Festivals You Don’t Want to Miss – Norway

Food samples at the festival.

Aquavit is one of the most internationally recognised Nordic products. The spirit, distilled from potatoes or grain, is typically paired with traditional meals, often at Christmas and similar celebrations. Norwegian festival Akevittfestivalen aims to inspire, educate and broaden our horizons on the culture and traditions of aquavit and the many possible uses of the spirit.

By Alyssa Nilsen | Photos: Frostrøyk

Aquavit, or ‘akevitt’ in Norwegian, is a spirit with a long and rich history. It remains unknown for just how long it has been distilled in Norway, but the first written records of the spirit date back to the 16th century. Norwegian annual festival Akevittfestivalen serves as a giant celebration of good drink, good food, culture and tradition, with aquavit as the centrepiece.

Taking place from 29 September to 1 October in the Norwegian town Gjøvik, idyllically located by the shores of lake Mjøsa, Akevittfestivalen gathers more than 30,000 people each year, making it the biggest of its kind in Norway. The location of the festival is not random. Gjøvik, self-titled The Capital of Aquavit, is from where the recipe for the famous aquavit brand Gammel Oppland hails.

Inspiring and educational experiences Through collaborations with local restaurants and bars, the festival offers visitors top-quality culinary experiences and the chance to experience the spirit in ways other than just the traditional meal-side schnapps. Tables at restaurants are booked months in advance for the opportunity to enjoy local cuisine made by some of the region’s best chefs. But the festival doesn’t only offer sustenance in the form of food and drink. There is also an educational and inspirational aspect to the experience, albeit a social, interactive and quite pleasant one.

“One of the things we are passionate about is educating people on aquavit,” says festival director Marianne Aashaug. “We want to distance ourselves a bit from the tradition of keeping aquavit in the

Aquavit bottle.

freezer only to be used as a schnapps or shots on Christmas Eve. There’s so much more to it.”

With increasing national and international popularity, the use of the spirit is expanding. Aquavit can successfully be paired with cheese or chocolate, or even used in cooking and cocktails. “There are more than 300 different types of Norwegian aquavits available,” Aashaug says. “There’s a wide range of varieties, so it’s possible to find an aquavit to fit whatever purpose you want and need.”

“Aquavit is a very versatile spirit,” bartender Stian Wehus adds. “Its uses in cocktails are infinite. It’s a world a lot of people are only now discovering. Visiting a great cocktail bar in New York and being served an amazing cocktail with Norwegian aquavit is a pure joy!”

Trying new combinations and uses of the spirit with old and new friends is one of the many highlights of Akevittfestivalen. The festival, in addition to collaborating with the local culinary scene, offers a sampling tent located by the central train station. There, distillers and beer brewers from the local area, as well as the rest of the country, showcase their products and specialties, giving visitors the opportunity to sample and experience their products.

In the evenings, the tent is converted into a concert venue, carrying on the celebrations into the early hours of the morning. Festival food market Mætt Ta Mat lets visitors sample and purchase local products, as well as meet and learn from the producers themselves.

Celebrating culinary culture in a social setting A celebration of culinary art and culture, Akevittfestivalen attracts visitors with an interest in food, drink and tradition. To provide the chance to learn even more about these topics, the festival conference Mersmak offers inspiration and competence, aiming to increase the public’s interest in and knowledge of culinary culture and the importance of local tradition and produce.

Locally sourced vegetables. Due to the compact layout of Gjøvik town, everything the festival has to offer is available on foot. Getting to Gjøvik and the festival is also easy. Trains and coaches run from all over Norway, and from Oslo central station there’s even a festival train specially chartered for the occasion. The so-called Aquavit Train brings festival guests from the Norwegian capital straight to Gjøvik, providing food and drinks along the way for an extra special experience.

Lingon cocktail. Photo: Stian Wehus

Stian Wehus’ favourite aquavit-based cocktail:

Lingon 40ml Lysholm No52 aquavit 20ml fresh lime juice 20ml simple syrup 1,5 tsp stirred lingonberries 15ml aquafaba or the egg white of 1/2 egg

Put all the ingredients in a shaker and crush the berries at the bottom. Shake the ingredients well, without ice at first, to achieve a foam. Add ice and shake again. Double strain the drink into a cooled cocktail glass, using a fine-mesh strainer to keep the berries out. Use star anise for decoration.

