17 Mai: Celebrating Norwegian National Day

By Charlotte Hussey, University of Bergen, Norway

The 17th of May is the biggest and busiest day of the year in Norway! It is the Norwegian Constitution day and Norwegians go all out to celebrate it. Each city has its own plan for the day and Bergen’s was jam-packed. We wanted to celebrate like the Norwegians, even without the traditional clothing (‘Bunads’) that they wear. I had been looking forward to this day the whole year so it was very fun to take part in the celebrations.

We started the day with a Champagne breakfast at 8 in the morning. We decorated the balcony with Norwegian flags and set up a breakfast with cake, cinnamon rolls, croissants, fruit and more! It was an early start but a really nice way to kick off the day and get everyone together.

After eating, we went into the centre to watch the parade at 10. It was a long parade but it was really fun to see so many different groups take part. Different groups varied from different armed forces, flag bears, folk dancers, international groups, party buses, musicians, and much more!

After the parade, we went to the fun fair which was just past Bryggen (the famous colourful houses)and went on the Ferris wheel. It was amazing to see a view of Bergen and how busy it was from high up. We wandered around the city centre which was busier than I’d ever seen it! It was really interesting to take in the Norwegian culture on display and the traditional outfits that represent the area someone is from. There were many different events going on and we managed to watch parachute jumping, a motor show, and a circus! To top it off, the weather was lovely and sunny which really made the day. Throughout most the day we simply relaxed, met up with lots of different friends and people we knew, and took part in Norwegian celebrations. It was a great day in the sun full of food, drinks, chatting, and having fun.

In the early evening we all went back to our flats to refresh, eat dinner and get ready to go back out again. It was a much needed break considering how early we started celebrating! There were several events throughout the evening too but before we went to these we relaxed in the park and played games all together. We went to a DJ session in a Viking ship! We also watched a candlelight procession and beacons being lit on the surrounding mountains. Fireworks were the final event to close off the day. It was a really nice way to end the celebrations. After we stayed out for a while to make the most of the day – like everyone else, moving from bar to bar. Overall, it was a day unlike any I’d had before. It was a really special experience towards the end of my time in Bergen and would be something I would go back for again!