Leif Ericson Parade - October 10 in Durham, New Hampshire

Leif Ericson Parade, October 10, 2010 in Durham, New Hampshire

Grab your Viking helmet (complete with horns!) and wear your Scandinavian sweater to Durham this weekend for the 34rd annual Leif Ericson parade! This is an annual, non-organized event where marchers gather at the laudromat on Main Street to await the horn blowing at about 6:30 AM on Sunday October 10, 2010, and then march together for a breakfast at Young's in downtown Durham. It is always celebrated on Columbus Day weekend.

Ha det gøy! (Have fun!)

Leif Ericson Day is celebrated internationally on October 9th. According to an article in Foster's Daily Democrat "...the traditional parade began in 1977 when Nobel K. Peterson and two others wanted to do something in conjunction with Leif Ericson Day, which is Oct. 9. Peterson and his friend were doing laundry when they decided to march next door to Young's Restaurant in honor of the Icelandic explorer known as the first European to land in North America." See the website http://fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091009/GJNEWS_01/710099889 Foster's Daily Democrat, "The Vikings are Coming!" By Robert M. Cook, Friday, October 9, 2009. In Durham the annual proclamation by President Obama and by New Hampshire's Governor Lynch will be read.

Last year's post for Leif Erikson Day 2009
http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2009/10/leif-erikson-day-in-new-hampshire.html

There are a plethora of silly videos of the Durham Leif Ericson parade on Youtube.com

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Copyright 2010, Heather Wilkinson Rojo