Capital steels itself for a Viking invasion

Published on Friday 16 May 2003 01:00

THE Capital is preparing for a friendly Nordic invasion tomorrow when a 1000-strong crowd marches through the city centre.

The biggest Norwegian National Day celebrations outside the Scandinavian state will see a host of events over 24 hours, cementing Edinburgh’s historic links with the country.

It comes ahead of next week’s prestigious International Festival of the Sea in Leith, where Norway has been invited as the guest of honour - and has responded by sending over a mini-Viking fleet including two tall ships.

It strengthens a lasting friendship between Scotland and Norway, which has seen Bergen supplying the Christmas tree on The Mound each year for half a century.

Edinburgh has a Norwegian community of more than 1000, half of whom are students.

Thomas Farstad, president of the students’ representative body Norsa, said: "Like students everywhere, we like to have a good time. It is a big national occasion and a big, big celebration." The undergraduates warm up for the big day with a Norwegian students’ golf tournament at Silverknowes, followed by a cabaret/review at the Teviot Students Union.

Tomorrow, they will rise at dawn for the traditional Students’ Flag Ceremony on the summit of Arthur’s Seat. Fuelled by the Norwegian tipple aquavit, around 350 will meet between 7am and 7.30am, climb to the summit and raise their country’s flag.

They then descend on Prestonfield House Hotel for the National Day breakfast.

The One o’Clock Gun signals the start of the 1000-strong traditional Norway Day Parade, which will wind its way along Princes Street, closing part of the road for around half an hour. "Everyone is welcome to join in the fun," said Thomas. "We always get a great reception from the people of Edinburgh, and the Lord Provost has traditionally taken part."

Torbjrn Holt, the Norwegian students’ chaplain, will conduct a service in West Princes Street Gardens before even more celebrations continue with the traditional Consul General’s lunch for invited guests at his residence in the city.

In the evening, the Norwegian National Day Dinner and Dance will be held at the George Intercontinental Hotel, hosted by Consul General Arne Siversten.

Klaus Knust, executive head chef at the hotel, is preparing the official dinner. He said: "Norwegians have a lot in common with Scots when it comes to cuisine. The dinner will reflect these connections, with salmon in sanfjord butter encapsulating the essence of the two countries."

Dancing will be to the non-Nordic strains of the Jack Findlay Trio, whilst the guest speaker is Gilded Balloon proprietor Karen Koren. She said: "My parents are from Norway, and I still have a huge affinity with the country."

Norwegian National Day commemorates the day in 1814 when Denmark decided to hand Norway over to Sweden, but with the caveat that the Norwegians should have their own constitution.

Norway was granted independence in 1905, and May 17, 2005, should see what Consul Grethe Knudsen predicts will be "one hell of a party, a huge celebration at home and in Edinburgh".