Del and Teresa Doll honored as grand marshals of Rochester’s Swede Day Festival 

Longtime community volunteers Del and Teresa Doll have been named the grand marshals of the upcoming Rochester Swede Day Festival. 

Swede Day festivities kick off on Friday, June 14, with the royalty court coronation at Swede Hall set for 6 to 7 p.m. The popular Saturday parade begins on U.S. Highway 12 in Rochester at 11 a.m. 

Rochester’s Swede Day Mid-Sommer Festival Committee announced the Dolls as the 2024 Swede Day Parade grand marshals in a news release on Tuesday.

Del and Teresa are longtime residents of Rochester. Teresa (Ruege) Doll was born and raised in Independence Valley. When she married Del 43 years ago, they made their home in Rochester. They have raised two sons and a daughter and have one granddaughter. 

Teresa retired from the Rochester School District as a paraeducator helping with special needs students. Del works for the Department of Natural Resources.

“(They) don’t let the grass grow under their feet — they have been and still are constantly busy helping to enrich our community,” the Swede Day committee wrote in the release. 

One of their great passions is the Independence Community Hall. Teresa’s mom, Yvonne Ruege, showed Teresa love for her community, and Teresa stepped right up to take over for her after her mother’s death. 

Teresa and Del can be seen regularly at the hall’s events, including the annual Christmas Party, the Cinco De Mayo Party, the fall gathering, the Chris Guenther fundraiser and the annual Independence Valley Chicken Races, which this year will be held on June 30.

They also host the Ruege Pig Roast Picnic at the Ruege Homestead to raise money for the local food bank. Teresa has been a royalty court volunteer and has helped with coronation and the many events at the hall. She is also heavily involved with 4-H. Del has been a volunteer firefighter since 1984. 

“We are quite honored to be chosen as the grand marshal this year — but it really is all the volunteers we work with is why we do what we do. We get to work with great people who love the community as much as we do,” Teresa stated in the release. 

Swede Day events

• Swede Day Royalty Court Coronation — 6 to 7 p.m. Friday, June 14, Swede Hall. This event is free to attend. 
• Swedish Pancake Breakfast — 7 to 9 a.m. Saturday, June 15, Swede Hall. Swedish pancakes, strawberries, whipped cream and lingonberry jam will be provided. Drinks will be served. The breakfast is free for the first 200 guests. 
• The History of Rochester presentation — 8 a.m. Saturday, June 15, Swede Hall. The presentation will be provided by Gene Weaver. It is free to attend. 
• Vendors, cornhole tournament, food and activities — 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 15, Swede Hall parking lot. There will be more than 20 vendors. The first Swede Day cornhole tournament will be held. The cost to register for the tournament is $10. Swedish meatballs, strawberry shortcake, hamburgers, hot dogs and tacos will be served. Prices vary. 
• 46th annual Swede Day Mid-Sommer Festival Parade — 11 a.m. Saturday, June 15. The parade starts at Paulson Street in Rochester and goes west to Albany Street, ending at Swede Hall. Free to attend. 
• Rochester High School Drone and Robotics Team — 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., Saturday, June 15, Swede Hall. Rochester High School students will demonstrate drones and robots. Free to attend. 
• Maypole Dance — 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 15, Swede Hall. Attendees will dance to Swedish music. Free to attend. 
• Beer garden, corhole tournament, Bigfoot Barbecue and music — 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, June 15, Swede Hall. The first Swede Day beer garden will be offered. The second cornhole tournament of the day will take place, with registration costing $20 per person. Bigfoot Barbecue will be at the site. Prices will vary. 

To learn more, visit https://www.swedehall.org/.