Even The Danes Celebrate the Fourth!

Margrethe II, Queen of Denmark (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You learn something new every day! The Danish have been celebrating our American Independence day since 1912, and this year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the event at Rebild National Park.

HM Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, along with her sister, Princess Benedikte, traveled to Rebild yesterday to celebrate the American observance of the 4th of July along with fellow Danes and Danish Americans.

Rebild is a protected site located in Rebild municipality in Region Nordjylland in Denmark. In 1912, a group of Danish Americans purchased 200 acres of land here so that they would have a place to celebrate America’s Independence Day with their families.

By 1912, around 300,000 workers had left Denmark for the shores of the US to live out the “American Dream”. Like many immigrants of that time, they formed tight bonds with one another, creating clubs and societies to maintain their culture. These organizations varied, until the Rebild National Park Society came into being. It helped unite the organizations under one main society that kept solid ties with Denmark.

Along with Queen Margrethe II, several other noted figures have participated in the event in Rebild, from American Presidents to celebrities such as Victor Borge, Walt Disney, and many Danish dignitaries.

Thanks to Rebild Chicago