Norwegians are the only people in Scandinavia who really go in for national pageantry, and May 17th is the day they pull out all the stops. “Syttende mai” as it’s known in the local vernacular is far and away the biggest street party Norway has all year, easily eclipsing New Year’s Eve.
Photo: Sigmund/Flickr
This is easier said than done, seeing as the full “Bunad” traditional costume can set you back 70,000 kroner ($12,000), and dirndl dresses don’t come cheap either. But if you’re of African heritage and you come out on the streets dressed like Heidi, Norwegians will love you for it. It’ll sooth their underlying worries that all this nationalism might, just possibly, be a tad exclusionary. If your funds don’t stretch that far, wear a suit and carry a Norwegian flag. …. click the link to read more on
17th May Constitution Day
Also called | Syttende mai (bokmål), Syttande mai (nynorsk) or Søttende mai (old) (May 17) |
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Observed by | Norwegians |
Type | National |
Significance | Celebrating the signing of the Norwegian Constitution in Eidsvoll, May 17, 1814. |
Celebrations | Parades, flags |
Date | May 17 |
Next time | 17 May 2017 |
Frequency | annual |
Related to | Constitution of Norway Norwegian Constituent Assembly Union Dissolution Day (7 June) |