Celebrating Norway’s National Day outside Norway

This year I found out that Norwegian seamen church – which as the other Nordic seamen churches organise Christmas markets around November – also host national day – 17th May – celebrations, and that is according to the Norwegian tradition: hotdogs, a parade, and games for children!

The Norwegian seamen church of the Netherlands is located in Rotterdam, with a nice park where the parade takes place. So I had a trip there to check it out, equipped with my Norwegian flag!

I arrived there slightly after the start of the program (thanks train), so I missed seeing the flag being raised.

People, a lot dressed in their beautiful bunads, were entering the building, where you could get cakes, stuff as flags and løyse (brooches/ribbons), and waffles or hotdogs outside. I got my vaffel and as I could I just went a bit mad with jam and brunost toppings..

As follows 2025 17 mai Program:

• 11:00 Flaggheising – flag raising
• 12:00 Gudstjeneste – church service
• 13:00 Taler for dagen – speeches of the day, among others the ambassador
• Folketog – parade,
• grilling, leker, pølse i lompe – parades, bbq, games
• celebrations closing at 16:30

Just as the parade in the park with the marching band was starting, i got my pølse i lompe, hotdog in a wrap!

Who knows, maybe I’ll be back for 2026! Stay tuned to find out about more Nordic events!