May 17 is The Norwegian Constitution Day and is the National Day of Norway. All over Norway, children's parades with an abundance of flags form the central elements of the celebration. Each elementary school district arranges its own parade with marching bands between schools. The parade takes the children through the community, often making stops at homes of senior citizens, war memorials, etc. The longest parade is in Oslo, where some 100,000 people travel to the city centre to participate in the main festivities. This is broadcast on TV every year, with comments on costumes, banners etc, together with local reports from celebrations around the country. The massive Oslo parade includes some 100 schools, marching bands, and passes the royal palace where the royal family greets the people from the main balcony. It is a fantastic day which is celebrated not only in Norway, but in other countries where Norwegians live, such as New York, Sidney, Hong Kong, Mexico and the Canary Islands. In the United States and Canada, the local lodges of the Sons of Norway often play a central part in organizing the festivities. One major celebration occurs in Petersburg, Alaska also know as "Little Norway". The town is a Norwegian settlement and strongly retains its roots. The festival occurs the weekend closest to May 17 and includes a parade, herring toss, Norwegian pastries such as lefse and even a pack of Vikings and Valkyries.