Swedish Days returns for a fun-filled weekend in Geneva

GENEVA – Swedish Days returned to downtown Geneva on Wednesday, bringing the sounds of laughter and children on carnival rides, the sweet smell of fried food and an air of good, old-fashioned family fun.

The popular summer festival runs through Sunday.

Brittany Grubb grew up in Geneva and has been coming to Swedish Days since she was a child. Now, three generations of her family come out to enjoy the festivities.

Grubb was relaxing in the shade with her mother, Peggy Young, and her niece, Sophie Young, while her three sons were enjoying the rides. Grubb said she and her kids plan to be at the festival all weekend long.

“The kids look forward to this all year,” Grubb said. “It’s a tradition, right?”

Sophie, who was enjoying a blue sno-cone, was visiting from Florida and attending Swedish Days for the first time. Sophie said her favorite “ride” was the fun house and her favorite thing of the festival were the sno-cones.

1 of 7

Riders fly high during the first day of the 2023 Swedish Days Festival on Wednesday, June 21, 2023. (Sandy Bressner – sbressner@shawmedia.com)

Jeff Wilson was working in the Geneva Lions Club tent Wednesday afternoon and said while attendance on the first day is always a bit low, his guess is that it will be great this weekend.

This is Wilson’s fourth year working the Lions Club tent during Swedish Days. Proceeds from the Lions Club tent go to providing eye exams and glasses to those in need.

Wilson said their hottest item is always the brats from Ream’s Meat Market in Elburn, though the walking tacos introduced last year are giving the brats a run for their money.

“It’s a great local event and it’s a beautiful day,” Wilson said. “I love being out here and talking to all the people.”

Kevin Bonato was walking through the festival with his 8-year-old pet pig on Third Street, stopping often to allow strangers to say hello to Piggy and give him a scratch.

Bonato said he has been to Swedish Days about 20 times and Piggy comes with when the weather is nice. He said they were both enjoying the breeze and the festivities.

Eight-year-olds Franklin Fieser and Duke Schrieber were at the festival with their babysitter Ellie Hood, 20, and had their hands full of prizes they won at the carnival. All three were born and raised in Geneva and have been coming to the carnival for as long as they could remember.

The boys’ favorite part of the fair was the rides. Franklin was quick to claim the Cliffhanger as his favorite ride. Duke was torn between the Cliffhanger, the Zipper, Zero Gravity and the Rockstar. Hood said the food, especially the ice cream, was her favorite attraction.

Wilson Zervos was sitting with his puppy Denali while eating food near the Knights of Columbus tent. It was his first time at Swedish Days and said both his and Denali’s favorite food was Graham’s ice cream.

Geneva Police Sgt. Bradley Jerdee was working in the Torch Run tent selling T-shirts and raffle tickets for a chance to win a Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was donated by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police. Proceeds from the tent go toward raising awareness and funding for the Special Olympics. Jerdee said he has been working the Torch Run tent since 2007, and after raising $31,000 last year, this year’s goal is $40, 000.

Chris LaRocco has been working the Knights of Columbus tent for the past six years. He said the hottest food items in their tent always are the turkey legs and the corn on the cob.

Geneva Swedish Days, sponsored by the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, has been a summer tradition for more than 70 years, dating to 1949. The event celebrates the heritage of Swedish immigrants who settled in the area.

The festival returned to a full five days in 2022 after a brief hiatus because of the pandemic in 2020 and a shortened event in 2021. This year’s festival will run through the weekend, ending Sunday afternoon after the Swedish Days Parade.

A full schedule of Swedish Days events and food offerings is available on the Geneva Chamber of Commerce’s website.