Kingsburg was a true Swedish Colony at the turn of the century.

You can find Kingsburg at the very center of California,


just off Highway 99, thirty minutes south of Fresno.

Today, Kingsburg is a clean quiet village of just over 8000 people.

Our Downtown area displays a distinctive, and colorful Scandinavian motif.


Note the gaily painted Swedish Coffee Pot Water Tower...

(It is reported to hold 1,500,000 cups of Swedish coffee!)

Kingsburg celebrates...

The Midsummer Festival in the third weekend of May,

The Swedish Crayfish Festival in August,

And the Santa Lucia Festival the second weekend of December.

Christmas really begins in Scandinavian communities on December 13th
in celebration of the martyred Saint Lucia of Italy, who came bringing food
and help during the time of Norseland famine. She also gave away her own
dowry to the poor. For this reason she was martyred in her own country for her
dedication. In the present day ceremony, the eldest daughter of the house
(or a chosen "Lucia Bride" for community celebrations) dresses in a white robe

with a red sash and a wreath of greenery and candles on her head as a symbol.
Carrying a tray with coffee, sweet rolls and gingerbread cookies shaped as hearts
and other special cookies, she brings this treat to each member of the family while
singing the old Sicilian melody, Santa Lucia (in Swedish). The use of light by candles
is wide spread to light the dark month of December, to light candles on each Sunday
of Advent; and showing candles in the window as a sign of hospitality and the lighting
of the "Julebal" (the Christmas Fire) or Yule Log.