You don’t have to fly to Denmark to spend a weekend surrounded by Danish pastries, folk dancing and old-world charm. Just head up the coast and into the Santa Ynez Valley, where one of California’s most distinctive towns is getting ready for one of its biggest celebrations of the year.
This weekend, Solvang Danish Days will bring three days of Danish food, music, parades and cultural traditions to the beautiful Central Coast town. The festival returns September 18–20 for its 89th annual edition, making this a particularly good weekend to visit Solvang.
Three days of Danish traditions
Danish Days started in 1936 as a one-day celebration marking Solvang’s 25th anniversary. Nearly nine decades later, it has grown into a three-day celebration of Danish-American heritage that takes over the town each September.
The weekend begins Friday with a Torchlight Parade at 7:30 p.m. Visitors can join the procession for free, with candles provided along the route. There will also be an outdoor Viking Beer & Wine Garden, Danish food and cultural activities throughout the weekend. For something a little different, visitors can even try axe throwing on Sunday, while the Old World Artisans Marketplace will showcase Scandinavian crafts, woodworking, jewelry, pottery and other handmade goods.
🥞 Come hungry
Food is a major part of the experience, especially if you’ve never tried one of Solvang’s signature treats. The festival’s Æbleskiver Breakfast returns Saturday and Sunday morning, serving the fluffy Danish pancake-like pastries with Danish sausage available on the side.
There is even an Æbleskiver Eating Contest on Sunday. Contestants will have five minutes to see how many they can eat, turning one of the town’s most beloved foods into a surprisingly competitive event. For visitors who want to sample more than pastries, a guided Solvang Food & Culture Tour runs throughout the weekend. The tour combines Danish pastries, local dishes and wine with stories about the town and its culinary traditions.
🥁 Don’t miss the parades
Saturday is the big parade day. The Danish Days Parade begins at 2:30 p.m., with floats, dancers, horses, music and plenty of colorful Danish costumes making their way through downtown Solvang.
Then on Sunday, families can join the Children’s Parade at 2:30 p.m. Costumes are encouraged, and children and families can join the procession for free. The festival will also introduce its 2026 Danish Maid, Ainsley Haws, a fifth-generation Danish-American whose family has roots in four different regions of Denmark.
So if you’re looking for a weekend road trip from Los Angeles, Solvang offers something a little different. Danish pastries, torchlight parades, Viking-themed festivities, live music and a charming European-style town are all waiting less than two hours away.
