Danish flags fluttered above downtown Solvang as folk dancers in traditional dress moved through the streets, parade floats rolled past crowds lining the sidewalks and visitors stood in a line stretching down the block for plates of powdered-sugar-dusted æbleskiver.
The second day of Solvang’s 89th Danish Days, a three-day celebration of the city’s Danish heritage, filled downtown with food, music, dancing and festivities since Friday.
Saturday brought one of the weekend’s biggest draws: the Danish Days Parade, which wound through downtown with floats, horses, musicians and dancers before festivities continued into the evening.
Standing in the long line for æbleskiver, Craig Metzler of Moorpark was taking in his first Danish Days.
“We’re surprised how large it is and how many activities there are and the number of people out here in the traditional garb that are doing their dances,” Metzler said.
So far, he said, the parade had been his favorite part.
For some participants, Danish Days is a much longer tradition.
Sandie Wilks has been dancing with the Solvang Village Folk Dancers for 44 years. The group first began performing in the early 1970s and spends nearly 20 hours a week dancing over the course of Danish Days, organizer David Heald said.
Filling all of those hours requires a repertoire that extends beyond Denmark.
“There aren’t enough Danish dances to keep us going for 20 hours,” Heald said. “So we do dances from all the other Scandinavian countries. We even have a dance from Greenland.”
The dancers also perform beyond Danish Days. Heald said members gather throughout the year to perform international folk dances, with some events inviting spectators to join in.
Members of the Danish Sisterhood of America also carried on a tradition stretching back more than a century.
Founded in 1883, the organization gave Danish immigrants a way “to get together and maintain their heritage,” said Lori McConnell of the Local Enigma Lodge No. 177. “And we still do it.”
On Saturday, members of the lodge sold handmade crafts to raise money for scholarships for local high school students. McConnell said the group also supports local charities and organizes community service projects throughout the year. But not everything at Danish Days was rooted in decades of tradition.
Thundercloud Falconry made it first appearance at the celebration this year, bringing trained birds of prey into the vendor booth. Alyssa Stratton held Oblivion, an owl she affectionately referred to as the “love of my life.”
The local company uses trained birds of prey to deter other birds from buildings throughout Santa Barbara County. At Danish Days, the group instead used the birds to introduce visitors to falconry.
“We want people to get used to the idea that birds of prey are approachable, that falconry can be used for public good, and that these birds are worth conserving,” Sarah Pereverziev of Thundercloud Falconry said.
Pulling together all of the vendors, displays of Danish tradition and behind-the-scenes logistics for one weekend takes months of preparation.
Thomas Birkholm, president of the Danish Days celebration, said the board meets monthly to prepare for the celebration.
“It’s an all-year event for us,” Birkholm said.
The planning reaches down to even the smallest of details. Birkholm rattled off everything from thousands of utensils and a refrigerated truck to hundreds of chairs and tables – even the placement of a garden hose.
“There’s so many moving parts,” he said.
By Saturday afternoon, Birkholm said those pieces had all come together.
“Everything’s going off without a hitch,” he said. “It’s awesome.”
Danish Days continues Sunday with another æbleskiver breakfast, the Old World Artisans Marketplace, an æbleskiver eating contest, live music and a 2:30 p.m. Children’s Parade, followed by closing ceremonies at 3 p.m. in Solvang Park. Skål.
