Celebrate Norway's Constitution Day At 'Syttende Mai'
local celebration to feature plenty of food, a silent auction, keynote speaker and Norwegian heritage
The annual celebration of Syttende Mai – "17 mai" or Saturday, May 1 – returns to Eau Claire this spring with a full program of festivities.
From 5-8pm on Friday, May 16, the community is invited to celebrate Syttende Mai at the Eau Claire Holiday Inn South (4751 Own Ayres Court). This year's event includes a silent auction, a Scandinavian meal — and perhaps most prominently — a keynote speaker: former U.S. Ambassador to Norway, Tom Loftus.
Appointed by President Bill Clinton and approved by the Senate in 1993, Tom Loftus served as U.S. Ambassador to Norway for four years. A successful politician in Wisconsin (he was speaker of the assembly from 1983 -1991), Loftus had also been a world traveler, having made trips to China, Japan, Central and South America, and Europe. In short, he was ready for the job of “representing the US government, building and maintaining diplomatic relations, promoting US interests, and protecting American citizens abroad.”
Loftus' book, Mission to Oslo: Dancing with the Queen, Dealmaking with the Russians, Shaping History is available locally at Dotters Books (307 S Barstow St, Eau Claire) and will be sold and signed at the Syttende Mai event.
His book tells the story of 1,460 days of life at the ambassador’s residence, Villa Otium, where he held a view of Oslo Fjord and Frogner Park. Loftus used the library as his office and occasionally visited the sauna, a bombproof room. As Loftus notes, “the steel door closed when the sauna was on. That did not invite relaxation — what if it got stuck?!”
The book explains that ambassadors have a busy life outside of the “office.” During his term, Loftus got acquainted with and frequently met his peers in the adjacent countries — Sweden, Finland, and Russia. In between diplomatic missions, he learned about Norwegian whaling, the importance of the Fulbright program in Norway, and the community involvement in the annual Syttende Mai celebration.
Before he became an ambassador, Loftus had become a man of the world. His years of service helped him develop a mastery of international relations.
The book offers plenty of true tales and information, but attendees to the Eau Claire Syttende Mai banquet and program on May 16 also highlights Norwegian culture and Loftus' experience as Ambassador.
The Syttende Mai event will be held at Holiday Inn South (4751 Owen Ayres Ct., Eau Claire) on May 16 • Tickets are $30/person, available at Festival Foods (Mall Drive) through May 9 and online • Learn more at agerhouse.org/syttendemai.
