On the final leg of our 2012 trip from Northern to Southern California, we traveled from San Luis Obispo to Thousand Oaks via the Danish village of Solvang (and couldn’t resist purchasing some of their famous bakery goodies while we were there). Again, since I grew up in Southern California, I’ve visited Solvang multiple times but it was Rachelle’s first visit. I’d always wanted to see Solvang during “Danish Days”, so I timed our visit to coincide with this annual event. As a Danish-American, this city has always had a special place in my heart.
Solvang also has a Spanish mission, Mission Santa Ines. The mission pre-dates the village of Solvang by a century. In 1911, a group of Danish Americans bought 9,000 acres surrounding the abandoned mission and decided to establish a Danish community some 5,700 miles west of their homeland’s chilly winters. Although this small city has only about 6,000 residents, it punches above its weight: they welcome some 1.5 million visitors per year.
During Danish Days, you’ll see residents dressed up in Danish folk costumes, Viking re-enactors, a parade, you’ll have the opportunity to try plenty of Danish food and beer, and of course there’s music and dancing.
We returned to Solvang for Danish Days, which is held annually in September.
To be or not to be … a windmill or a store?
Kids had fun playing on this replica of a Viking ship.
Viking re-enactors teach visitors about the Viking way of life.
Typical street scene of half-timbered buildings
Solvang’s outdoor theatre.
The theme of Danish Days 2012 was “Tak for Mad”, which roughly translates into “Thanks for the food”. Aebleskivers (warm apple dumplings, often served topped with strawberry jelly) played a starring role in the parade this year.
I always love these big draft horses that pull the beer wagons. Did you know that Dannebrog, the Danish flag, is the oldest continuously used flag in the world? Allegedly, it fell from the sky during a battle in Estonia in 1219. The flag features a white cross on a red background, so you’ll see a lot of red and white in Solvang.
Those beer wagons feature Denmark’s Carlsberg beer, of course.
We tried some Danish food. I ordered frikadeller, which are the Danish meatballs. Rachelle ordered Danish sausage (don’t remember the official name). It also came with the mashed potatoes, cucumbers, and sweet and sour cabbage.
A bookstore owner in Danish folk costume.
Solvang has a small Hans Christian Andersen Museum to honor the author of the famous fairy tales.
This bookshelf shows many of Andersen’s well-known stories.
Solvang is located approximately 45 miles northwest of Santa Barbara. Danish Days are celebrated annually on the third weekend of September. The city’s many shops, restaurants, and bakeries are open year-round, of course.
September 17, 2012