Guests of an upcoming author showcase in Solvang will get to meet a Danish writer who’s been dead for more than 100 years.
The event’s special guest from beyond the grave is none other than Hans Christian Andersen, as played by Randel McGee, who is set to appear a handful of times during the Living History Festival, a yearly celebration of Solvang’s cultural and historical roots held at the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art.
McGee has frequented the annual festival for more than a decade, not including the Elverhoj Museum’s two-year hiatus from hosting the program due to the pandemic. This year’s two-day event, scheduled for Sept. 17 and 18, marks a triumphant return for the fest, which is being held in conjunction with Solvang’s town-wide Danish Days festivities.
“We are looking forward to the smiles on the faces of guests and volunteers,” said Esther Jacobsen Bates, Elverhoj Museum’s executive director. “We have families that return every year that we can’t wait to welcome back.”
The museum will host a wide range of activities as part of the family-friendly festival, including McGee’s outdoor storytelling performances, scheduled to take place in the museum’s garden at 1 p.m. during each day of the event. McGee will also lead a unique paper-crafting workshop on Sept. 18 at 4 p.m.
In his top-hat adorning role as Andersen, McGee will retell various stories written by the Danish icon, whose notable works include “The Little Mermaid,” “The Snow Queen,” and “Thumbelina.”
“The selection varies from year to year,” Bates said, referring to the countless fairy tales in McGee’s arsenal, ready to be retold for his audiences.
A fan of Andersen’s stories, Bates has trouble ranking her personal favorites.
“He wrote around 160 fairy tales, which makes picking a favorite difficult,” Bates said. “The tales that stick out to me include ‘The Princess and the Pea,’ ‘The Ugly Duckling,’ and ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes.’”
Speaking of clothes, McGee won’t be the only costumed figure on-site during Living History Days, as museum docents and volunteers will be garbed in colorful folk costumes as they guide visitors through various crafting workshops and other celebratory activities.
Museum guests will have the opportunity to dress up for the occasion too, as Viking helmets and other photo booth accessories will be available for visitors to try on and take selfies with.
Bates said the event will include offerings that appeal to all ages, and guests will have access to the museum’s ongoing art exhibitions as well. Several artisans will be available to demonstrate their crafting skills and help guide the festival’s interactive workshops, designed for young and old crafters alike, regardless of artistic experience.
“The projects will be suitable for ages 9 to 109,” Bates said.
Bobbin lace making, basket weaving, and paper crafting will be among the demonstrations and workshops offered during the festival. Participants of the latter will create their own paper ornaments with unique designs.
“Paper crafts are a Danish Christmas tradition that starts at a young age,” Bates said. The festival’s workshop featuring “papirklip,” Danish paper clipping, will yield results she described as “paper snowflakes on steroids.”
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