About the Festival
Festival History:
In 1964, a contest was held to come up with a Greenville promotion, and a cash prize was offered by three business owners to the person submitting the idea. Mrs. Dorothy Oliver was the winner, with the suggestion that a day be set aside to honor the Danish heritage Greenville enjoys.
The first Danish Festival was held on August 18, 1965. Today an 23 member Board of Directors, a staff of one, over 35 committees and hundreds of other volunteers are responsible for developing and presenting the festival, which draws crowds of over 80,000. It is this total community effort that makes it possible for Greenville to host the Danish Festival annually.
Every effort is made to maintain the festival as a non-commercial community event. The Danish Festival Incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1968. The 2009 Danish Festival Board of Directors hope that you will enjoy this, the 45thAnniversary of the Danish Festival.