American Scandinavian Foundation Folk Art Fellowship 
​Date: Mid  July to Early August. 
Location: Uppland and Södermanland 
Renee Vaughan is a recipient of her second American-Scandinavian Foundation Fellowship and will study in Sweden with master tradition bearers Cajsa Ekstav (nyckelharpa), Christina Frohm (violin and dance), and Bert Persson (folk dance), focusing on 16th-note polska from Uppland and Södermanland and exploring traditional dance variations in ways that are inclusive and accessible for all learners.
Lyngblomsten's 120 Anniversary Celebration 
Date: August 6, 2026 
Location: St. Paul
From its beginnings in 1903, when a group of Norwegian women transformed a literary club into a mission of care and community, Lyngblomsten has grown into a respected leader in serving older adults while remaining rooted in its founding values of compassion, dignity, and connection.  Featuring Les LaCroix (guitar) and Renee Vaughan (nyckelharpa).
Tales of Nyckelharpa and Näcken 
Date: August 8, 2026 
Location: Chanhassen Public Library
Step into the enchanting world of Nordic folk music and folklore! Enchanting Tales of Nyckelharpa & Näcken, where stories and tunes come alive. Discover the legend of the Näcken, a shapeshifting water spirit whose music could make chairs dance, stop waterfalls, and even cast spells on other musicians. Musicians protected themselves with a trollpåse, a magical pouch hidden in their instrument. This lively performance blends storytelling, history, and music, and is perfect for young listeners and families alike.​  
Gammelgården Spelmanstämma
Date: August 15, 2026  
Location: Scandia, MN  .Spelmansstämma is a free, family-friendly event that will feature American bluegrass, Swedish/Nordic, and Japanese folk music, along with visual arts and crafts and American and Japanese food and beverages available for purchase. The festival was recognized as one of the ten best summer festivals in Minnesota by TravelMag.com.

Renee will be performing in two collaborations: a new project with guitarist Les LaCroix, and with Vårvinder, a group exploring the space between Nordic folk music and jazz.
Music in the Trees 
Date: August 16, 2026.  1:00PM at Stand #1
Location: Belwin Conservatory in Afton, MN 
Music in the Trees is Belwin’s annual outdoor music experience set among the red pines. Audiences wander wooded trails while musicians perform from platforms high in the trees, creating a one-of-a-kind listening experience. Guests are invited to stroll, pause, and take in the music and scenery at their own pace during this immersive celebration of nature and sound.  Renee Vaughan (nyckelharpa) and Paul Sauey (guitar) will be playing Swedish Folk tunes from the through the forest canopy.  Tickets available at
https://belwin.org/how-to-music-in-the-trees/
Finnish Folk Traditions: Music, Song and Dance 
Date: August 20, 2026.  Time 6:30PM 
Location: Viking Library, New York Mills, MN
Traditional Finnish folk music and songs performed on nyckelharpa, an instrument often association with Sweden, but also has historical roots in Finland. 

Participants are invited into intergenerational folk dance, including the letkis (letkajenkka) and the Ostrobothnian minuet step, part of a continuous dance tradition in western Finland. 
Tales of Nyckelharpa and Näcken 
Date: August 24, 2026.  6:00pm
Location: Stillwater Public Library
Explore the rich folklore woven into Scandinavian Folk Music, including legends of the Näcken, a shapeshifting spirit with the power to enchant musicians and their instruments. Once enchanted, their music held the extraordinary ability to make chairs dance and stop waterfalls. Musicians themselves could cast spells at one another, necessitating protective measures like a trollpåse hidden in their instrument.  Free event
Kräftskiva Party
Date: August 28, 2026
Location: American Swedish Institute 
Celebrate Sweden’s beloved end-of-summer tradition at the American Swedish Institute’s kräftskiva, or crayfish party! Enjoy a festive evening outdoors with lanterns, music under the stars, and a traditional Swedish crayfish feast featuring breads, cheeses, salads, and paj. Don your party hat, raise a glass, and sing along to classic snapsvisor drinking songs.  Music by Renee Vaughan (nyckelharpa), Laura MacKenzie (wind powered instruments,) and Mattie Snyder (cello)  
From Cradle to Crossing
Date:  September 3, 2026  
Location: Woodbury, MN 
​Using cultural artifacts, paintings, music, and dance, Renee sparks guided discussions that encourage participants to reflect on their own heritage and cultural traditions. 

