Do you know what weekend this is? It's
VIKING FEST in Poulsbo!
This is the official weekend for tourists and natives alike to get their Norwegian groove on, and the town will be hopping - and crowded.
A quote (and photo above), borrowed* from the official Viking Fest website (use the link if you want more info): Poulsbo's Viking Fest is a celebration of Norway's Constitution Day of May 17th (in Norwegian -"Syttende mai"), it is also referred to as Norway's national holiday (independence day is incorrect). In Norway, it is a festival of flags and colorful processions, where children have a central part to play as they walk to the music of marching bands. It is a time when you see traditional Norwegian costumes as a very prominent and natural part of the celebrations. The festivities last from the early morning to late at night. Parties with family and friends featuring traditional food and drinks are common. This is the most important day for the children during the summer...
The day commemorates the adoption by Norway's parliament of
its own constitution on May 17, 1814. A constitution in large part modeled on the constitution of the U.S. At that time the country was still a part of a union with Sweden, and May 17 became a lasting, unifying national symbol in the struggle for its independence that finally happened in 1905.
Velkommen...Come, Join the Celebration!
Kids love it. Norwegians love it. Gbergers tend to avoid it, because we've "done" it many, many times over the years...except for David; he must go to "see and be seen," as he and Katie and their friends have always done. Friday is a big night for gathering in the waterfront park, eating "carnival food" and riding the carnival rides, checking out all of the action, including Norwegian dancing & music. The rest of the weekend includes a 5-K race, a pancake breakfast, the parade, a lutefisk-eating contest, more dancing & music, Norwegian culture displays and TRAFFIC JAMS. If you are in the mood for a small-town Norwegian festival, come on down! I hope you have a fun and festive weekend, whatever you plan to do.
Do you know what weekend this is? It's VIKING FEST in Poulsbo!
8 comments:
This looks like a hoot! "To see and be seen"....aaah, youth. It's wonderous!
Have a great weekend my friend. Laugh often and have drink lots o' wine!
It sound like fun, but I can see how when you live there you'd tend to avoid it after doing it a couple times. What a neat way to celebrate "community"
There's a really interesting article about Norway's economy in the New York Times -- the festival sounds like fun but I get why you wouldn't go to it. Sort of reminds me of the Puerto Rican Day parade in NYC -- something to avoid after experiencing it many times...
Sounds like the "octoberfest" we used to visit to see "everyone who is anyone"
I hope he has a great time...it is nice for communities to have festivals like this though, even though YOU are not going. ;0
"a lutefisk-eating contest" arrr, I saw this on the food channel before and let me just say arrrrggghhhhh, Just the name lutefish gives me the willies, but when you add eating contest to it...arrrgghhhh...my belly is doing flip flops!!!
I can't handle eating contests in general. Such glutony.
Have a good day, Suz
I FINALLY did your meme AND posted about my lil awards. :-) Then I tagged you! ;-) Play along if you'd like. I hope you have a rockin' weekend.
Viking fest! Looks like fun!
Norway! I don't know if you get the eurovision song contest in the US but the final was on last night and Norway swept the board with their (oh so sweet) song: check it out as your own personal celebration for Viking day!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8JRtGMBUz0&feature=related
This is the most popular eurovision song EVER, according to amoung of points they received- perhaps that says it all about the quality of the competition! It's traditional over here to have a party - you print off scoring cards and mark each country according to their dance/outfits, performance, song quality. Lots of fun - though not as exciting as Poulsbo sounds! (perhaps the medievalist in me is pulled in by the thought of Vikings...)
Irene
Thanks, Elizabeth - Gregg read that article.
Thanks, Irene, for the link...we watched it - WOW!
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