Tag: midsummer

Midsummer arrives early: let’s celebrate!

by Kevin Burden, posted in News

We’re holding our ‘midsummer’ barbecue and party early this year, but we’ll be keeping the St Hans traditions alive. 

Midsummer is an important time of the year in Scandinavia, when the days are long and the sun shines late into the evening – an important annual respite from the long nights and grey days of the winter! Like their fellow Scandinavians, Norwegians throw a big party on or around the summer solstice, typically 21st June, referred to as the Festival of St Hans (who is known in English as John the Baptist). 

It typically features bonfires (often on the beach), eating, drinking, and music-making. We will have a fire pit, barbecues, gentle games and other activities for all ages, and perhaps a bit of music too.

Our venue

Our venue is a private garden in south-west Gower, kindly made available for our use by a member. The address and directions will be shared with members after booking. Please park carefully to allow others freedom to leave at any point.

What to bring

Please bring your food and all crockery and cutlery for your personal use, including cups or mugs for drinks. You might like to bring a cushion and/or blanket, and perhaps games.

We welcome you to bring music instruments if you play any.

We will arrange for barbecues, provide wood for the bonfire and charcoal for the barbecues, and tea, coffee, squash and cake.

If you have a vegetarian diet and wish to avoid cross-contamination by meat, please bring a (disposable) barbecue for your personal use.

Travel

The venue is not easily reached by public transport, but we do not want to let that stand in the way of any member wishing to join us. Please contact us at contact@welshnorwegian.org or via Facebook and we will try to hook you up with someone travelling from Cardiff or Swansea.

Accommodation

There is space on the grounds for three tents or small campervans to pitch. Please reserve a space when booking. There is an outside toilet, but no shower facilities. There are of course many other accommodation options on the Gower, including at the nearby Skysea Caravan and Campsite https://www.porteynon.com/.

Weather

We all hope for and expect good weather in June – but this is Wales! Two years ago we had to postpone because of heavy rain; last year we couldn’t light a fire because of an extended hot and dry spell. If bad weather is forecast and we are forced to cancel, we will let you know as soon as we can, and refund your tickets.

Booking

Tickets cost £8 per adult and £4 per child, which goes to cover the cost of wood and charcoal, refreshments, and liability insurance cover for the private home.

There is no additional charge to camp, but please reserve a space when you book.

This is a members-only event, so please ensure at least one of your party is a paid-up member of WNS. You can take out or renew membership (£10/year) on the booking form. Ticket sales will remain open until the event, but it really helps your volunteer committee to know expected numbers so we get in sufficient supplies.

Please book now!!!!!

Visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-barbecue-and-party-tickets-906275182467 . 

Summer at last: 30 gather on the Gower to celebrate St Hans

by Kevin Burden, posted in News

Thirty members gathered in the Gower for the society’s annual St Hans celebration of midsummer. After four weeks without rain leading to tinder-dry ground conditions (and in contrast to last summer’s washout), it was too risky to light a bonfire, but we were able to fire up the barbeques and enjoy food and fine company al fresco. Janet Neilson’s lovely pictures also show the indoor entertainment kindly led by Torill. Many thanks to her and Anne Kirsti for organising everything and to Sol and her family for so kindly hosting.

Book now for our Midsummer ‘St Hans’ barbecue and party

by Kevin Burden, posted in News

It was wonderful to see so many of you at the 17th May events in Cardiff last week. It feels like we are slowly but surely returning to a kind of normality. Now our second big event of the year is almost upon us – the St Hans Midsummer barbecue and party in the Gower on Saturday 24th June between 5 and 10.30 pm.

Please save the date – and get your tickets as soon as possible, as places are limited. Early booking also really helps our hosts and small team of volunteers get things ready.

The occasion

Norway is, of course, the Land of the Midnight Sun, and along with the rest of Scandinavia, throws a big party on or around the summer solstice, typically 21st June. In Norway the celebrations are named after ‘St Hans’, who is known in English as John the Baptist, and usually held on the evening of 23rd June, St Hans’ Eve, with bonfires (often on the beach), eating, drinking, and making music.

There is a religious dimension to the festival, but it is also a celebration of summer, the solstice, the turning of the year, the forthcoming harvest – and fertility. It is also the Night of the Witches – so bonfires are lit to drive them away. A typical mishmash of elements of Christian, pre-Christian, and modern traditions.

Our venue

Our venue is a private garden in south-west Gower, kindly made available for our use by a member. The address and directions will be shared with members after booking. Please park carefully outside the venue to allow others freedom to leave at any point.

What to bring

Please bring your food and all crockery and cutlery for your personal use, including cups or mugs for drinks.

We welcome you to bring music instruments if you play any.

We will arrange for barbeques, provide wood for the bonfire and charcoal for the barbeques, and tea, coffee, squash and home-made cakes.

Accommodation

There is space on the grounds for three tents to pitch. Please reserve a space when booking. There is an outside toilet, but no shower facilities. There are of course many other accommodation options on the Gower.

Weather

We all hope for and expect good weather in late June – but this is Wales! We had to postpone last year’s event because of heavy rain. If we are again hit by bad weather, we will let you know as soon as we can, and postpone our party until the following weekend.

Booking

Tickets cost £7 per adult and £4 per child, which goes to cover the cost of wood and charcoal, refreshments, and liability insurance cover for the private home.

There is no additional charge to camp, but please reserve a space when you book.

This is a members-only event, so please ensure at least one of your party is a paid-up member of WNS. You can take out or renew membership (£10/year) on the booking form.

Please book online at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/st-hans-midsummer-bbq-and-party-tickets-641527194107 no later than 15th June if you possibly can.