Jubilee Landing at 'The Rocks'
Visit from Swedish Royals and Finnish Speaker Mark Founding of New Sweden 375 Years Ago
WILMINGTON, Del., May 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In the Spring of 1638, a group of hardy colonists arrived on the shores of the Christina River aboard the Kalmar Nyckel. They established New Sweden Colony, the Delaware Valley's first permanent European settlement, the beginnings of Wilmington, and a colony that stretched into four states and brought a pioneer icon to America—the log cabin.
Designated as Jubilee Day, New Sweden Alliance is proud to feature a series of events scheduled for May 11, 2013, and attended by Their Majesties King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden and Speaker of the Parliament of Finland, Mr. Eero Heinaluoma.
"The settling of New Sweden is a significant but not well known part of American history," says Sheila Romine, president of the New Sweden Alliance. "We want people to know about the considerable contributions of Swedish and Finnish colonists to our region and beyond. Through Jubilee Day events we hope to tell our story in ways that engage, inform and entertain people of all ages."
New Sweden Alliance Jubilee Day activities begin at 9 a.m. at the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia with a symposium entitled "Making It in America," followed by a wreath-laying at the Finnish Monument in Chester, PA. On Wilmington's Riverfront, a family-focused Welcome to Wilmington will feature Swedish and Finnish food, games and music for all ages. Wilmington Mayor Dennis Williams and Mayor Johan Persson of Wilmington's Sister City Kalmar, Sweden, will welcome visitors, including the Swedish royalty and Finnish high dignitaries. The recreated Kalmar Nyckel will set sail from the Riverfront dock conveying its honored guests to public ceremonies at the Fort Christina National Historic Landmark. Jubilee Day concludes with the black-tie Jubilee Dinner at the Chase Center on Wilmington's waterfront. For detailed schedule, visit www.375th.org.
For press credentials, please contact Kajsa Haracz, at [email protected].
About the New Sweden Alliance
The 375th Anniversary is truly a multistate celebration. The New Sweden Alliance (NSA) is an umbrella organization of Swedish- and Finnish-American heritage groups in Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey aimed at promoting and celebrating the culture, history and contributions of New Sweden in the Delaware Valley and, by extension, throughout the United States. For more information, visit our website at www.375th.org and on Facebook.
SOURCE New Sweden Alliance
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