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| Norwegian flags and traditional dress were the order of the day at the Syttende Mai parade in Ballard. |
By Diane Hettrick
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| The Leif Erickson Lodge was represented |
My Norwegian relative always puts on her finest and goes early to get a good place for the Syttende Mai Constitution Day parade in Ballard.
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| Beautiful dresses |
Considering that I have at least five local friends who were born in Norway, I'm always surprised that Shoreline doesn't have a May 17 parade. If I know that many, there must be a lot more.
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| The Ballard High School marching band |
But Ballard wins the day.
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| The Interlake High School band |
We've had many visits from the Norwegian royal family. The King of Norway's most recent visit was 2015. King Harald V and Queen Sonja visited Ballard, unveiled refurbished murals at Bergen Place, and participated in Pacific Lutheran University's commencement ceremonies in Tacoma.
And then they went to Washington D.C.
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| A brass band |
They weren't here this year but that hardly dampened spirits.
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| And a Viking longboat |
The first place I lived in Seattle was in Ballard. One day I went to the fishmonger and there were two young mothers with their babies in strollers, having an animated conversation in Norwegian. The block I lived on is gone now, replaced by enormous apartment buildings and the Nordic Heritage Museum.
I think that the Ballard Safeway still carries lutefisk.
--Photos by Lene Ellingsen Carpp
Grew up in Ballard and can relate, especially to the Norwegian language being spoken. I believe that if you ever lived in Ballard you should be granted honorary Norwegian citizenship.Yeah, sure, you betcha!
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