This morning in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood I can only imagine the preparations that are going on. Today is Syttende Mai, or the 17th of May, Norwegian Constitution Day, and each year thousands of people come to Ballard for the festivities.
Seattle hosted its first Syttende Mai festival in 1889, the same year the state of Washington was admitted to the union. At some point the events started taking place in Ballard, a neighborhood with a rich Scandinavian heritage. Today the parade, which is only part of the festival, is said to be one of the largest Syttende Mai parades outside of Norway.
Today’s events include children’s activities at the Nordic Heritage Museum, a luncheon at the Leif Erikson Lodge, a variety of public performances at Bergen Place, and then, of course, the parade. For a complete schedule of events, visit the official website.
The parade starts at 6 p.m. heading south from the corner of NW 62nd and 24th Avenue NW, then travels along Market Street, then 22nd, and Ballard Avenue, ending at Dock Street (click here for a parade map).
To learn more about Ballard’s Scandinavian heritage, check out this two-part coverage I put together for MyBallard.com a couple of years ago:
If you have the chance, I hope you’ll head to Ballard at some point today to join the festivities!