By JUDD WEIL
Hutch Post
LINDSBORG, Kan. — The 13th iteration of Våffeldagen celebrated in Lindsborg, Kansas is March 25.
Downtown Lindsborg will be full of waffles and waffle-based with games, photo opportunities, unique waffle creations, and getting ‘waffled’ by the ‘Waffle People.’
Carla Wilson, Våffeldagen organizer, said this year’s theme is “Luck be a Waffle.”
Våffeldagen, translating to ‘Waffle Day,’ is not 13-years-old however. At least not to its origin-county, Sweden.
“We observe a lot of Swedish holidays here in town and I had never heard of Waffle Day, and I happened upon it,” Wilson said. “I just thought, ‘this sounds fun,’ and we don't have really anything this time of year.”
Wilson said she went around to the different restaurants of Lindsborg, informing them that March 25 is National Waffle Day in Sweden, and asking them if they would be willing to serve waffles on that day.
“They all said sure, so I went home and I made some waffle costumes and in Lindsborg fashion, I asked some people, if they would be ‘Waffle People’ and roam around and just hand out little trinkets or goodies and greet people and say ‘you've been waffled’ and that's how it started,” Wilson said.
Lindsborg is considered the Little Sweden of Kansas, so adopting and celebrating Våffeldagen seemed natural.
“We keep our heritage alive by honoring the Swedish or celebrating the Swedish festivals,” Wilson said.
Våffeldagen finds its origins in the religious holiday day, the Feast of the Annunciation, or ‘Vårfrudagen,’ which translates to ‘Our Lady’s Day.’
The Feast of the Annunciation or Our Lady’s Day is a recognition of the biblical event where the angel Gabriel told Mary of Nazareth she was pregnant with the son of God.
The day of waffles came to be because when said quickly, ‘Vårfrudagen’ sounds like ‘Våffeldagen.’
Waffle Day and Our Lady’s Day are both celebrated on the same day, March 25.
Throughout the day, several Lindsborg businesses will be ‘waffle-ized.’
The White Peacock Coffee Shop located at 14 S. Main St. Will be selling a ‘sugar pearl’ waggle with berries and cream cheese, maple waffle frappes, and will also host photo ops starting at 7 a.m.
350 Degrees Bakery located at 118 S. Main St. Will have hot Belgian waffles with Swedish lingonberries and syrup and waffle sugar cookies with chocolate starting at 8:30 a.m.
Smoky Valley Arts & folklife Center located at 114 ½ S. Main St. will have a waffle charcuterie buffet with spreads, toppings, and mimosas starting at 8 a.m.
Jalisco Mexican Restaurant located at 107 N. Main St. Will debut their new experiment, the waffle tostada starting at 11 a.m.
Crown and Rye Restaurant located at 121 N. Main St. will have waffle Monte Christo sandwiches, hot waffles with warm honey butter, waffles and chicken, and a special waffle cocktail.
Blacksmith Coffee Shop & Roastery located at 122 N. Main St. will have hot Belgian waffle with maple whipped and bacon strips.
Indigo Moo’d Ice Cream located at 125 N. Main St. will have house-made maple bacon waffle ice cream sandwiches and waffles cones to pair with their other ice cream flavors.
Öl Stuga located at 119 S. Main St. will have waffle shots in addition to their regular menu.
White’s Foodliner located at 215 N. Harrison St. will have hot waffles and chickens in their deli case.
Most business will have their special Waffle Day items until they run out.
Then at the Lindsborg Community Library from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., there will be waffled-themed children’s crafts and games.
More free crafts and games will be hosted at 350 Degrees Bakery, Clara Hatton Center, The Good Merchant, and Stockholm Estates.
Then people can get decked out waffle ‘swag’ for Våffeldagen by purchasing clothing and gear at the Ivory Thimble from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hair bows, headbands, scrunchies, and jewelry are just some of the items.
As people tour Lindsborg during Våffeldagen, they can keep track of all of the Swedish Dala Horses, traditional carved, painted wooden statues of horses, all ‘waffled’ as well.
“Everything’s better with a waffle on it,” Wilson said.
According to Wilson, a herd of photogenic horses will be wandering around Lindsborg during the celebration.
Additionally, the Lindsborg Community will host a special guest, PBS’s Nature Cat for photo opportunities with children.
For more information visit the Våffeldagen Facebook page.
Våffeldagen will continue into the evening Saturday, March 25. Go grab a waffle.
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