The coronation of 2025 Miss Scandinavia will be 7 p.m. June 20. Last year’s winner, Audrey Cereghino, will give up her role, assisted by crown bearer Jameson Landwehr, who is following in the footsteps of his father, who performed those important duties in 1999. 

Court members are Emily Herzberg, Denmark; Olivia Atkinson, Finland; Ava Thornton, Iceland; Signe Richenbach, Norway; and Olive Thompson, Sweden.

Also involved in the celebrations are the junior miss representatives, Luna Roberts, Denmark; Hannah Martin, Finland; Ava Pauline Kryzanek, Norway: and Amelia Kingsley Harper, Sweden. Chaperones are Melissa Schacher for the seniors and her youngest daughter Megan Schacher for the junior court.

Being part of this year’s festival court has been joyous for Miss Denmark, Emily Herzberg, who is headed to Southern Oregon University to major in art after graduating from Astoria High School.

She said she has overcome nervousness to give her Miss Denmark speech, and enjoyed sampling other cultures and foods. “I enjoy spending time with the other princesses and trying new things,” she said. “I just like being in a different place and doing new things — and learning about another country that I am representing.”

Her Danish heritage is through her mother, although she has never visited Denmark. But one thing is clear: “They are very kind people.”

Audrey Cereghino was last year’s Miss Sweden then crowned 2024 Miss Scandinavia. She has had a busy few weeks with her AHS graduation and rehearsing a solo for a North Oregon Coast Symphony concert. She will play her violin to accompany the burning of the hexes ceremony.

Is she sad that her reign is coming to an end? “A little bit, but I think I am ready,” she laughed. “It is super fun. I really like being able to go through it all again and kind of share my advice and heritage with everybody else again, and I can go down different alleyways with my heritage and instead of just sharing my Swedish heritage from last year, I can talk about my Danish and Norwegian heritage.”

The former Viking Nordic dancer, savors her experiences. “I like the food a lot and at the festival you get to try a bunch of different foods and when you go around to the lodges they also have different foods,” Cereghino said, “and it is fun to see our connection with other countries.”

This year’s festival is led by Carla Oja as president with Sirpa Duoos as vice president. Brenda Higgins is treasurer and Marci Swenson secretary. Board members include Loran Matthews, Tara Johnson, Bern Ladd, Tony Larson and Berit Madsen.