This program is specifically designed for seniors, and guides us through reflection, community, and connection through the power of lived experience. 
ASI Male Chorus Paddleboat on the St. Croix 
Date:  September 8, 2026  
Location: Stillwater, MN 
The American Swedish Institute's Male Choir returns from their wildly successful tour of Sweden in time for their annual paddle boat ride down the St. Croix River.  Autumn colors will be peeking out and music will be in rollin' down the river.   Music provided by the ASI Male Chorus, Renee Vaughan (nyckelharpa) and Oliver Hunter (saxophone)   Tickets available at asimalechorus.org 
Nordic Music Fest 
Date: September 12, 2026
Location: Victoria, MN
The Nordic Music Fest is the only festival dedicated to traditional folk music and dance from the countries of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. It’s a full day of Nordic music, dance, food, and culture

The Keyed Duo are Elise Peters and Renee Vaughan, two nyckelharpa players that will share a set of polska deep-cuts and maybe a cleansing schottis or two.  

Fresh from their summer studies in Sweden, Laura MacKenzie (flutes and säckpipa) and Renee Vaughan (nyckelharpa) share traditional Swedish tunes along with a few discovered from their travels.
Minnesota State Fiddle Association Workshop 
Date: September 13, 2026
Location:  Robert Trail Library in Rosemount

​Fiddler Per August Widmark was born in 1864 in Vingåker, Södermanland, Sweden, to one of the leading fiddlers of his time, the famed Olov August Widmark. Per emigrated to St. Paul, Minnesota in 1887, and eventually settled in Minerva Township in Clearwater County. He carried with him his father Olov August Widmark’s fiddle and tune book. The Widmark tune book is a living record of changing musical traditions, and handwriting!  Swedish dance tunes  from the early-mid 1800’s alongside turn of the century Upper Midwest fiddle repertoire, reflecting how music shifted across generations and geography.
Come learn about this musician and tunes from the Widmark family tradition with musician Renee Vaughan, who has studied with Södermanland tradition bearer Christina Frohm. We will take on a waltz, a polonaise, and additional repertoire based on the vibes.    
History Speaks: The Nordic Newcomers! 
Date: September 16, 2026
Location: Ephraim, WI
During the mid to late 1800s, the Upper Midwest became the chosen homeland for thousands of Swedish immigrants, including some of the most skilled musicians from their villages before they departed for this new land.  Renee's presentation highlights the lives and musical heritage of these musicians, how their music adapted upon arrival in Wisconsin and Minnesota

Renee will also host a SPARK! session for people with memory loss focusing on Swedish folk arts in painting, song and movement. 
FinnFest 2026
Date: September 18-20, 2026 
Location: Minneapolis, MN
​A Dance Across Centuries: The Minuet in Ostrobothnia traces how the elegant 1700s court minuet took root in the villages of Finnish Ostrobothnia, where it is still danced today, including an unbroken tradition in Jeppo, Finland. 

​With live music, brief historical context, and a chance to try a few steps, participants will experience how this refined dance became a vibrant Finnish folk tradition connecting generations.   Date and time TBD 
Polska of the People!  Music and Movement Workshop
​Date: October 4, 2026 
Location: American Swedish Institute 
Participants will learn a traditional Swedish 16th-note polska (often referred to as slängpolska) from Uppland, Södermanland, and Skåne and explore how these regional styles connect to the larger polska family. We will see how the music connects to the traditional dance step, as well as an adaptive version that is welcoming and accessible for non-dancers.
​
This workshop is open to all levels of experience. Whether you want to play, dance, do both, or simply observe and listen, you are welcome to participate in the way that feels right for you.  Made possible by the American-Scandinavian Foundation.  
Photo from the Historic Grass Lake Mission Church  
Nordic Newcomers Historic Grass Lake Mission Church 
Location: Historic Grass Lake Mission Church
Address:  2650 133rd Ave.  Braham MN
​Date: Sunday, October 11, 2026 
Join us at the Historic Grass Lake Mission Church—the last surviving building of the Swedish immigrant town.  Built in 1898, this historic site features their newly restored late-19th-century chapel pump organ played by musician,  Judy Peterson. 

Renee Vaughan (nyckelharpa) will share tunes and stories of the Swedish musicians who settled in the area.  (50 mile radius) of the church.   Sepcial feature will be on John Nordenstrom an award winning folk musician who lived in the area, including Grass Lake!   Other Swedish immigrant musicians featured will be Tång Anna, Per Selander, Gumas Lars Larsson, and Korp Eric Linde.   
Finnish American Heritage Center 
Date: Saturday, October  17, 2026  
Location: Hancock Michigan ​
​
This October, Vårvindar heads north to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, bringing Nordic melodies to the Finnish American Heritage Center.

