Norway’s national day on 17 May is called Constitution Day.
The holiday commemorates the signing of the Norwegian Constitution at Eidsvoll on 17 May 1814. The constitution followed Norway’s transfer from Danish to Swedish rule after the Napoleonic Wars, and it declared Norway an independent kingdom. Norway later entered a union with Sweden, but retained its constitution and institutions until the union ended in 1905.
Celebrations are notably civilian and family-oriented. Children’s parades are held throughout the country, with the largest parade passing the Royal Palace in Oslo. Many people wear bunad, traditional Norwegian dress, and carry Norwegian flags. The event is also called Syttende mai, meaning “Seventeenth of May,” while the official name is Grunnlovsdagen, or Constitution Day.