Syttende Mai is one week away

Ballard’s largest Norwegian celebration is one week away. The 17th of May, or Syttende Mai, festivities run all day next Tuesday, culminating with the parade in the evening. Rumor has it that this is the largest Norwegian Constitution Day outside of Norway.

Here is the schedule of events:

Luncheon
12-2 PM
Leif Erikson Lodge 206-783-1274
Admission: $25 per person
Tickets available at Leif Erikson Lodge or Viking Bank
Join us for a traditional Norwegian lunch with our Grand Marshal and Honorary Marshals! Entertainment provided by opera singer Laura Loge.

Barneleker (Children’s activities)
10AM – 2PM
Nordic Heritage Museum
Children can enjoy easy craft projects at the Museum. The crafts are free and children must be accompanied by an adult.

Nordic Café
10AM – 2PM
Nordic Heritage Museum
Free Museum admission all day! Enjoy Scandinavian food and beverages available for purchase.

Entertainment at Bergen Place
2-5 PM
Intersection of Market St., Leary Ave., and 22nd Ave.
On parade day, there are public performances at Bergen Place featuring a number of acts with Nordic flair!

2:00 Bonnie Birch (accordion) and Paul Ostler (tuba)

2:30 Bressler Trio

3:00 Norwegian Male Chorus

3:30 Leikarringen Dancers of Leif Erikson Lodge

4:00 Singers from Karmøy – Synnove Aanensen,
Solfrid Brekka and Solveig Leithaug

Café at Leif Erikson Lodge
4-6 PM
Join us at Leif Erikson Lodge before the parade for Nordic food, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, which are available for purchase.

17th of May Parade
6-8 PM
The highlight of celebrating 17th of May is the parade! The parade route begins near Adams School in Ballard, at the corner of 62nd St NW and 24th Avenue NW. The route follows south to Market Street and eastward to Bergen Place. Come early to save your spot! This year’s emcees are radio host Karen Pauley from Nordic Roots & Branches, KSER 90.7 (Tuesday evenings from 8:30 to 10:30pm), and Tim Hunter, Creative Director at Destination Marketing, who has emceed the Bothell Parade and such Norwegian events as the “Lutefisk Eating Contest”.

The fifth annual Syttende Gay event will once again be at BalMar (5449 Ballard Ave NW) from 5 to 8 p.m. The event combines Seattle’s Nordic GLBT community and the annual Syttende Mai celebration. The VIP pass is $7 and offers patio access for great views of the parade, 10-percent off appetizers and cocktail specials and a private bar.

Syttende Gay will be raising money for Youth Suicide Prevention Program. “Our opportunity to help raise awareness and provide funds for this very important organization that deals with educating, support and counseling services for troubled youth, especially with the spike in suicides with the GLBT youth in 2010,” the press release states.