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July Events
July 6 Finland's Eino Leino’s Day, Day of Poetry and Summer (customary flag day). This is a day that has been included in Finnish calendars since 1998. The day is the birthday of the poet Eino Leino, born in 1878.
July 14 Sweden's Victoria Day is an annual celebration in mid-July to celebrate Crown Princess Victoria's birthday.
Jul 20 Norway's Crown Prince Haakon's Birthday. The Crown Prince is heir to the Norwegian throne. He is the son of H.M. King Harald V and H.M. Queen Sonja. His wife is and H.R.H Crown Princess Mette-Marit and their daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, is second in line to the throne.
July 27 Finland's Sleepyhead Day. According to legend, seven Christian youths fled the persecution of Decius, a Roman emperor, to a cave where they slept for almost 200 years. Sleepyhead Day was included in the first Finnish-language calendars in 1705. The current name, Sleepyhead Day, was introduced into the almanac in 1929. Today, Sleepyhead Day is best known for Finland’s Official Sleepy Head chosen and baptized on the day by the town of Naantali.
July 29 Denmark's Faroe Islands Ólavsøka. Ólavsøka’s literal meaning is "Saint Olaf's Wake" (vigilia sancti Olavi in Latin). Ólavsøka is a celebration of the Norwegian king Olaf Haraldsson II (Ólavur Halgi in Faroese), who died in the battle at Stiklestad Norway in 1030. People stroll up and down the streets of Tórshavn, many dressed in the colourful national Faroese dress, greeting friends and acquaintances and partaking in jovial celebrations.
Denmark's Faroe Islands Ólavsøka
July 31 to August 3 Iceland's National Festival. This festival features many of the most prominent musicians and bands in Iceland, with the highlight being a huge sing-along on a large hill featuring classic Icelandic pop and folk songs and a huge bonfire when the last song is over.
Crossing North Podcast
The University of Washington Department of Scandinavian Studies produces an ongoing monthly podcast focusing on Scandinavian and Baltic society and culture. There are quite a few back episodes including an interview with Marc Smith, the Director of Animation Story for Disney's Frozen 2.
Notable Norwegians
As a member or associate member you receive the bi-monthly Døtre av Norge News Magazine that features articles and photos of each of our lodges. Here is a taste of some of the other fascinating articles found in our News Magazine. Notable Norwegians ~ John "Snowshoe" Thompson.