Laima Salcius

At Milwaukee’s Holiday Folk Fair

Gediminas and Sigita Damasius sit with Laima Salcius at the Lithuanian cottage constructed for the 1998 Milwaukee Holiday Folk Fair.

This is the 42nd year in which Lithuanians have participated in the 55 year-old Holiday Folk Fair of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Organized by the International Institute of Wisconsin, the fair is one of the oldest and largest international festivals in the U.S.

This year’s theme, "Coming to Wisconsin: Where the World Meets", a celebration of the state’s racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity, was to commemorate Wisconsin’s sesquicentennial. On November 20th, 21st, and 22nd of this year, the Henry Maier Festival Grounds on the shores of Lake Michigan were turned into a field of white tents which housed the programs and cultural exhibits of the Fair’s many participants.

Over the past 18 years, Klumpe, the Lithuanian folk dance group with members from southeastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois, has been the dominant Lithuanian force at the Fair. Within the last several years, Spindulys, the folk dance troupe directed by Rasa Poskocimas of Lemont, Illinois, has been a part of the program also. In addition, Madison and Milwaukee area families of Lithuanian heritage have consistently participated in the fair by manning the cultural booths.

Klumpe dances at the Folk Fair.

Klumpe and Spindulys performed several times each day. The former danced "Spacierius", a foxtrot-like dance choreographed for veteran dancers. The latter, a group of young adults, danced a series of vignettes from a number of folk dances.

Bernice Milas, of Hawthorn Woods, Illinois, and her family organized the cultural exhibit. The men of Klumpė constructed a cottage in which a Christmas tree decorated with Lithuanian straw ornaments graced one corner. Along the side of the cottage, a table was set up with a traditional Lithuanian Christmas Eve dinner or "Kucios". What was unique about this dinner was that the food was made of homemade play dough. Neither shape nor color would have given away the food’s faux character. Bernice, a pharmacist by profession, was responsible for this artwork.

During the opening day of the Fair, a local television station filmed the Lithuanian exhibit and presented the filmstrip on the evening news. Saturday afternoon, the Lithuanian exhibit received a blue ribbon and was awarded "Best Cultural Depiction" of the theme "Coming to Wisconsin". This was a feather in Bernice’s cap!

Sigita and Gediminas Damasius, of Libertyville, Illinois, organized the booth in which various art and craft objects were for sale. Sigita’s mother, who lives in Palos Park, Illinois, made all of the straw ornaments. Sigita herself made the brass and amber trees. All of the other goods were brought from Lithuanian; amongst those which claimed attention were the miniature clay candle houses, amber jewelry, wooden whistles, and clay dwarfs. The Fair’s visitors purchased most of the items as Christmas gifts.

A treat for all the members of Klumpe was the participation of Giedre and Stasys Milasius of San Diego. Directors of Klumpe for many years, they relocated to California a year ago, but came back for the Holiday Folk Fair and participated as masters-of-ceremony during the program.

The officers of Klumpe are president Vilija Suziedelis of Spring Grove, Illinois; vice presidents Gediminas Damasius of Libertyville, Illinois and Vytas Janusonis of Dousman, Wisconsin; secretary Bernice Milas of Hawthorn Woods, Illinois; treasurer Steve Gust; and art director Ingrida Spokas of Woodstock, Illinois.

All photos from Regina Narusis