To find out more about Akevittfestivalen, visit them online at: Web: www.akevittfestivalen.no Facebook: norskakevittfestival Instagram: @norskakevittfestival

Ekstremsportveko 2019, speed flying. Photo: Kristian Jøndal

Every last week of June, a small town in western Norway turns into the extreme sports capital of the world. Visitors to Ekstremsportveko can watch top athletes extreme kayak, mountain bike and skydive, but also enjoy a full music line-up and try out many sports and activities themselves.

By Linda Thompson

Ekstremsportveko is a festival unlike any other in the world. It pairs around 30 extreme sports competitions – from skydiving, rafting, paragliding and longboarding, to cliff diving and climbing –with a music programme in the evenings. Ekstremsportveko’s live concert programme is spread out over the final three days of the event. This year, it features acts like rock phenomenon Turbonegro, hip-hop legend Grandmaster Flash, rap prodigy Kjartan Lauritzen and the interdisciplinary music and dance collective Tacobitch.

There is more to the largest extreme sports festival in the world – it is not just for watching stunning sports feats and enjoying great music. At Ekstremsportveko, visitors are invited and encouraged to try out the sports themselves. “We work tirelessly to include everyone so that they can experience the vibe and take part at their level,” explains Aud Helen Singstad, the festival’s head of marketing. “You don’t need to throw yourself out of an airplane to be a part of the festival.”

Ekstremsportveko 2015, Turbonegro concert. Photo: tommyfoto

“But,” she quips, “feel free to, if you have the certificate.”

A family-friendly, laid-back vibe The festival, which takes place during the last week of June this year, also hosts a Pride parade and several talks and film screenings which visitors can join for free.

Despite the scope of the event and the high-profile national and international athletes it draws, the festival has come to be known over the years for its familyfriendly, laid-back vibe. It offers low-key activities ranging from mini MTB downhill and wind-tunnel, to climbing.

In the evenings, visitors and athletes gather in the main festival tent to celebrate that day’s sports achievements with a prize ceremony and watch the video highlights of the day on the big screen. “It’s the best feeling when we all come together and cheer each other on.

Ekstremsportveko 2019, Kjartan Lauritzen concert. Photo: Kristian Jøndal

Ekstremsportveko 2021, zipline and climbing. Photo: VossActive

Ekstremsportveko 2019, cliff diving. Photo: Carl Van den Boom The stoke is high when we’re all watching the video of everything that’s gone down that day,” Singstad says, adding that the festival hosts so many simultaneous competitions that it is impossible to catch them all as a visitor.

Ekstremsportveko started out as a national extreme sports festival in 1998 with a modest programme of four sports disciplines – rafting, skydiving, paragliding and white-water kayaking. It is organised by the non-profit organisation Stiftinga Ekstreme Voss. The foundation has three people on staff year-round – Singstad being one of them – but otherwise relies completely on volunteers to make the festival a huge success year after year.

“That’s also a big part of Ekstremsportveko. We have amazing volunteers who genuinely care about the festival, and they contribute to the festival’s family atmosphere,” Singstad explains. “You step into this open and warm community.” An extreme sports El Dorado The festival is held in Voss in Vestland County in western Norway, and Ekstremsportveko has put the town of 15,000 people on the map as a destination for extreme sports.

During the festival, the town – surrounded by snow-capped mountains, forests, lakes and fast-flowing white-water rivers –turns into an extreme sports El Dorado for seven days. “The extraordinary thing about Voss is all the activities you can do within just a one-hour drive,” Singstad enthuses. “This makes it the perfect base for an active week or holiday. Here, you can skydive, mountain bike, climb, longboard, raft, hike, kayak, or chill out at the many bathing spots in the area.”

This year’s edition will also host two major international events. The World Championship in Extreme Kayaking is a timed race that sees athletes kayak down challenging rapids and drops. “As an ath-

Ekstremsportveko 2019, Pride parade. Photo: Erica Clapp

Ekstremsportveko 2021, kayak sprint. Photo: Kaisa Tiivel

lete, you need a strong skill set for this and need to be able to choose the right lines to become the champion,” Singstad explains.

The second marquee event is the iXS European Downhill Cup, a famous mountain biking race held in Norway for the first time. “We are pretty excited that we get to host it, and we are hoping a lot of people will come to watch and maybe even join in from all over Europe,” Singstad says.

