SYTTENDE MAI, - OSLO, NORWAY

Photo attribution: Creative commons CCO / Pixabay.com

SYTTENDE MAI

IN NORWAY

HISTORY: "Syttende Mai" - in Norwegian means "the 17th of May". When Norwegians mention the day they are referring to their annual celebration of the signing of the Norwegian constitution on May 17, 1814, in Eidsvoll, Norway.

Individual cities in Norway may have different traditions for their parade. The parade inn Oslo includes some 60,000 children as well as marching bands. Trondheim has two parades: A morning children's parade (Barnetoget) with children from the city's schools (20,00 children marched in 2014!). An afternoon "Citizens Parade" (Borgertoget) where firefighters, sports teams, students associations and other associations are represented. One of our members marched in this parade for the 200th anniversary of the signing of the constitution in 2014.


IN CHICAGO

Chicago's Syttende Mai events can't possibly be like the magnitude of its counterpart in Oslo, Norway, depicted above with 100,000 people including children from over 100 schools, every year the Norwegian National League hosts a parade at Hodges Park in Park Ridge, Illinois, and a banquet in celebration of Norway's Constitution Day in May.  The parade is normally on the Sunday after Mother's Day.
 

NATIONAL LEAGUE FESTIVITIES

PRE-PARADE: Begin at 11:00 AM and include activities for children, vendors, and refreshments.

PARADE: As in Norway, anyone can ask to participate in the parade sponsored by the Norwegian National League. The parade itself starts at 1:00PM and lasts about 1 hour with viewers lining the streets often cheering marchers, especially ones where they might have a connection to them.

POST-PARADE: After the parade festivities continue in Hodges Park along with entertainment, awards, speeches, food, information tables and lots of photo opportunities on this fun day. Traditional dancers perform and you get to join at the end in the "grand march".  Students receiving a scholarship or award from the League typically receive them in a ceremony during the post-parade festivities.

BANQUET: The "BANQUET" is now a "LUNCHEON". There are so many places on the NNL website that it will be a while before each reference to the banquet is changed to a reference to a luncheon. The League presents a banquet in celebration of Norway's Constitution Day in May. Often held the day before the Syttende Mai (Constitution Day). The banquet is usually held at a nice venue such as a country club and features a Norwegian themed meal, entertainment and a guest speaker.


OTHER ORGANIZATION'S ACTIVITIES


Minnekirken
Syttende Mai concert
Sunday May 26 at 1:00
Come early, attend the regular service and Church coffee before the concert.


NorCham Chicago
Norwegian Constitution Day Luncheon - 2024
Fri, May 17, 2024
11:30 AM CDT
Rolling Green Country Club
2525 E Rand Rd
Arlington Heights, Illinois

Tickets, meal options and schedule TBD
Celebrate Norwegian Constitution Day on May 17th, 2024 with NorCham Chicago. Speaker is noted Football kicker Jan Stenerud.

 
  
   

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