May 17th Parade Returns to Bay Ridge for 200th Anniversary Celebration
Sunday, May 18
Kickoff at 1:30 PM
Parade Route: Starts at 85th Street, marches down 3rd Avenue, turns onto 75th Street, then up 5th Avenue to 67th Street — Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
The annual Norwegian Constitution Day Parade returns to the heart of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, on Sunday, May 18 — and this year marks a truly historic milestone. The 2025 parade celebrates the 200th anniversary of Norwegian immigration to America, honoring the bold journey of 53 Norwegians who set sail from Stavanger, Norway, aboard the sloop Restauration in 1825.
That voyage, driven by the dream of a better life, marked the beginning of organized Norwegian emigration to the United States. Many of those early immigrants made their way to Brooklyn, with Bay Ridge and the Norwegian Seamen’s Church becoming key destinations where families were formed and communities took root. Today, nearly five million Americans proudly trace their ancestry back to Norway — a legacy that lives on in the very neighborhood where this beloved parade unfolds each spring.
This year’s event will feature the traditional mix of marching bands, cultural floats, flags, Norwegian bunads, and enthusiastic community groups. Leading the celebration as Grand Marshal is Lars Nielsen of the Norwegian Immigration Association, who will speak at the grandstand about the broader bicentennial initiative, “200 Crossings.”
As part of that effort, a commemorative sloop will journey from Norway to New York, scheduled to arrive at the South Street Seaport on October 9 — Leif Eriksson Day. While this future event will serve as a symbolic echo of the original 1825 crossing, the spotlight on May 18 remains firmly on the Bay Ridge community, its deep-rooted Norwegian heritage, and the ongoing celebration of freedom, identity, and connection.
The parade’s name — the May 17th Parade — reflects the traditional Norwegian term “Syttende Mai,” which means “17th of May” in Norwegian. This date marks Norway’s Constitution Day, celebrating the signing of the Norwegian constitution in 1814, when Norway declared independence from Danish rule. For Norwegians, both in Norway and abroad, May 17 is a deeply cherished day of national pride, freedom, and cultural identity. By referring to it simply as the “May 17th Parade,” the Brooklyn event stays true to this heritage and aligns with how the day is recognized and celebrated throughout the global Norwegian community.
So come wave your flags, celebrate your roots — or just enjoy a piece of living history in one of Brooklyn’s most spirited cultural traditions.
