WINDMILLS, CLOGS, PASTRIES, and all manner of Solvangian sights? They offer up charms aplenty, throughout the calendar, but come December, everything around the wine country town, from glasses of local wine to those tasty butter cookies, seems to shimmer with a little extra magic. And the magic-delivering event, or series of events, falls under one memorable and celebratory name: Julefest. Nope, this isn't a one-weekend-only type of festival deal, but rather something that spreads out, with oodles of warmth and a variety of pursuits, over several select days throughout the final month of the year (and, indeed, a bit into January). And...
JULEFEST... is now flowering with all of the panache of a poinsettia 'round Solvang, with the annual tree lighting just ahead on Friday, Dec. 7. Several happenings will follow, like the blades of a windmill following each other, with candlelight tours, the Shop Mingle & Jingle, a parade, concerts, and the Skål Stroll 2-Day Wine & Beer Walk all coming up. There's a nativity pageant, too, and a chance to hobnob with Santa Claus in Solvang Park. Because Julefest isn't just a single-day to-do, best make sure you're swinging in the direction of Solvang on the date when something you want to take part in going on.
BUT TRUTH? A lot of seasonal stuff of the most Solvangish sort is clustered around the earlier and middle weekends of the month, though, of course, not everything. Planning ahead for your village visit during this bustling and bulb-bright time is a must, so raise a mug of gløgg and get to planning, now.