We’re thrilled to share Nordic tunes with the Yoopers, some new, some familiar, all awesome.  Featuring Oliver Hunter (saxophone), Mattie Snyder (cello), Mary Cait Bayliss (violin) and Renee Vaughan (nyckelharpa) 

Minnesota State Fiddle Association Workshop 
Date: October 25, 2026
Location:  Robert Trail Library in Rosemount

​Born on May 28, 1922, in Minerva Township, Clearwater County, Minnesota, Irene Widmark grew up an only child, into a musical family. At age sixteen, when her parents purchased the Elmwood Dance Hall in Alida, Irene’s role as a community musician blossomed. She played accordion and piano for dancers who filled the hall and extended her reach beyond Alida by performing at the Moose Lodges in International Falls and Winnipeg, as well as at countless PTA gatherings and local events. Her high school years also included playing clarinet in the marching band and singing with the glee club.
​
Irene played with her dance band, which featured Irene on accordion, alongside musicans with fiddle, guitar, banjo, and keyboard. Together they brought Scandinavian melodies to life in northern Minnesota, keeping traditions alive.
Come learn some tunes from the Irene (Widamark) Kiel's tradition with Renee Vaughan 
Nordic Lullabies and Nightmares: Songs & Stories
Date: October 26, 2025 6:00pm 
Location: Stillwater Public Library
Experience traditional songs from Sweden, Iceland, and other Nordic countries, both sung and played on the nyckelharpa, a centuries-old Nordic instrument. 

These melodies move between light and shadow, and some have been passed down as folktales that try to inspire sleep, comfort, and a wee bit of Nordic angst and existential dread.
European Christmas Market
Date:  November 22, 2026.  3:00PM 
Location: St. Paul Union Depot
Enjoy the wonderful atmosphere of an authentic European Christmas Market while supporting our local crafters and artisans selling unique, handmade holiday gifts and delicious European and festive foods!  Renee Vaughan (nyckelharpa) will be sharing Swedish Jul favorites 
Dala Heritage Society's St. Lucia Celebration
Date:  December 13, 2025
Location: Mora, MN  Calvary Lutheran Church
The Dala Heritage Society has been maintaining the Scandinavian tradition of celebrating St. Lucia since 1978.  This year it falls on the actual St. Lucia Day too!!   
There will be the crowning of Lucia, FIKA and live music with Renee Vaughan,  Paul Sauey and Rose Arrowsmith.  This event is free of charge and is sponsored by a generous grant from the East Central Regional Arts Council.
European Christmas Market
Date:  December 19, 2026.  6:00PM 
Location: St. Paul Union Depot
Enjoy the wonderful atmosphere of an authentic European Christmas Market while supporting our local crafters and artisans selling unique, handmade holiday gifts and delicious European and festive foods!  Renee Vaughan (nyckelharpa) will be sharing Swedish Jul favorites 
National Music Museum 
Date:  February 5, 2027
Location: Vermillion, SD 

Renee Vaughan presents "Keys Across the Sea: Nyckelharpas in the Upper Midwest.  
The Instruments and Stories of early Swedish Immigrants"  at the National Music Museum.   an afternoon of music and storytelling centered on the journeys of the nyckelharpa and the musicians who carried it across the sea and settled in the Wisconsin, Minnesota, and South Dakota.  