Ekstremsportveko takes pride in being an eco-certified event and lives by the slogan ‘leave nothing but a footprint’. The festival has a unique approach to building and taking down venues for the different sports competitions. “We try to leave as little of a footprint as we can with our activities and try not to build things that we aren’t able to remove afterwards. That has been very important for us from the beginning,” Singstad asserts.

“Play with nature, be bold, have fun, leave nothing but footprints, and always put safety first. For instance, we don’t build a ‘perfect’ section for extreme kayaking. Instead, we find sections that lend themselves to testing different skills. We work with the river how it is, rather than altering it with stones or rocks.”

This year, sports visitors can try out: Longboarding Gliding Climbing Mountain biking Indoor skydiving Kayaking Plus much more

Ekstremsportveko 2021, downhill mountain biking. Photo: Daniel Sapak The 2022 edition in numbers: 1,500 athletes expected 50 countries represented 18,500 visitors expected 30 extreme sports competitions 800 volunteers 24th edition

Web: www.ekstremsportveko.com Facebook: Ekstremsportveko Instagram: @ekstremsportveko

Lederhosen, Dirndl and beer served in giant seidel mugs while ‘drinking songs’ are sung loudly, are things you would normally associate with Bavaria and Germany. But in Oslo, Norway, Oktoberfest is also quickly becoming a popular autumnal tradition.

By Alyssa Nilsen | Photos: Johannes Andersen

Each October, two large tents filled to the brim with 3,000 happy people indulging in German beer, food and traditions grace the Youngstorget square in central Oslo. Taking place during the last three weekends of October, Oktoberfest Oslo, Norway’s biggest Oktoberfest, imports a little piece of Bavaria and Germany to the Nordics.

Dating back to the 19th century, Oktoberfest initially started as a celebration of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig – later King Ludwig I – to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Having celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2010, it’s one of the most widely celebrated German festivals, as famed internationally as the Irish St Patrick’s Day or the Brazilian carnival parades. In Oslo, Oktoberfest has been arranged since 2006, first in various smaller venues, before upgrading to the current large festival tents at Youngstorget in 2017.

History, tradition and beer To get the perfect atmosphere at the festival, Tyrolean orchestra Ronald Schnipfelgrüber Tyrolerkapelle entertains the crowds with traditional singalong music and drinking songs. Everyone working the tents dons the Bavarian outfits of Dirndl and Lederhosen, and the tents are dressed up in black, red and yellow.

“A clear trend among the visitors over the past few years is that more and more of them also choose to dress up for the occasion,” CEO Kalle Fostervoll says. “Women dress in the traditional Dirndl dress and men in Lederhosen, adding to the vibe

Oktoberfest Oslo takes place on 13-15, 20-22 and 28-29 October

For more information and to book tables, visit Oktoberfest Oslo at: Web: www.oktoberfestoslo.com Facebook: oktoberfestoslo Instagram: @oktoberfestoslo Snapchat: oktoberfestoslo

and the experience of the festival. People put a lot of time and effort into their costumes. They go all in to fit into what we associate with Munich and Oktoberfest.”

The festival aims to keep as close to the traditional Oktoberfest as possible, giving people the opportunity to really experience what a German Oktoberfest is actually like. Part of that means importing beer straight from Bavaria, many types of which are traditional Oktoberfest brands and beers.

Historically, only beer brewed within the City of Munich, from six traditional Munich-based breweries, was allowed to be served during Oktoberfest. The Oslo Oktoberfest expands the drinks menu with beers from the rest of the world, but guests hoping to sample German flavours will not be disappointed.

A little piece of Germany in Norway Oktoberfest Oslo’s efforts in making the festival as authentic as possible resulted in Germans travelling all the way from Germany to take part in last year’s festivities when the German festival was cancelled due to Covid restrictions. “We like to call ourselves an extended part of the Federal Republic of Germany,” Fostervoll laughs.

But there’s more to Oktoberfest than just beer. German food is also on the menu, with meat delivered by Strøm-Larsen, including traditional sausages like Rostbratwurst, Currywurst and Cabbage Sausage. There are also dinner plates with burgers, various meats and plenty of sauerkraut, as well as an option of Mexican food delivered by Los Tacos. Vegetarian options are also available.

