughout the day. It all leads up to an all-out battle to the “death” at 2PM—you won’t want to miss it!
WHEN: 11am – 3pm
TICKETS: Adults $20 in advance ($25 day of), Kids 12 & under $10 ($15 day of) get your tickets here!
Want to be part of the raid?
