Our flags will be flying here in Mad River, California, USA this year to honor this special day in Norway.

This year we celebrate this special day with memories of the guests from Norway who came to California to help us dedicate the "Slooper bautastein" in Napa May 15, 2004.

Two days later, on the 17th, we gathered with our friends at San Francisco's Norwegian Seaman's Church* overlooking the Bay.  This year  we have added a NEW photo album from that memorable day.

Folks in Norway this year will be doing some extra special celebration this month and next.  This year marks 100 years since Norway ended its union with Sweden.  As our friend and Tysvær Cultural Officer Ingvar Frøyland recently told us, "This year we are talking a lot of the period 1905 - 2005 in Norway because it is 100 years since we got our own king.  From 1814, when we got our own constitution (May 17th) and was free from Denmark, and until 1905 we had a common king with Sweden.  June 7th is the day in 1905 when the union with Sweden ended, and we got our new king Håkon the 7th (imported from Denmark though) - and on June 7th this year Haugesund, Karmøy and Tysvær together are going to have a big arrangement at Haraldshaugen in Haugesund to celebrate the end of the union with Sweden.  We are planning to have a cultural program with a lot of local music and theater, and if the weather is fine, we are hoping a lot of people will come.  This is the first time these communes are have a common program at Haraldshaugen."