Tables at the festival fit four or ten people. Pre-booked tables include festival tickets as well as the option of booking sharing platters featuring meat from StrømLarsen, such as pork knuckles, wurst, neck chops, chicken, sauerkraut, potato salad and side dishes. Though tables can be reserved, more than one-third of the tables at the venue are available on a first-come first-served basis. VIP packages with drinks and serving platters included are also available for purchase.

Each summer, in the World Heritage Site town of Røros, Norway, historic events unfold among the remnants of the mining industry that once ran the place. Based on the 1718-1719 invasion by 10,000 Swedish soldiers commanded by General Carl Gustaf Armfeldt, the historical musical Elden is an annual reminder of Røros’ and Scandinavia’s dramatic past.

By Alyssa Nilsen | Photos: Marthe A Vannebo

For centuries, there have been tensions and wars between the Scandinavian countries. One of the lesser-known battles took place in 1718-1719 at the end of The Great Northern War, when 10,000 Swedish soldiers, commanded by General Carl Gustaf Armfeldt on the orders of King Karl XII, headed towards Trondheim to take over Norway. Several hundred soldiers were sent to the town of Røros, south of Trondheim, to confiscate copper and other valuables. When King Karl XII was shot by Fredsrikshald fortress, the Swedish soldiers had to withdraw to Sweden. The march across the mountains by the border was so rough that 3,000 soldiers did not make it across. This, along with the events that took place in Røros, lay the foundation for the historical musical Elden, written by Arnfinn Strømmevold and Bertil Reithaug.

Taking place at the turn of the month between July and August, among the slag heaps of Elden in Røros, the Elden musical theatre attracts 12,000 visitors annually. Visitors not only get to see Elden with its slag heaps up close; they can also visit the museums and the surrounding national park, as well as experience the town of Røros with its historical buildings and unique appearance and vibe. In the evenings at the amphitheatre, an award-winning team of producers, actors and actresses make sure the audience get an experience out of the ordinary.

Spectacular setting for a dramatic performance One of Norway’s biggest and most spectacular outdoor theatres, Elden is the perfect setting for dramatic performance. The large and dark slag heaps against the bright summer-night sky make an im-

pressive backdrop to the performances and music. An award-winning team produces the play, with more than 320 actors, musicians, crew and volunteers doing their part to give the audience a night to remember.

Local food and drinks are sold before the performance as well as during the interval, and for those who want an extra special night, on-site Restaurant SLAGG serves a four-course meal based on local produce before the play. Performances and stories from the play are performed during the meal, which takes place in a ‘lávvu’ (a tent-like, temporary dwelling used by the Sami people).

And though the play is performed in Norwegian and Swedish, this shouldn’t discourage those visiting the country from making the trip: “We all go to experience operas performed in Italian or German without necessarily knowing the languages,” CEO Siri B. Gellein notes. “It’s all about experiencing the music. The same thing happens at Elden. Even if you don’t speak Norwegian or Swedish, you will get a spectacular musical experience.”

Foreign visitors also get a pamphlet, available in several languages, acting as a summary explaining what is happening on stage. And visually, the play itself is explanatory, even if the words aren’t recognisable to some.

Photo: Øyeblikket Foto

Sample local food prior to the play In 2022, Elden will be a certified Eco-Lighthouse event, ensuring compliance with one or more sets of governance and environmental criteria. Steps taken to preserve the environment, in addition to the locally sourced food, are making Elden plastic-free. Single-use cutlery is made from wood, while all packaging used is compostable and biodegradable. The size of Røros also makes it practically car-free. It is easy to get around by foot or bike.

The Elden musical is suitable for anyone above the age of six. This is due to the time of the performance (from 9.30pm to midnight), the dramatic nature of the story, and the visual and audio effects. As the play takes place outdoors, visitors are encouraged to dress in layers with plenty of wool, as even though the days can be warm, the nights tend to be cold. Elden also recommends bringing rain gear in case of showers.

Any local Covid-19 restrictions at the time will be adhered to. For more information and to book tickets, visit Elden at: Web: www.elden-roros.no Facebook: EldenRoros Instagram: @eldenroros

BarentsKræsj, produced by DanseFestival Barents and Stellaris DansTeater. Photo: Kim S. Falck-Jørgensen

The world’s northernmost festival is a space that transcends borders, and where dance artists come to collaborate. Featuring eclectic performances from across the Barents Arctic region, the result is nothing short of magical.

