The Andersonville Hygge Fest is cozy AF.
Chicago winters are notoriously brutal. While this year has been much tamer than 2019’s polar vortex winter, it’s still downright cold. It’s no wonder that the Danish lifestyle “hygge” (pronounced hue-gah) is so popular with freezing Chicagoans. In order to warm us all up, the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce will host Hygge Fest Feb 1 & 2 in celebration of all things cozy.
What’s Hygge?
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Hygge is a little tricky to explain, as there’s no exact English translation of the word. Essentially, hygge is the feeling of being warm, cozy, and content while spending time with the people you love. Some call it “coziness of the soul” or “taking pleasure from the presence of soothing things,” or “cocoa by candlelight.” Author of The Little Book of Hygge Meik Wiking calls it “A feeling of home. A feeling that we are safe, that we are shielded from the word and allow ourselves to let out guard down.”
Hygge’s roots in Denmark are closely tied to how much sun the country gets during the winter; as little as seven hours a day sometimes. Naturally, Danes have crafted the art of coziness as a way to counteract the lack of sunlight and the effect it has on one’s mood.
Naturally, Chicagoans have picked up the practice of hygge as well. While our winters are quite as dark as the Danes, it can get quite depressing when the sun sets as early as 4 p.m. and the temperatures get as low as -40 windchill. Hygge’s popularity in Chicago also may be tied to the large Scandinavian population here, particularly in Andersonville where Hygge Fest takes place.
Get your cozy on!
Feb 1 & 2, the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce will host a weekend of cozy delights at various participating businesses. On Sat, join in for the Pajama Fun Run where you can roll out of bed in your cozy sleepwear and get in a little exercise. While running in a onesie down Balmoral sounds kind of anti-hygge what with the cold weather and all, many believe movement is an integral part of the cozy lifestyle. Registration is a suggested $15 per person and all proceeds benefit Care for Real.
Prefer you hygge a little warmer? There will also be a Coffee & Hot Cocoa Crawl on Sat where $20 will get you access to the route, a commemorative Andersonville Coffee Mug, and free pastry at check-in.
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Local Andersonville businesses will also offer workshops, food & drink specials, and discounts on cozy products to “get you in the hygge state of mind.” Participating businesses include the Swedish American Museum, Andersonville Galleria, Be Yoga Andersonville, Early to Bed, Transit Tees, FOURSIDED, Uncharted Books, and more!
Be sure to stop by Hopleaf Sun at 12 p.m. for the brewery’s seventh annual Super Stout Sunday, which just so happens to coincide with Hygge Fest. Other hygge-ish activities include yoga classes, a scrunchie making workshop, a soup and pancake pop-up, mulled cider, and other cozy things to do. See the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce event page for more details.
While the winter has been somewhat mild this year compared to last, there’s never a bad excuse to practice a little hygge. Cozy up in your softest sweater Feb 1 & 2 for Hygge Fest in Andersonville!
Practical information
Feature photo by Stella Rose on Unsplash.