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# 17th of May in Ballard

Date

May 17, 2026

Museum Hours: 10:00am - 5:00pm; Parade: 6:00 - 8:00pm

Contact

2655 NW Market Street, Seattle, WA 98107

206.789.5707

#### Celebrate Norwegian Constitution Day—commonly known as “Syttende Mai”—in Ballard!

Read below for a list of all the fun activities throughout the neighborhood. For more information, please visit 17thofmay.org.

Visit the Museum(Opens in a new window)

###### At the Museum | In Ballard | Parade Information | Parade After-Party

######

## The Largest Syttende Mai Celebration Outside of Norway 🎉

The earliest recorded 17th of May celebrations in Seattle were held in 1889. By 1901, Ballard's Norwegian-American residents were hosting a parade, and the celebration of Norwegian Constitution Day has grown from there to include the entire neighborhood and city! The festivities in Seattle are the largest outside of Oslo and Bergen.

Learn How to Celebrate in Ballard

# 2026 Festivities in Ballard

## Spotlights

- ### National Nordic Museum

  ###### 📍 2655 NW Market Street

- ### 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

  A trip to the National Nordic Museum is a must on Syttende Mai!

  Immerse yourself in Nordic culture and history while learning about Ballard's strong Norwegian ties. There will also be family-friendly activities throughout the Museum, and special menu items in Freya Cafe.

  Get Tickets

- ### 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

  17th of May Seattle Luncheon in Osberg Great Hall

  Learn More & Register

### Bergen Place Musical Entertainment

###### 📍 22nd Ave NW & NW Market St.

11:00 am - 4:00 pm — Live music and dancing in the center of Ballard!

### Skål Beer Hall

###### 📍 5429 Ballard Avenue NW

11:00 am - 7:30 pm — Head to Ballard’s only Nordic Beer Hall for a full day of festivities, including live music, a special Syttende Mai menu, and to-go food and drinks for the parade.

Check it Out

### Leif Erikson Lodge Open House

###### 📍 2245 NW 57th Street

12:00 pm - 4:30 pm — Authentic Norwegian food and live entertainment.

### 17th of May Ballard Parade

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm — Every year, the National Nordic Museum walks in the 17th of May parade — an annual event that caps off the neighborhood-wide celebration. Everyone is welcome to march with us; Norwegian heritage not required!

Sign Up to March with Us(Opens an external site in a new window)

P.S. The 2026 Grand Marshall, Erna Solberg, is speaking at the Museum on May 16 on European security and current world events.

## Marching with us in the parade? Here's what you need to know:

- The parade begins at 6pm, so we are asking all participants to be in position by 5:30pm.
- All parade groups will meet on the north side of Adams Elementary on 62nd street between 28th Ave and 24th Ave. We are group number 29.
- The Seafair Marshall booth will be located on 28th Ave NW and NW 62nd St and can help you locate our group.
- Ballard will be quite busy for the parade, so please plan ahead with an appropriate amount of time to find parking and locate our group.

###### If you have any questions, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Tim Krumland.

######

### Parade After-Party with Icelandic Groove Project

###### 📍5213 Ballard Avenue NW

8:00 pm (doors 7:30 pm) — After the parade, join us at Tractor Tavern for a 21+ show featuring local band, Icelandic Groove Project!

Get Tickets

For information regarding refunds, please review our FAQ page.

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