By Ndéla Faye

Ever since its inception, DanseFestival Barents has been attracting dance artists and visitors to Hammerfest in Norway. The festival was founded by Solveig Leinan-Hermo and Stellaris DansTeater, and the first festival was held in 2003. DanseFestival Barents was born out of a need to create a vibrant meeting place for dance artists living and working in the Barents region. It has since grown into one of the most notable networks of dance artists across the globe, marking its 20th jubilee next year.

The Barents Region consists of the northernmost parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and North-West Russia. The area has over five million inhabitants, and it is home to numerous people, cultures and languages. “It’s an incredibly vibrant and culturally rich region. Despite spanning across several state borders, the people have something in common: living in the Arctic region. DanseFestival Barents is a place where artists and audiences can come together and experience what happens when people meet and get to collaborate,” says Marie Hermo Jensen, who is the festival’s co-artistic director, alongside Solveig Leinan-Hermo.

The town of Hammerfest is the northernmost town in the world, with more than 10,000 inhabitants. As well as its dance scene, Hammerfest has plenty of other exciting experiences for visitors, too. There are numerous hiking trails and newly-designed hiking huts with stunning views of the surrounding landscapes. Visitors can also take a ferry to visit Sørøya, where you can meet some of its most interesting inhabitants, Mongolian camels, and some tourists might even be lucky enough to spot the iconic northern lights. “Hammerfest and the nearby areas are well worth a visit – and what better way to explore life in the Arctic than combining it with the festival and seeing some of the best talent we have to offer?” poses Hermo Jensen.

This year, from 9 to 13 November, the town of Hammerfest will host another festival with world-class talent from the Barents region, as well as from across the globe. “We are proud to be a place where voices from the region can come together.

The festival aims to present work that is culturally relevant, and which represents the region’s diverse indigenous and linguistic populations,” Hermo Jensen adds.

‘The world looks very different now’ When the pandemic happened, the creation of art as we knew it came to a halt. But something good and powerful was also born out of it, according to Hermo Jensen: new approaches and kinds of artistic collaborations.

As a response to the pandemic and the subsequent travel restrictions, a collaborative project, Out of Urgency, was initiated by Dansinitiativet and with Barents partners. It included a number of performances throughout 2020 in Russia, Norway, Finland and Sweden, shown simultaneously live and virtually in each country. “It was a way to share an artistic experience and explore how these places and their inhabitants had been affected by the global pandemic. It was about how Covid-19 has challenged, changed and created new exciting movements – movement out of urgency,” Hermo Jensen explains.

Another project that challenged existing norms was a performance titled BarentsKræsj, produced by the festival alongside Stellaris DansTeater. In this 2017 performance, traditional Russian classical ballet and folk dance met Norwegian electronica music, film and light design. On stage were dancers from Murmansk, Arkhangelsk and Petrozavodsk. According to Hermo Jensen, the results were ground-breaking, and oneof-a-kind – and only made possible because of the festival’s long tradition of collaboration with Russia.

“Decades have been dedicated to getting to where we are today, and it feels important not to lose this connection to the Russian people and artists now that we are facing a devastating war. It is important to distinguish between governance and independent artists and companies – many of whom we consider our collaborators and friends,” Hermo Jensen continues.

The programme for the festival will be published in the summer, when the tickets will also go on sale. “We are always trying to expand, and to stay current. But world events are happening at such speed –and art always inevitably imitates life, so there is a lot to keep up with,” Hermo Jensen adds.

There is something comforting about the fact that, in a world where many things seem uncertain and scary at the moment, there is something that brings people together and transcends borders. “I’ve

An Dran Drin Drekt, by Kartellet. Photo: Knut Aaserud

come to think of the region as almost like its own country. It challenges state borders as we know them. What we are doing feels very important – even more so at the moment,” says Hermo Jensen.

“At DanseFestival Barents, people don’t need to understand each other’s languages; the bodies speak for themselves through movement. At times, the fact that our artists don’t always share a common language can also lead to funny and interesting misunderstandings. This is about building meaningful connections through networks,” the co-artistic director concludes.

