Houston's Swedish community and CultureMap readers gathered together Friday night to celebrate "midsommar" — the longest day of the year — with a lavish buffet of Nordic delicacies and karaoke to ABBA tunes at IKEA.

OK, so it was a few days early — the first day of summer is today — but that didn't stop the merrymaking from taking place in the restaurant of the famed Swedish store. Guests were encouraged to dress in their "midsommar folk best" and some obliged. Karin Edvardsson, who recently moved to Houston to conduct cancer research while working on her doctorate at the University of Houston, wore a traditional Swedish folk dress with long skirt, blouse and red vest at the bodice.

"My parents got it for me when they found out I was moving to Houston," Edvardsson explained. "I have to be extra Swedish when I'm here."

Not to be outdone, CultureMap president Nic Phillips wore cropped pants, vest and clogs, although he looked more like the boy who saves Holland by plugging a leak in a dike with his finger in the classic Hans Brinker tale than a Swedish folk hero.

No matter how they were dressed, revelers piled their plates high with delicious Swedish meatballs, dozens of varieties of herring, sausage and poached salmon. IKEA business manager Margret Kollen, president of SWEA (Swedish Women's Education Association), greeted the crowd in Swedish before audience members took turns singing karaoke songs. When the limited number of ABBA tunes were depleted, the crowd turned to songs popularized by Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, with "Single Ladies" a favorite.

The CultureMap staff (and friend) prove why they shouldn't give up their day jobs: