Since 1912, the Danish American Friendship Association called Rebild National Park Society has celebrated the American Independence Day on July 4th in the pastoral heather hills of the village Rebild in Denmark, which became the first national park in that country.
Every year the annual meeting and convention is being held in an American city. Last year it was in Houston and next year in San Diego. This year the Rebild Chapter of Kentucky will be hosting this attractive event at Embassy Suites RiverCenter in Covington. More than a hundred Danes and Danish Americans are expected to participate in this highly traditional event that not only features the mandatory annual meeting, but also gives an opportunity to get familiar with various parts of America. In the Greater Cincinnati area, events include a riverboat tour on the Ohio, the Freedom Center, Newport Aquarium, Woodford Reserve, and last but not least the gala event “Dinner, Dance and Danes”. A pre-tour to Dayton and a post-tour to Louisville, Bardstown and Berea are also on the busy schedule.
The organization was founded in Chicago to honor the many opportunities America gave Danish immigrants, especially from 1830 and forward, when life become tough in the homeland due to two wars against Prussia, religious and political instability, and unemployment in the wake of the beginning industrial revolution. The founders were able to convince the Danish King Frederik VIII to become the first patron. Each year, representatives of the Danish government, the US Embassy and well-known US speakers such as Danny Kaye, Walt Disney, Ronald Reagan, and actor Mads Mikkelsen, partake in the festivities.
The convention is slated for April 3-7, 2024.
If the readers want to learn more about the event and potentially participate, information can be found at www.rebildfesten.dk. Danish born Lone Soto of Erlanger, President of Scandinavian Society of Cincinnati and national board member of the Rebild Society can provide more information as well. Contact her at lone.soto@gmail.com . Convention chair and former US Rebild VP, Sune Frederiksen of Berea, KY is also available to answer questions at 859-248-0690.
Sincerely,
Sune Frederiksen
Convention chair
859-248-0690
Feel free to use the images.
