Lyngblomsten cancels annual Mid-Summer Festival in 2022 due to COVID-19 safety concerns

January 11, 2022

Lyngblomsten, a Christian nonprofit in St. Paul that has been serving older adults since 1906, will not host its annual Mid-Summer Festival in 2022. The nonprofit cited concerns about the safety of hosting a largescale event that would attract hundreds of visitors to its campus as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

“This was a tough decision to make, but I’m confident it’s the right one,” said Andrea Lewandoski, festival organizer and Lyngblomsten’s Director of Lifelong Learning & the Arts. “Organizing an event of this size begins six months in advance. With all the unknowns of how the pandemic will be impacting our communities through the coming year, we decided the safest, most prudent course of action would be to forego a festival in 2022.”

Lewandoski noted that in place of the festival, Lyngblomsten will host smaller events throughout the year that highlight how the arts, wellness, and lifelong learning are woven into the fabric of Lyngblomsten. Plans include to display pieces created by residents, tenants, and community participants during multiple arts showcases, as well as to host performers from a variety of arts organizations Lyngblomsten partners with throughout the year, such as the Minnesota Opera and the MacPhail Center for Music.

“While we won’t have a Mid-Summer Festival this year, I’m excited for the ways we will be celebrating the arts and lifelong learning,” Lewandoski said. “Our residents, tenants, and community participants are living creative, vibrant lives—even in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.”

Lyngblomsten held its first summer festival more than 100 years ago in 1913 to pay tribute to Anna Quale Fergstad, the nonprofit’s founder and first president. Over the years, the event transformed to a celebration for the Como area community. The event has not occurred the last two years due to safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.