Previous Events - Past Year

06-27-2026  Gammelgården Midsommar
06-26-2026 American Union of Swedish Singers: Grand Concert
06-19-2026 National Music Museum
06-19-2026 The 156th Midsommar Celebration at Dalesburg, SD 
06-13-2026 Duluth-Stämman
05-27-2026 Minneapolis Improvement District 
05-15-2026 Rochester Arts Guild 
05-7-2026  Cochlear Implant Music Hour, Univ. of Southern California 
​05-3-2026 Minneapolis May Day Parade 
05-2-2026 Belgian Heritage Center
04-30-2026 American School of Storytelling 
04-28-2026 Valborgsmässoafton Dance at American Swedish Institute
04-20-2026 Minnesota Public Radio Class Notes 
04-15-2026 Nordic Workshop at HotSpot in Northfield 
04-11-2026 International Festival of Minnesota
04-10-2026 International Festival of Minnesota
03-28-2026 Nordic Ball 
03-20-2026 House Concert 
03-17-2026 Waldmann 
03-17-2026 Weyerhauser Auditorium 
03-12-2026 Minnesota Public Radio Class Notes 
03-9-2026 Private Event 
03-8-2026 Women in Nordic Music Event at ASI 
01-22-2026 Midwinter Folk Festival at the American Swedish Instit.
01-21-2026 Cedar Cultural Center
01-21-2026 Midwinter Folk Festival at the American Swedish Instit.  
01-24-2026 Heritage Library
01-17-2026 Minnesota Orchestra Nordic Soundscapes Festival
01-15-2026. MPR Class Notes 
01-14-2026 BalFolk Dance 
01-5-2026 Jul Ball at ASI 
01-3-2026. WCCO TV Good Morning Show 
12-28-2025. Folklore Village 
12-24-2025 First Presbyterian Church 
12-20-2025. Gammelgåren Jul Tea Party 
12-19-2025. The Acreage Retreat 
12-12-2025. Finnish Bistro
12-12-2025. Braham Brewing 
12-7-2025. Julmarknad at ASI
12-6-2025. Julmarknad at ASI
11-29-2025.  European Christmas Market 
11-24-2025.  Gustavus Adolphus College 
11-19-2025.  Happy Trucker Show
​11-17-2025. Harmony for Mayo Clinic Concert Series & Live Stream
11-16-2025. Lutefisk Dinner at American Swedish Institute
11-15-2025. Woodbury Public Library Swedish Folk Painting Dalmålning Workshop
11-12-2025. Minnesota Public Radio Class Notes Sessions
11-09-2025. Nordic Social Dance
11-07-2025. American Musicology Association Performance
10-30-2025. Wyoming Public Library Swedish Folk Painting Dalmålning
10-28-2025. Minnesota Children’s Hospitals and Clinics: Star Studio
10-28-2025. Rush City Public Library Nordic Newcomers Presentation and Performance
10-25-2025. MacGregor Public Library Nordic Newcomers Presentation and Performance
10-23-2025. Mille Lacs Public Library Introduction to Swedish Folk Painting Dalmålning
10-19-2025. Grass Lake Mission Church Performance
10-16-2025. Sandstone Public Library Nordic Newcomers Presentation and Performance
10-14-2025. Milaca Public Library Nordic Newcomers Presentation and Performance
10-13-2025. North Branch Public Library Swedish Folk Painting Dalmålning
10-07-2025. Hinkley Public Library Swedish Folk Painting Dalmålning
09-24-2025. Norsk Høstfest
09-21-2025. Norsk Høstfest in the Schools (including Air Force Base)
09-17-2025. Minneapolis Improvement District Street Show
09-09-2025. ASI Men’s Choir Paddleboat Cruise
09-08-2025. Scandia Sister City
09-06-2025. Victoria Nordic Music Fest
09-03-2025. Scandia Farmer’s Market & Sister City Event
08-27-2025. Minneapolis Improvement District Street Show
08-22-2025. Kräftvisa at American Swedish Institute
08-16-2025. Gammelgärden Spelmanstämma
08-13-2025. Scandia Farmer’s Market
08-12-2025. Minneapolis Improvement District Street Show
08-03-2025. FinnFest: Maria/Magnus Presentation and Performance
07-26-2025. Nordic Camp: Music, Dance and Painting
07-25-2025. Lake Elmo Library Swedish Music and Storytelling
07-19-2025. Daughters of Norway International Convention
07-09-2025. Scandia Farmer’s Market
07-08-2025. Balfolk Dance at Mpls. Eagles Club
06-28-2025. American Craft Council Festival at Union Depot
06-28-2025. Midsummer at Red Pine Winery
06-26-2025. Maria Magnus Presentation and Performance at American Swedish Institute
06-21-2025. Midsummer at at American Swedish Institute
06-20-2025. Salad Hilowle Exhibit Opener at American Swedish Institute
06-13-2025. Duluth-Stämman Nordic Music Festival
​04-27-2025. World Nyckelharpa Day
04-26-2025. Scandinavian Studies National Conference Performance
04-12-2025. MSP International Film Festival
04-06-2025. Norseland Nordic Newcomers Presentation
03-29-2025. Twin Cities Annual Nordic Ball
03-23-2025 Hardwood Creek Library Nordic Newcomers Presentation
03-17-2025. Weyerhaeuser Auditorium at Landmark Center with McNordiques
03-17-2025. Waldmann Brewing with McNordiques
03-01-2025. Midwinter Folk Festival with FYRA
02-28-2025. Sacred Heart Music, Opener for FRIGG Opener with FYRA
02-27-2025. Scandia Sister City Event
02-22-2025. Minnesota State Fiddlers Association Nordic Newcomers
01-31-2025. American Swedish Institute: Opener for SKYE Consort
01-17-2025. MN Orchestra — Nordic Soundscapes Festival
01-12-2025. Nordic Social Dance at Tapestry
01-03-2025. House Concert with McNordiques
Copyright © 2025 Renee Vaughan