Danish Maid
Kristine Hanberg, the 2007 Danish Maid for
Solvang’s annual Danish Days Festival, looks every bit the part. Seventeen, Kristine
has piercing blue eyes, white-blond hair and, when dressed in costume, is a
throw back to the porcelain-skinned maidens carrying milk pails through
Denmark’s pastures.
“I am very excited for Danish Days,” Kristine said. “It’s going to
be fun.”
Flash forward to the 21st century and Kristine is every bit the
modern young woman, excepting a family history deeply rooted in the Danish
tradition. Her Danish heritage comes from her father, Max Hanberg,
whose parents Paul and Asta Hanberg
met in Los Angeles in 1953. Asta emigrated from a
small farm in Jutland, Denmark and Paul from the city of Copenhagen on the
island of Zealand. They married in the Danish Lutheran Church in Solvang in
1954, and moved permanently to the Valley in 1965, the same time they purchased
the Solvang Shoe Store, which specializes in Danish Clogs. Their son, Max, and
his wife, Laura, later purchased the shoe store.
“We’re very proud and honored that our daughter was chosen as the
Danish maid for 2007,” Max said. “My father was the chairman in ’72 and I’m the
current co-chair and we have participated in Danish Days for as long as we have
been in the Valley. To carry on the cultural experience for our family feels
good.”
Laura, Kristine’s mom shares her husband’s sentiment.
“It’s exciting. I love the social aspect of Danish Days,” she
said. “The whole thing is very social, Kristine has done so well. I feel like
I’ve turned into a Dane, One day I would love to visit.”
A well-written essay combined with well-founded family roots in the
community landed Kristine the job as this year’s Danish Maid. The Danish Days
theme this year is “Solvang: Can You Remember When?” celebrating the 71st
anniversary of Danish Days and the original festival intended to remind
residents of their link to the Old Country. It was the celebration of Solvang’s
25th anniversary in 1936 that inspired what we now know as Danish Days. It
wasn’t until 1946, however, that Solvang, meaning “sunny field,” found its way
onto the map, with a feature article in the Saturday Evening Post. Visitors
were attracted by the town’s idyllic, European charm and since Solvang has
become a major tourist attraction in California.
Danish Days is no exception. Drawing visitors from near and far,
the three- day celebration doesn’t disappoint those seeking tradition and
old-world charm, and Kristine Hanberg will be center
stage. Public speaking engagements and Danish Days Foundation meetings have
kept Kristine busy these last few months, but her duties also include selling
raffle tickets for the foundation’s major fundraiser, with prizes including a
trip to Denmark and $1,000 cash. During the festival she will be featured in
the Friday and Saturday parades and also performing her favorite job—cooking
early-morning belskivers on Copenhagen Drive. It’s
something she’s been doing since she can remember, and will continue to
do—Danish Maid or not.
All of my responsibilities are not overwhelming,” Kristine said.
“I enjoy relating and being around the people.”
This year Kristine is also a senior at Santa Ynez
High School. She’s involved in swim team, volleyball and Future Farmers of
America where she has learned to care for animals. Like most teenagers she
enjoys hanging out with her friends, and especially snowboarding and going to
motorcycles races.
She says her future plans include studying business, fashion or
photography (maybe all three!) at a college of her choice, that according to
Kristine, will be south of Santa Ynez and within a
close two hours of home.
Keep
an eye out for Kristine at this year’s Danish Days, Sept. 21 – 23. It will be a
weekend packed with food, entertainment, dancing, parades, sausage, pastry, and
of course… Aebelskivers.