Santa Lucia Festival Dec. 10 in Stanton High School gym

Santa Lucia Festival
Saturday, December 10, 2022
7:00 PM
Stanton High School Gym

For the 71st year, Stanton will begin its holiday season with the traditional Swedish Santa Lucia Festival of Lights to be held on Saturday, December 10th, at 7:00 PM in the Stanton High School gym.
The Santa Lucia story begins in Italy when Christians were being persecuted by the Romans because of their faith. Lucia, a Christian maiden, brought food and medicine to the Christians hiding in the secret underground passages known as the catacombs. She wore candles on her head to light her way in the darkness. Lucia’s parents arranged for her to marry a pagan nobleman. She refused and thus was tortured. The story of Lucia’s martyrdom and sainthood spread north to Scandinavia by the missionaries. She became the patron saint of all maidens.
This is an all-community project that has been growing each year to give town people and children of the community an understanding and appreciation of their Swedish heritage. Newcomers of the community, with no Swedish background, are encouraged to join in on the fun. Newcomers enter into the project which begins early in the morning and lasts throughout the day until after the coronation of the queen in the evening.
The festival includes a skit, Swedish dances, and songs by the elementary students led by Leland Lantz, the Skona Maj singers, and the recognition of native Swedes and past Santa Lucia Queens. Highlighting the festival is the crowning of the 2022 Santa Lucia Queen by last year’s queen, Allie Sandin.
A bake sale in the concourse will be held prior to and immediately following the program. Free coffee and cookies will be served in the concourse following the coronation. Monetary donations are appreciated to help defray the cost of the Lucia Festival. Donation cans will be by the gym doors.
Queen candidates must be a junior or senior girl who attends Stanton Community School. They must also be the oldest unmarried daughter living at home. On the morning of December 10h, she must rise early and serve breakfast in bed to her parents or guardian. A parent or guardian will call Janean Hart at 829-2441 between 6:00-8:00 AM to confirm her daughter’s eligibility. The candidates will sing for residents at nursing homes in Red Oak, Stanton, and Villisca, and also visit shut-ins.
Voting will take place at the Swedish Cultural Center (Old Main) between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Residents of the Stanton Community School District, who are school age and above, are eligible to vote. Families of open enrolled students may also vote. The candidate receiving the most votes will be crowned Santa Lucia Queen that evening.

Former Queens are Mary Palmquist Haubold, 1952; Roberta Nord Summers, 1953; Mary Schield DeBolt, 1954; Kathleen Ossian Means, 1955; Joann Peterson English, 1956; Harriet Ossian Olson, 1957; Rosanne Johnson Williams, 1958; Betty Platt Lantz, 1959; Faith Nimrod Sherman, 1960; Marlene Johnson Peterson, 1961; Bonnie Johnson Pershin, 1962; Annette Sellergren Billings, 1963; Robin Swanson Caesaretti, 1964; Frances Benedict Olson, 1965; Barbara Johnson Frank, 1966; Marilyn Sunberg Andriga, 1967; Mary Schenk Coulman, 1968; Ruth Hallquist Williams, 1969; Suzanne Vennerberg Caquelin, 1970; Renee Hanson Rhamy, 1971; Denise Peterson Hallquist, 1972; Annis Jane Nelson Williams, 1973; Denise Isaacson Goddard, 1974; Kim Stone Sieck, 1975; Sheila Johnson Mainquist, 1976; Julie Lundgren Kixmiller, 1977; Lori Requist, 1978; Linda Peterson Snyder, 1979; Diane Isaacson Peterson, 1980; Kathy Schultz Johnson, 1981; Kris Honette Lindgren, 1982; Darla Isaacson Baudler, 1983; Sara Peterson, 1984; Sherri Burke Eiting, 1985; Marta Clark-Moffett, 1986; Kim Mead Thomas, 1987; Carrie Larson Koelker, 1988; Traci Gilliland Yeager, 1989; Angie Larson Babe, 1990; Diana Peterson Mandernach, 1991; Ingrid Newman Perkins, 1992; Jill Lundgren Sanchez, 1993; Lindsay Bruning Paulson, 1994; Amy Bruning Sallach, 1995; Allison Hallquist Newman, 1996; Jennifer Boyer Schlomer, 1997; Sheila Allen Williams, 1998; Michelle Boyer Doyle, 1999; Jodi Bruning Allen, 2000; Nichole Hallquist Hines, 2001; Jenna Hart Ramsey, 2002; Carrie Hallquist Moline, 2003; Cassie Gilliland Williams, 2004; Emily Peterson, 2005, Cyndi Johnson O’Rourke, 2006; Christine Lundgren Williams, 2007; Taylor Wagg, 2008; Lauren Burke Daugherty, 2009; Alexa Anderson Mendenhall, 2010; Paige Peterson Pruss, 201l; Rochelle Sink Cerven, 2012; Madison Wookey Akers, 2013; Heidi Vanderholm, 2014; Marcel Confer, 2015; Elizabeth Ernst Maier, 2016 ; Waverly Brown, 2017; Mallorie Wookey, 2018; Devin Isaacson, 2019; Tara Peterson, 2020; Allie Sandin, 2021.