Roberta and Kevin Skidmore named Danish Days Grand Marshals

By Santa Ynez Valley Star Staff · Mon Sep 14 2026

Roberta, known as the 'Seamstress for the Danish Maids,' has handcrafted dozens of Danish Maid dresses for the festival

The Solvang Danish Days Foundation has announced the 2026 Solvang Danish Days Grand Marshals will be Roberta and Kevin Skidmore. The Skidmores will preside over this year’s Danish Days weekend, Friday through Sunday, Sept. 18 through 20.

The 2026 edition of Solvang Danish Days is the 89th celebration of the event, and has seen the appointment of the 60th Danish Maid, Ainsley Haws. Known as the "Seamstress for the Danish Maids," Roberta Skidmore has hand-sewn nearly all of the Danish Maids’ regal outfits since assembling her first Danish Maid costume in 1985 for that year’s Maid, Jennifer Johnson. Johnson, now one of the Solvang Danish Days Foundation’s board members, is also one of the organizers integral to each year’s event weekend.

“About three dozen Danish Maid dresses later, we’re thrilled to be celebrating this couple that’s invested so much time, heart, and skill in this community and each year’s Solvang Danish Days celebration,” Johnson said.

The Skidmores have lived and worked in the Santa Ynez Valley and have also been dedicated to the community for decades.

Roberta Skidmore explained her ties to the area: “I was raised on the Ritter Dairy in Buellton, where my mother, Cora Blanchard, taught me to sew at an early age. I continued to develop this interest through the Buellton 4-H Club. Additionally, I participated in the Danish Days Parade as a member of the Jonata Middle School and Santa Ynez Valley Union High School marching bands.”

Appropriate to a Europe-in-America destination such as Danish-settled Solvang, Kevin’s European roots trace back to the Grimm family, of Grimm’s Fairy Tales fame, while Roberta’s mother’s family is from the Netherlands. Kevin and Roberta married and raised their children, Jakob and Katie (Longoria), in Solvang, where, for 31 years, Kevin had the privilege of serving many of Solvang’s residents and businesses as “The Mailman,” building lasting relationships throughout the town.

In 1985, Roberta was asked to make her first Danish Maid costume for Johnson, with whom she had worked at Southwick’s of Solvang, a clothing store formerly located in the Nielsen’s Marketplace Shopping Center. Later, in the 1990s, while the Skidmore children were attending Solvang School with the children of another local family, the Skytts, Rose Skytt invited Roberta to create costumes for her and her family, Henry, Jennifer, and Kimberly Skytt. In addition to all of Roberta’s hand-sewn Danish Maid costumes, Solvang Danish Days attendees may spot many of the other festive costumes that she has made for local families for each year’s event weekend.

“That invitation in 1985 helped me discover my place within the Danish community in Solvang and led to a treasured friendship,” Roberta added.

Roberta reflects fondly on the honor it has been to be the “Seamstress” for so many Danish Maids, having the privilege of working on nearly every costume for the chosen Danish Maid each year, enjoying the challenge of thoughtfully blending each young woman's personality and family heritage into her respective dress.

Now retired, Roberta and Kevin Skidmore are enjoying supporting their grandchildren and rooting on their family members in various sporting events throughout the Santa Ynez Valley.

“I feel blessed to have formed so many lifelong connections through this work,” Roberta mentioned. She continued, “I want to thank Jennifer Johnson and Rose Skytt for starting me on this path, and to everyone who has entrusted me with their heritage, their stories, and their friendship. Kevin and I also extend our gratitude to the Solvang Danish Days Foundation for this honor of serving as this year’s Grand Marshals. We are looking forward to celebrating this year’s event with our local community and with the many visitors that we welcome each year.”

The 2026 Solvang Danish Days event weekend schedule is available online at www.solvangdanishdays.org. Solvang Danish Days is also on Facebook and Instagram at facebook.com/SolvangDanishDays and @DanishDays.