About our Festival:
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 we have a 15 member Board of Directors, a staff of one, and hundreds of other volunteers are responsible for developing and presenting the festival, which draws crowds of over 50,000. 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 2024 Danish Festival Board of Directors hope that you will enjoy the 60th anniversary of the Danish Festival