The 42nd Swedish Festival is just around the corner, so it's time for those wanting to participate to start making plans to do so.

This year's festival, which will include the culmination of Kingsburg's year-long centennial celebration, will take place May 16-18. A new Swedish Queen needs to be selected, and applications are being taken for parade entries and vendors. Couples celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year are still being sought as well.

As they have for many years, a selection committee made up of women from the Tuesday Club will review the applications and interview the candidates for Swedish Queen.

"We try to represent Kingsburg in the best possible way," said Tuesday Club President Claudette Reiser.

It is traditional for the Swedish Queen to represent Kingsburg in festivals, ribbon-cutting ceremonies, local and out-of-town parades and other events as they come up throughout the year.

Any high school aged girl who is a Kingsburg resident is eligible to apply. The selection committee looks for a young lady who is able to carry herself well in public and who has some public speaking abilities. Because the queen will be a visible figure locally and throughout the Valley, she must demonstrate community pride and present a positive image of the city and their youth. She must also be knowledgeable of Kingsburg's Swedish heritage and culture.

Applicants can pick up entry forms from the chamber of commerce office. A brief summary of community and school involvement must be submitted with the application, along with a summary of the applicant's knowledge of Kingsburg's Swedish heritage and culture. The deadline is April 3.

Applications for arts and crafts retail booths are also available at the chamber office. A waiting list for food vendors is being taken. The 10-foot by 10-foot single spaces are $175 for the weekend. Food vendors are also required to pay an additional $37 Fresno County Health Department inspection fee.

"What's most important for our local area residents is that this year, the chamber once again has obtained its own vendor liability insurance which we can provide to vendors at a cost of $65 for the entire weekend," said Jess Chambers, executive director for the chamber. "In some recent years, the necessity to have liability insurance in possession has disallowed many local vendors from participating in our festivals."

The parade entry fee is $20, and the deadline to submit applications for that is May 2. This year's 50th wedding anniversary couples need to submit a wedding photo along with a recent photo, and provide some basic information for The Recorder's special Swedish Festival insert.

For more information about any of these Swedish Festival activities, contact the chamber at 897-1111 or drop by the office at 1475 Draper St.