Members of Balboa Park’s international cottages gathered Sunday to honor the Swedish midsummer. The House of Sweden hosted a Maypole celebration marking the first day of summer, welcoming visitors and representatives from all the other international houses. Organizers said the event reflected the spirit of cooperation that defines the cottages year-round. “It’s the longest day of the year when the sun hardly goes down. I still think it’s magical,” said Katarina Vonkantzow Cape, president of the House of Sweden. “It’s non-religious, it’s non-political. We just try to help and support each other,” she said. Sunday’s event happened at a time when the outside world is at war, and political leaders seem to be causing chaos. A flower covered Maypole was the centerpiece of the Swedish misummer celebration, Sunday, in Balboa Park, June 21, 2026. Officially called the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages, the original structures have been part of Balboa Park since the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition. They provide a place to educate visitors about cultures and traditions. The House of Israel is the only cottage with a security guard, reflecting concerns since the international conflicts in Gaza and the ongoing war in Iran. “From time to time we have incidents where people come and scream at us,” Dan Pritsker told NBC 7. He and his family volunteer most Sundays. They have faced confrontations before. “I don’t know where (people) get their facts, but it’s misinformation. We’re here, we’re Americans who tell the story of Israel proud of who we are and where we came from,” Pritsker said. The House of Israel has a security guard at the door, providing volunteers with extra protection, June 21, 2026. While the House of Iran is located elsewhere in the park, with several cottages separating the two, organizers said there is no conflict between the cultural groups. There are still questions from visitors about events happening in the outside world. Jesus Benayas is president the House of Spain. He said, “Everytime you turn on the TV, (the news is reporting) something different. That makes confusion, and frustration. You think it’s resolved and it’s not.”  At the House of Mexico, the group’s vice president,Alba Beltran, does her best to encourage visitors. “They ask questions, like ‘what do you think about what’s happening in Iran’? We try to deescalate the conversations because we don’t want to get into any disagreements,” Beltran said. When asked whether the world could learn lessons from what was happening at the international cottages, Anna Marie Kocherga, past president of the House of Sweden agreed. “Absolutely,” she said. “We all get along, you can go to any nation’s house, and we all are friends. So, there is hope,” Kocherga said with a smile. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less