Web: www.dansefestivalbarents.no Visit Hammerfest: www.visithammerfest.net/en

Hiking cabin in Hammerfest. Photo: Tor Even Mathisen/Spinn Arkitekter

Utsikt, by KATMA/Nordland Visual Theatre. Photo: Mariell Amelié Lind-Hansen

Swans in stone, by Stellaris DansTeater. Photo: Andreas Ausland

Hot summer evenings with good friends, good food and good music set in the idyllic archipelago of southern Norway are what Kristiansand-based festival Sommerbris offers its guests as it gears up for the first restriction-free summer in two years.

By Alyssa Nilsen | Photos: Shutterstock

Southern Norwegian festival Sommerbris should be celebrating its third anniversary in 2022. But due to two long years of heavy Covid restrictions, the festival, which was due to premiere in 2020, is only now gearing up to open its gates for the first time. Taking place on 17 and 18 June, the festival allows visitors to experience the beauty of the Norwegian midsummer, while providing both entertainment and local delicacies.

Set at Odderøya in the centre of the idyllic town of Kristiansand, which is located in the very south of Norway, Sommerbris is continuing the area’s long legacy of festivals. This is where the legendary Norwegian festival, the Quart Festival, took place in the ‘90s and ‘00s, one of the festivals responsible for turning the nation into the festival-loving country it is today.

Over the course of the festival’s two days, big, well-known Norwegian and Swedish bands and artists will take to the stage at Sommerbris. Crowdpleasers like Di Derre, Stavangerkameratene, Klovner i Kamp and Hellbillies are ready to get the singalongs started with music made for warm and lazy summer evenings. They share the line-up with chart-topping artists like Dagny, Victor Leksell and Gabrielle, artists who have made a name for themselves both nationally and internationally. It is a varied line-up spanning several genres and generations, ensuring there is something for everyone.

“A lot of festivals cater to the people who go out of their way to discover new bands,” Festival Director Heine Strømme says. “We want to offer people what they already know and love.”

And to add to the familiar, German ‘90s hit-maker Scooter, known for hits like How Much Is The Fish and Hyper Hyper, will be performing at the festival. “The ‘90s icon will be doing his only concert in Norway,” Strømme says, “at what will essentially be the re-opening of Norway

at Sommerbris. Expect lots of nostalgia and guilty pleasures.”

He adds: “We want to be an all-round lovely festival that’s not trying to be cool or hip. It’s just meant to be a good place where people can get together, be social, and enjoy themselves. Going to a festival is all about being with your friends and having fun.”

Summer, sun and seafood Alongside the musical experiences, the festival aims for a relaxed setting where the audience can enjoy the many concerts with good friends and good food in the afternoon sun and bright summer nights. There will be a beach bar at Bendiksbukta featuring day beds, sun beds, lounges and a chilled atmosphere, where the guests can relax with a glass of rosé before and between the concerts.

The festival will also have a food court offering up traditional festival food from the eateries Pizzabakeren, Los Tacos and Chang Noi. For those wanting an extra special weekend, and a chance to experience the essence of southern Norway, there is also an option of booking a table for ten, including the festival ticket, a perfect view of the stage, a shellfish buffet from Fiskesalg and drinks. The shellfish buffet offers up the very food items people associate with Kristiansand: prawns, mussels, crabs and more. After two years of pandemic isolation, quarantines and lockdowns, with little to no social gatherings, events or happy memories to be made, a summer of social gatherings centred around music, friends and good food might just be exactly what is needed to get back into the swing of things.

To read more about Sommerbris and book festival tickets and tables, visit: Web: www.sommerbris.com Facebook: sommerbris Instagram: @sommerbris

There are no camping sites at the festival, but Sommerbris has partnered up with Thon Hotel Norge to offer discounted hotel rooms to festival guests.

Getting to Kristiansand is easy whether travelling by plane, train, coach or car.

You can listen to the Sommerbris playlist on Spotify, featuring music from the festival’s line-up: livescene.sommerbr.is

Photo: Anders Martinsen

David Helbock.

MaiJazz is one of most important and oldest cultural events of southern Norway, attracting passionate artists and music lovers from all over. With acts like Brad Mehldau and Mulatu Astatke, they’re one step closer to putting Stavanger on the cultural capital map. This year, they are celebrating 34 years of talent, fun, and most importantly, jazz.

