Editing Rochester, Washington (section)

==Arts and culture==

===Festivals and events===
Rochester hosts an annual Swede Day festival, usually in June. It began as an honor to recognize the [[Culture of Sweden|Swedish]] culture and heritage of the town's early beginnings in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  A parade, a [[midsommarafton|maypole]] dance, and traditional [[Swedish cuisine]] highlight the event.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vander Stoep |first1=Isabel |title=Time-Honored Rochester Festival 'Swede Day' Returns |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/time-honored-rochester-festival-swede-day-returns,267518 |access-date=June 28, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=June 11, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Spur |first1=Kyle |title=Rochester's Swede Day Celebrates 35 Years Saturday |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/rochesters-swede-day-celebrates-35-years-saturday,83079? |access-date=June 28, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=July 19, 2014}}</ref>  The celebration first began in 1978, replacing an annual Strawberry Festival held in the town.<ref name="SHC"/>

===Historic Buildings and sites===
Swede Hall, built in 1939, replaced an original hall built in 1911 at nearby Independence Valley.<ref name="SHC">{{cite news |last1=Spur |first1=Kyle |title=Swedish Heritage Celebrated in Rochester |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/swedish-heritage-celebrated-in-rochester,83010? |access-date=June 28, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=June 22, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Swede Hall |url=https://rochestercitizensgroupswedehall.net/ |website=rochestercitizensgroupswedehall.net |access-date=June 28, 2021}}</ref>  Constructed in a style similar to traditional Swedish halls, the building received approximately $200,000 during the Washington state budget in 2019 to make necessary improvements to the 80 year-old hall's infrastructure.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rubin |first1=Will |title=40th Annual Swede Day to Celebrate Past While Looking to Future |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/40th-annual-swede-day-to-celebrate-past-while-looking-to-future,9041? |access-date=June 28, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=June 7, 2019}}</ref>