Andrew Peterson Day

Karl OskarAndrew Peterson

There is news from Andrew Peterson advocate Leanne Brown about the possibility of an “Andrew Peterson Day” in late September.

Needless to say, I’m so excited, I’ve started growing a foot-long beard, ala Andrew, to celebrate.

I mean, Lindstrom has a well-established Karl Oskar Days, based on the fictional characters from Vilhelm Moberg’s series about Swedish emigrants. So why don’t we have a day commemorating a real Swedish emigrant who lived nearby and served as one of the inspirations for the character?

This year, Karl Oscar Days is July 11-13. The event boasts many activities. However, a highlight appears to be the Snuff Box Hunt, which I find infinitely more interesting than the typical medallion search.

During Karl Oscar Days, Lindstrom also celebrates its Swedish sister city of Tingsryd. County Commissioner Randy Maluchnik has pushed for a similar “sister” project with Sweden.

For all you southern metro people who need to get out more often, the event provides a good excuse to check out Lindstrom. It’s in the north metro and, along with other cities near the St. Croix River, served as a hotbed of Swedish immigration.

It includes a number of Swedish elements (notably its watertower/giant Swedish coffee pot). But its downtown also includes store signs, in Swedish and English, butcher shops that advertise Swedish potato sausage (known as korv in the Olson household), and bakeries that advertise Swedish donuts.

Lindstrom also has a controversial and busy highway (Highway 8) that splits its downtown ala Highway 41, so Chaskans should be able to relate with Lindstromians.