I am just going to download some pictures that I think you might like. I took about 300 pictures on 17 Mai...so I have lots to choose from. The bunad (national dress) is almost a requirement for all locals to wear on 17 Mai, their constitution day.
There are lots of different designs of the bunads...the designs and colors tell where you are from in Norway. Pretty neat. They are hand-stitched and cost about $4500 each. They are worn on 17 Mai and usually for Christmas Eve. For foreigners like us on 17 Mai, we were told to wear our best Christmas clothes. This is the most important event in Norway during the year. Wearing jeans will get you a tongue lashing at best.
Notice the Russ girls (last day of Russ...yay!) handing out their russkorts to the little ones.
The children's parade takes place in each kommune...ISS falls under Stavanger kommune so our kids have to march in their children's parade. It lasts about 1.5 hours. There is one later in the afternoon in each kommune as well...for all the organizations in the area. That usually lasts over 2 hours. We went to the Sola one near our house for that parade. You have never seen so many Norwegian flags like you do on 17 Mai!
The Oslo 17 Mai tog was celebrated in sleet and freezing rain. It was the coldest 17 Mai they had had in 50 years. It was chilly here, but not raining. The bunads are made from wool layers, so cooler weather is just fine!
The children's parade is so much fun! The kids are either playing in a band, singing or cheering their school name on at the top of their lungs.
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