Things to Do in Lindsborg, Kansas

Lindsborg Things to Do

Lindsborg is a small town in Kansas that was founded by immigrants from Sweden and is known for its Swedish heritage and festivals. Here are some things you can do when you come to visit Lindsborg.

Festivals

Lindsborg is home to several festivals and all of them draw huge crowds. Perhaps the best known of all the festivals is the Messiah Festival. Held each year on the campus of Bethany College, world-renown soloists join with the region’s best singers and instrumentalists to perform J.S. Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion” on Good Friday along with performances of Handel’s “Messiah.”

Other festivals include the biannual Svensk Hyllningsfest held in October during odd-numbered years as a tribute to the Swedish pioneers who founded Lindsborg. The festival features art, crafts, special foods, ethnic music, folk dancing, parade, smörgåsbord, and other entertainment. The festival is patterned after the popular holiday in Sweden called Midsummers Day and it is held on the third Saturday of June each year. This festival features Swedish folk dancing and music.

Each spring the Millfest festival celebrates the history of the historic MacPherson County Old Mill and the area’s pioneer heritage. Each December is the Lucia Fest featuring a procession, music, dancing, baked goods and the crowning of Lindsborg’s Lucia. These activities take place in several city locations, including the park in which is located the Swedish Pavilion from the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.

The Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery

Swedish born artist, musician, and writer Birger Sandzén was a member of the faculty of Bethany College from 1894 to 1946. He was extremely prolific as an artist and he created thousands of oil paintings. A large number of the paintings are scenic views of the Midwest and the nearby Rocky Mountains. His style was big and bold, obviously influenced by the major impressionist painters.

Editor’s note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about things to do in Lindsborg, Kansas.