Last updated on August 1st, 2024
Ballard was once a booming fishing village with a large Scandinavian population. While few residents today make their living from the sea, there is still great pride in their Nordic past. This is particularly true today, Norwegian Constitution Day.The big event for the day is the parade. The streets are filled with people – including many women in elaborate traditional dress or bunad (first page in list featuring pictures of traditional Norwegian costumes, descriptions in Norwegian). It seems like half the woman in Ballard own one of these gorgeous outfits. (I’m so jealous, although I’m sure in today’s 80 degree heat, they are probably a bit warm.)
While the parade itself consists of the usual musicians, beauty queens, jugglers, and unicyclists (along with a few Vikings and trolls), it is dominated by these elegant ladies of all ages.
Fun!
Next post: Azaleas (and rhododendrons too)