Solvang stays in touch with its roots, as is apparent in the title of its upcoming Third Wednesday event: Midsommer Musik. The day includes 12 straight hours of free live music, with local eateries and tasting rooms offering special deals and discounts to visitors seeking food and drink.
“The Midsommer Musik is kind of a take off of a European tradition,” said Third Wednesday coordinator Susan Williams. “On Midsummer’s Eve, there are all kinds of festivals. Some even have 24 hours of music. We couldn’t do that, but we have live music from noon to midnight.”
The event will include performances of many kinds of music, including blues, classic rock, folk, Americana, and even a steel drum band. The performances will happen all over Solvang—including on the street—with the central hub in Solvang Park.
“We encourage people to bring blankets and chairs, a picnic basket; they can bring wine and beer to enjoy,” Williams said. “It’s just a really laid-back way to enjoy a Wednesday evening.”
The park will feature live music all day, and from 5 to 7:30 p.m. there will be pizza for sale from a mobile oven set up by Cecco Ristorante and gourmet hotdogs from Good2go! Wine Country Food Cart. The Mark Roberts Band will be performing from 5 to 8 p.m.
“There are also restaurants that are offering special deals, like Bacon and Brine, which is offering 15 percent off,” Williams said. “There’s all kinds of ways during this event to take advantage of all the specials at the fabulous restaurants here in Solvang.”
A regular fixture in the Third Wednesday lineup is the “Wine and Beer Walk” that runs from 3 to 7 p.m. Guests who buy tickets will receive a special glass, vouchers, and a map from Wandering Dog Wine Bar. Tasters can walk to five of several wine tasting rooms and breweries and turn in their vouchers for a tasting.
“Solvang is peppered with tasting rooms—there’s like 14—but there are other shops and restaurants in between,” Williams said, “and people just love walking around town and seeing everything that Solvang has to offer.”
Other activities for the Third Wednesday event include a jewelry-making class at Kandra’s Beads from 5 to 7 p.m. The Wilding Museum also offers free admission from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for people interested in viewing several new exhibits. PCPA Theaterfest also offers 50 percent off tickets to its production of Noises Off at the Solvang Festival Theater.
“It’s a great place for adults, kids, and dogs, in the park,” Williams said. “We have beautiful lights and trees, so it always kind of looks like a beautiful, magical wonderland.”
The Solvang Brewing Company will be host to live music that goes to midnight, as well as another historical Midsummer’s Eve celebration, Williams explained.
“There’s a Danish tradition where they light a bonfire on Midsummer’s Eve as a celebration,” she said. “They have a fire ring at the Solvang Brewing Company, so that will be our bonfire where people can write down their troubles on paper and throw them in the fire. That is our adaptation of the custom.”
With the promise of food, drink, art classes, exhibitions, live theater, and live music until midnight, the Midsommer Musik event is a celebration of all the things that make Solvang a huge attraction for visitors as well as locals.
“It’s a great way to discover some of the hidden gems that Solvang has,” Williams said. “People have lived here all their lives, and they may never have gone into a certain store.”
Arts Editor Joe Payne is chasing windmills. Contact him at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jun 5-12, 2014.
