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Solvang and the broader Santa Ynez Valley celebrated the holiday season together Saturday with the annual Julefest Parade.
With the theme of Celebrate Together, some 60 entries boasting more than 400 participants traveled through downtown Solvang as thousands of residents and visitors, many decked out in holiday clothes, lined sidewalks.
Riding in a place of honor as the parade grand marshals were members of the Nielsen family, who have deep roots in the Santa Ynez Valley.
“The Nielsen family were one of the founding families of Solvang,” said parade announcer Laura Kath. “And their store Nielsen’s Market has been here since the beginning, 1911.”
“We felt celebrating together is really a perfect way to honor the family as well as what they do, because they celebrate together every day, but we celebrate together when we shop at Nielson’s,” Kath said. “It’s a great way to honor one of our founding families.
“And not only do they have the market but are so involved in the community,” Kath said, “From Danish Days Foundation to the Vikings to local service organizations, they give back so much year round.”
Natalya Nielsen, a fourth-generation native Solvang resident, is the 2016 Danish Maid and a senior at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School.
Her great-grandfather Axel Nielsen launched the first Danish Days celebration in September 1936 and began the event’s popular aebleskiver breakfasts — a tradition carried on by her grandfather Roger Nielsen and her father Rodney Nielsen, who have been active in Danish Days organizing for decades.
The Saturday morning parade followed a Friday night tree-lighting ceremony in Solvang Park, where the community unveiled the new “drought-tolerant” 23-foot-tall Christmas tree made of LED lights. Additionally a sleigh and other displays sit nearby for people to pose for pictures.
“It’s so stunning,” Kath added.
Saturday’s parade marked the 10th year Kath served as announcer for town’s Christmas parade.
“Such a blessing to be able to give back,” Kath said of her volunteer gig not related to her public relations firm Mariah Marketing or her involvement with the Solvang Visitors Bureau.
“I love to give back to the community to be able to share my gift of gab, if you will, for a good cause, for a wonderful community celebration,” she added.
The 2016 Solvang Julefest Award winners were:
» Best Theme Oriented (Celebrate Together) — Bethania Lutheran Church
» Best Float — Summerset Farm (miniature train)
» Best Equestrian Entry — Willow Creek Ranch Family & Friends
» Best Vehicle Entry — American Legion Riders District 16
» Best Musical Entry —Santa Ynez Valley Union High School Pirates Marching Band
» Best Performance Group —Garcia Dance Studio
» Best Overall Entry —Old Mission Santa Ines Capuchin-Franciscans
Julefest — Danish for Christmas festival — activities continue with the Julefest Holiday Wine & Beer Walk on Dec. 10 and 11, the traditional free live Nativity Pageant on Dec. 11 and Shop, Mingle & Jingle retail specials on Dec. 4 and Dec. 9 to Dec. 11.
Free visits with Santa Claus also are available in Solvang Park from 11 a.m. to to 2 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 10 and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 11
Julefest celebration concludes with the traditional community Christmas tree burn on Jan. 6, weather willing.
Information about Julefest events can be found online here.
While Solvang holds Julefest events, Buellton will celebrate Winter Fest on Sunday, in the morning for Breakfast with Santa, a 20-ton pile of snow in the afternoon on Avenue of Flags for children, a light parade and lighting of the community Christmas tree. A full schedule of activities can be found here
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
