Parties and celebrations all year round!
People have the need for events, gatherings and parties to celebrate the many phases of life. Celebrations take place all across the globe, and there are completely different traditions in different parts of the world. There are even great differences between the Nordic countries. Each month has its milestones and celebrations somewhere in the world. Let’s take a closer look at some of the things that happen in July, August and September.
📷 4th July is a big day of celebration in the United States
Frihetsstatuen på en bakgrunn med det amerikanske flagget og fyrverkeri.
National Day in the US
The Fourth of July (Independence Day) is the American national day. They celebrate their independence from Great Britain which happened on this day in 1776. Thirteen North American states declared that they were free and independent states and the Declaration of Independence was passed. This declaration came to have great importance for other constitutions in other countries, including France in 1791 and Norway in 1814.
Family parties, parades and fireworks
The Fourth of July is a holiday when family and friends will gather together for a good meal, often a barbecue. In a lot of places there are parades with bands playing in the morning and speeches are given. The celebrations are concluded with fantastic fireworks in the evening. It is common to decorate with balloons and other decorations in red, white and blue. The day is also celebrated in other countries where Americans live.
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August med hvit skrift på sort bakgrunn.
La Tomatina – The tomato throwing festival
There is a tradition in the town of Buñol in the Valencia region of Spain that goes by the name of ‘La Tomatina’ . La Tomatina is a yearly festival that is celebrated on the last Wednesday of August, and it is famous for its participants throwing tomatoes at each other in a big fight. The humble beginnings of this special tradition lie in 1945. During a large Giants and Big-heads figures parade, a gang of young boys caused one of the participants to destroy his figure. He became so angry that he started throwing things around. Several joined in and robbed a vegetable stall to throw tomatoes at each other.
Strict safety rules
La Tomatina doesn’t really have a clear meaning or purpose other than being a fun celebration. Tons of tomatoes are thrown at the festival, and participants throw tomatoes at anyone they want. But it is important to remember that La Tomatina is not supposed to be violent, and participants are expected to follow a number of rules to make sure that everyone has fun in a safe way.
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Knust tomat liggende i en hånd mot en bakgrunn med mange tomater.
September med hvit skrift på sort bakgrunn.
Oktoberfest in September
The Oktoberfest in München starts on the third weekend of September and lasts 16 days. In the beginning, the festival was celebrated in October, but from 1905 the festival has started in September to make use of the last remains of the summer. The festival is focused on beer and local food, and is also referred to as the beer festival. The yearly Oktoberfest is one of the world’s biggest folk festivals. The festival was first arranged in 1810 in connection with a royal wedding to which 40,000 people were invited. Oktoberfest has since spread to a lot of different countries, including Norway.
Traditional costumes from Bavaria
It is popular for people to dress up in traditional costumes from Bavaria. The girls often wear dresses (dirndl), and the boys wear shorts (lederhosen). In many places horses are also decorated with hats and colourful gear.
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Folk som danser med folkedrakter fra Bayern.
Sources:
- Sirevåg, Torbjørn: Den amerikanske uavhengighetserklæringen i Store norske leksikon på snl.no. Hentet 2. januar 2023 fra https://snl.no/Den_amerikanske_uavhengighetserkl%C3%A6ringen
- usaguiden.no (02.01.23): USA`s nasjonaldag – 4. juli
https://usaguiden.no/usas-nasjonaldag-4-juli/
- Spaniaposten (02.01.23): La Tomatina – Tomatkrig i Buñol 31. august
https://spania.no/valencia/la-tomatina-tomatkrig-bunol/
- Dalen, Marit: oktoberfesten i Store norske leksikon på snl.no. Hentet 2. januar 2023 fra https://snl.no/oktoberfesten
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