Fyr Bal Beginnings 1964: Joyce Gerdman
Joyce Gerdman Remembers
Fyr Bal is a modern interpretation of centuries-old celebrations of the summer solstice. Joyce Gerdman’s hand written notes dating to the early 2000s describe Fyr Bal’s beginnings. They are transcribed below. Ephraim held its first Fyr Bal in 1964, though it wasn’t called “Fyr Bal” until the following year. It began as a week-long event. For several years after that, it was three days. In recent years , Fyr Bal is one grand day of Nordic traditions.
Click here to discover more Fyr Bal history from an article published in 2004 on the celebration’s 50th anniversary.
The beginnings of Fyr Bal took place at a meeting held at Henry and Jane Shea’s Village Green, where the idea of a festival was broached. The idea came from Tom and Mally Mayhew of Knudson House where they held their own celebration of Midsummer Eve, a custom of early Norwegians. The Fyr Bal promotional festival idea was well received by these business owners: Helen and Bill Sohns (Sohns) Grocery Store, Laurel and Floyd Knudson (Evergreen Beach Hotel), and Ted Hoeppner (Hotel Ephraim).
Leon Statham (Statham Enamels) made the early medallions for the chieftains. Beautiful.
In 1965, Dr. William Sneeberger became
the first Fyr Bal Chieftan.
Joyce Gerdman was proclaimed Chieftan in 1993.
Ranny and Ruth Nelson owned South Shore Pier, so Ranny started bringing the chieftain in by boat. We (Joyce and Glenn Gerdman, Evergreen Beach Hotel) began serving fish boils in the Village Hall with Kay Wilson making them all run smoothly. Norman Larson boiled the fish, also Daryl.
In the 1970s, I started the Norwegian folk dancing and singing with local girls. I had costumes made with black skirts, red vests, and red hats. The first few years the girls danced on the back of a flat bed truck which was used as a stage. It was decorated with evergreen boughs to cover the bottom.
Ephraim Folk Dancers
Dorothy Halvorsen, standing left, rehearses with young Norwegian dancers.
Circa 1998.
I got a lot of help from Dorothy Halverson who taught the folk dancers Norwegian songs to sing, so we worked together. After several years, my daughter, Diane Jacobson, took over as their teacher. Dorothy continued to help with the Norwegian songs. In recent years, Lori Free helps train the girls, and also plays her keyboard.
The first emcee was Ted Hoeppner, then Jerry Cox. Later, the coronation ceremony was moved to the front of the Village Hall. For many years, Tom Schuder has been the emcee at the chieftain ceremony and does a wonderful job carrying on our tradition.
Fyr Bal Chieftans left to right: Niles Weborg, Anne Glabe, Hedy Heise, Scotty Weborg,
Karsten Topelmann, Tim Christofferson, Paul Wilson, Joyce Gerdman, Glenn Gerdman, Diane Kirkland, Tad Dukehart.
In the beginning, the chieftain would receive the medallion, flowers, and a portrait which was taken by a local photographer. The business council decided to have someone from the members take the picture to save money so Glenn Gerdman began to take the pictures of the chieftains and gave them their portrait free for many years.
In the past the Ephraim Moravian women have had bake sales and even a couple of bake-offs with a TV weatherman as the judge.
The three banners that are hung in front of the Village Hall porch were designed by artist Charles Peterson and then sewn by Diane Jacobson. They are attached to a board with evergreens on it.
