Annual Swedish Christmas fair moved to GBC campus for first time.

George Brown College got to experience a little (Swedish) Christmas charm.

The Waterfront Campus played host to the 43rd annual Swedish Christmas Fair which took place over the course of two days Nov. 23 and 24.

This cultural event was organized by the Swedish Women’s Educational Association’s (SWEA) Toronto Chapter. It presented a lively combination of rich and various cultural trends and traditions, foods and beverages, folk dances and music.

Lisa Quondamatteo, one of the fair’s head coordinators who has been working on this since 2019, shared that this festival has taken place since 1982.

This is our first time at George Brown College. For the first 37 years we were at the Harbourfront Centre, from 1982 to 2018, and this was the time before internet. Before email when you had to hand write on paper and send it in the mail. But the first year they had it, they had 3,000 visitors and they couldn’t believe it. It has just kept growing from there, she said.

Visitors were lucky to taste Scandinavian treats, browse through crafts, Swedish mulled wine known as glögg, and learn more about the heritage of the Scandinavian country.

It must be mentioned that even at the time of the pandemic the organizer kept the tradition alive by running an online store, to great success.

One of the most prominent activities during the fair is the Lucia procession. The procession is a tradition and signifies light and hope during the long winter nights. A select group of Swedish children, candle in hand and wearing white clothing, act as a singing troupe. Slowly marching along the campus, they chant the Lucia song in Sweden language.

“The Lucia celebration holds a special place in Swedish culture. It reminds us of the importance of light and community, especially during the darkest days of the year,” she explained.

Thanks to financial success over more than four decades, the fair has raised funds to support Swedish cultural events and to provide scholarships for Ontario students studying in Sweden.

“So, every year, we give out somewhere between five and 10 scholarships. And we have about 70 applicants each year. At this point, I think we have given scholarships to about 300 students.”

Quondamatteo says in total, they have given scholarships out to students worth about $300,000.