September 18-20, 2026 In 1936, the first Solvang Danish Days festival emerged in honor of the village’s 25th anniversary. Ever since, Danish Days celebrates Solvang’s heritage with authentic food, music, dancing, parades, live entertainment and family activities. In 1946, a reporter from the Saturday Evening Post (an influential magazine of the day) visited during Danish Days and the article that
appeared in January 1947 put Solvang on the national map. It stated, in part, “Solvang . . . a spotless Danish village that blooms like a rose in California’s charming Santa Ynez Valley. Old country charm and customs have been successfully fused with the American way of life. Nowadays . . . the quaint village is busy living up to its affectionate name, ‘Little Denmark’.”
In the ensuing years, Solvang Danish Days continued to grow and became a signature community event. In early 1995, the Solvang City Council approached people from long-established local Danish families and other interested groups about possibly setting up a non-profit foundation to formally plan and organize the increasingly popular annual festivities. The original board members of the Solvang Danish Days Foundation were Ken Andersen, Brenda Anderson, Hans Birkholm, Max Hanberg, Howard Petersen, David Rasmussen and Henry Skytt. The Foundation members meet throughout the year to plan and organize the celebration. Donations and volunteers are always welcome. Visit Contact Us for more information. Mange Tak (Many Thanks in Danish) to all who serve, host, visit and celebrate Solvang Danish Days!
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