Banner Photo Info: Where’s the Party?

jessige Mar 18, 2015 7 Comments

pdd-banner_21

I found the graphic of all the banner photos, which was great fun to look at.  But I want to know: what’s going on in this photo?  Obviously a somber gathering, but what are the details? Of course, apologies if I just didn’t search well enough.

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History, Photos ,

7 Comments

Cory Fechner

about 8 years ago 

Maybe a Turtles concert at Bayfront?

Paul Lundgren

about 8 years ago 

Actually, it's the 16th annual Midsummer Festival held in Duluth's friendly West End at Lincoln Park -- June 20, 1926.

jessige

about 8 years ago 

What's with the happy faces--did it snow?

Herzog

about 8 years ago 

Yes Jessige, it's just snowed like you've never seen for the last nine months with extreme minus temps that drive many to suicide, coupled with the realization you live in the most provincial backwoods place imaginable where everyone around you suspects evil, women are degraded on a constant basis as being inferior in all aspects to men, and negroes are hung for recreation on rope sponsored by the local hardware store.  All that, plus you barely have money for a radio, but if you did there's only one station anyway, if you could tune it in, to break the horror and silence of your twisted situation. 

'Why the long face?'  I'll help you out here.  Because it's Duluth in 1926.  The faces you see in this photograph are of those who already know they're fucked, even though they couldn't imagine the horrors of the great depression and Hitler awaiting them which conveniently brings us back to why rock and roll sucks in 2015, because life is too easy.

Dorkus

about 8 years ago 

On a serious note, it was simply not common for people to smile in photographs back in the early days of photography. 

There are a few different explanations, be it the long exposure times required for cameras at the time that made smiling unpractical, or the idea that smiling made you look silly. But it just wasn't normal at the time.

Plus, they had no megaphones back there so nobody was able to yell "Say Cheese!" loud enough for everyone to hear.

Paul Lundgren

about 8 years ago 

The Duluth News Tribune estimated 15,000 Swedes would be on hand for the celebration, sponsored by the Duluth Swedish-American League.


The park has been gayly decorated by members of the league with American and Swedish flags and colored lights. A new bandstand has been erected, while refreshment stands have been placed throughout the park. ... 

The afternoon program will commence at 3 p.m. with a selection by the Zenith City Band and the singing of 'The Star Spangled Banner.' Gust Hedman, chairman of the program committee, will give the address of welcome, followed by G. A. Anderson, president of the Swedish American League, who will give a short talk. A group of Swedish and American songs will then be given by the Duluth Glee Club, after which Mayor S. F. Snively will speak.

Judge C. E. Magney will also appear on the program as will O. J. Larson, former congressman. Selections by the Duluth Police Chorus will close the program.

The evening program is scheduled to start at 7 p.m., following a concert by the band. The Rev. Eric Anderson, pastor of the First Swedish Baptist Church, will deliver an address on "Midsummer's Day, 1520." Entertainment will be furnished by the Orpheus Singing Society, pupils from Stoughton's Dancing School and the Zenith City Band. Conrad Wicklund will present a silver loving cup to Mrs. O. W. Olson who will receive it in behalf of Sophia Lodge, Vasa Order, who won the trophy by winning the attendance contest conducted by the league.

Star Hedman

about 5 years ago 

My grandfather was Gust Hedman. I have lovely memories of him, including a photo of him in the 1940s at his cabin on Caribou Lake.

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