POULSBO — For the past nine years Mariann Samuelsen has watched the Midsummer bonfire burn on the shores of Liberty Bay, but this year will be her last.

Nonethless, as the embers fade to black and she moves on, Little Norway will always be kindled in her heart.

After 17 years in Poulsbo, the former Sons of Norway administrator and her family are moving to western Norway.

“Next year, I’ll be by a bonfire on the western shores of Norway, and I’m going to look back at all the wonderful memories,” Samuelsen said.

Her final celebration of the summer solstice in Little Norway will begin at 4 p.m. Saturday.

“I started it (several) years ago when they stopped having Midsummer Fest in Raab Park,” Samuelsen said.

In addition to keeping the celebration a part of the city’s fabric, she also incorporated a three-day Scandinavian heritage camp into the festivities.

“I wanted to bring back the Norwegian touch to the event and bring it closer to the water,” she said, adding that the shores of Norway are dotted with bonfires each Midsummer’s night.

Last year’s event featured the raising of the maypole, which is a Swedish tradition, will once again be part of the festivities, she said.

“We try to bring out the best of all Scandinavian cultures and the maypole is part of that,” Samuelsen said, adding that the maypole will be decorated with a myriad of greenery by the children attending the heritage camp and raised at 4:30 p.m. “I started the heritage camp because what I wanted to do is have kids involved in the preparations.”

The camp begins Thursday at Grieg Hall and those in attendance will learn various aspects of Norwegian heritage from cooking to dancing.

Even though she has remained involved in this year’s preparations, Samuelsen said Sons cultural director Grace Overby has done an excellent job in readying the lodge for this year’s event.

“Grace is such a wonderful person and she’s a great ambassador of Norwegian heritage,” Samuelsen said.

Other activities surrounding Midsummer Fest include folk dancing, gunny sack races, Norwegian animals and the one event that no Poulsbo Midsummer Fest would be complete without: the fish toss.

“That was started by the Sons of Norway Vikings and I think the kids love it,” Samuelsen said, adding that the event sets Poulsbo’s celebration apart from the others. “I’ve never seen it done in Norway.”