by Noella Noelophile®
(Royalty-free image by Eccentrikdesigns from Pixabay.)
“Hygge”. The word isn’t familiar to most of us.
But it’s pronounced “Hoo-gah”, and is a Danish concept. Online dictionaries explain it as “coziness”, “contentment”, and a “sense of well-being”.
Sitting in front of a fireplace with people you love comes to mind.
And with the arrival of autumn, Solvang, “The Danish Capital of America”, is once again preparing for a very hygge Christmas season!
(Royalty-free image by Anthony Fomin, from Unsplash.)
A number of plans are still in the works–it is early! But now is a great time to make plans and mark your calendar if you’d like to welcome the season at Solvang’s “Julefest”.
For early planning
(Royalty-free image by Jess Bailey from Pixabay.)
What is definite so far:
Solvang Julefest (pronounced “Yule-fest”) begins on the Friday after Thanksgiving: Friday, November 24th. The celebration runs through the month of December and concludes Friday, January 5th, with the annual Solvang Christmas Tree Burn, weather permitting.
In between those dates, there will be a lot of merriment.
(Royalty-free image by Susanne Jutzeler, from Pixabay.)
The City of Solvang has confirmed that their Solvang Julefest Tree Lighting Ceremony is scheduled for Friday, December 1, 2023, at 5:00 PM in Solvang Park. The festivities will include ballerinas, live entertainment and caroling, culminating in the lighting of the tree at the corner of Mission Drive and First Street, to start off the season.
Then, the Solvang Julefest Parade is scheduled for the next day, Saturday, December 2. Times and parade route are currently being arranged.
And if you’re going to be in Solvang on a Saturday, bring good walking shoes, your camera–and a sense of anticipation.
(Royalty-free image by Jennifer Pallian from Unsplash.)
Every Saturday through Julefest, there will be town-wide Solvang Food Tours will be led by the foodie – and photo – experts at Eat This, Shoot That!, who advertise on their website that they’ll show you the best places to eat in downtown Solvang. (And imagine the pictures you can take!)
One final note–watch out for those mischievous Solvang Nisse!
Royalty-free graphic by Monika from Pixabay.
These are Christmas elves, and they’ll be hidden all throughout downtown Solvang during Julefest, as the town hosts its annual Nisse Adventure. More details will be forthcoming.
And much more is in the works, as Solvang prepares for its six-week-long celebration of the festive season! I’ll look forward to updating you as more information becomes available.
Solvang Julefest 2023 begins on Friday, November 24th and runs through Friday, January 5th, 2024.