By Celina Tran | Photos: Maijazz

In the south of Norway, where the vast, glittering ocean stretches to meet a colourful port town filled with classic, wooden homes and friendly people, lies the city of Stavanger. Stavanger is home to many things, from the historic Stavanger Cathedral to some of the best restaurants in Norway, but it also holds glory as the birthplace of the annual festival, MaiJazz. “MaiJazz is a jazz festival that takes place in May every year,” the festival director, Per Hasse Andersen says. “This is our 34th festival, which is very exciting.” Following a pandemic that caged people inside, with nothing but screens for entertainment and communication, the MaiJazz crew is excited to reintroduce local and international audiences to the power of jazz again. Despite still putting on shows in 2020 and 2021, they were nowhere near as large as what they have got planned for this year’s festival.

“We didn’t have international acts during the pandemic, which is something we’re looking forward to welcoming back,” Andersen says. “We have really invested in this year’s festival in order to guide people back into the cultural life. It’s important not only to us and them, but also to the artists and musicians on stage.”

Jazz for all ages Andersen’s love for the jazz genre stems from its timelessness and status within

the art of music. Through the festival, he wishes to share this with people, in particular the youth. “All good music comes from jazz. Without it, there would be no rock and roll,” Andersen says. “Jazz has already got a strong foundation in Norway. We have so many talented artists, such as Jan Garbarek.”

It may come as a surprise to some, but jazz runs through the veins of Norway, stretching from coastal towns down south to the white mountains under the northern lights. This is partly due to the jazz education, which Andersen describes as legendary. Universities across the country, including the great NTNU in Trondheim and the University of Stavanger, offer outstanding courses in the genre.

MaiJazz has long cooperated with the local ‘kulturskole’ (municipal schools teaching cultural knowledge, including instruments and art) and the University of Stavanger’s Faculty of Performing Arts. They wish to recruit, encourage, and boost the musical careers of young, local artists. “We’re investing in the future,” says Andersen. “Though jazz is timeless, we need to invest time and money into young, local musicians, as well as recruit new audiences to ensure its survival.”

This year, MaiJazz is especially excited to show off the new talent. Along with Bjergsted’s Youth Talents and the Oslobased Kids in Jazz, they’re working towards finding and introducing more young people to the art of jazz, with a focus on young girls. Anderson notes the importance of giving girls the platform and representation they deserve.

A future cultural jazz capital MaiJazz is one of the biggest and oldest festivals in the region, and they place great importance both on showing off Stavanger as an international city of jazz through their artists from all over the world, and on nurturing and cultivating the local area and talent. “We hope the festival and its big jazz legends can show our young ones what they can achieve one day,” Andersen says. “It’s also fun for both our local and international audiences to discover the local talent.”

Some of the big names on this year’s running order include Brad Mehldau, Kyle Eastwood, Mulatu Astatke and the incredible guitarist Bill Frisell, the latter of whom Andersen mentions with an excited grin. “It’ll be nice to invite the international community back to Stavanger and show them our amazing region. We want to show the world how Stavanger can be a cultural capital,” he says.

Maijazz also prides itself on collaboration with other local and national organisations and businesses, such as the Stavanger Symfoniorkester and Nordic Edge. “We wish to contribute to enrichening our region, especially within the cultural sector. We know it’ll take some time and effort to get people back out, but we’re willing to invest into it as it’s incredibly important to us.”

Frode Alnæs. Photo: Mona Nordøy Brad Mehldau. Photo: David Bazemore

MaiJazz will take place 7-18 May this year.

Web: maijazz.no Facebook: MaiJazz, Stavanger International Jazz Festival Instagram: @stavangerjazz Twitter: @stavangerjazz

Ellen Andrea Wang Closenesstrio. Photo: Oda Berby

Photo: BT Stokke

Fancy a small getaway with wine, fine dining and world-class music? With this year’s programme, containing names such as Kåre Conradi and Anna Goryachova, Operafest Røykenvik provides nearly a full week of excellent entertainment, locally sourced delicacies and an incredible view.

By Celina Tran | Photos: Operafest Røykenvik

In Røykenvik, where glistening water meets green land against a beautiful backsplash of classic Norwegian mountains, is what appears to be a floating stage. On it stands a wonderful opera singer, whose magical voice echoes into an atrium of over 1,000 people, all of whom enjoy the entertainment along with the fjord’s magnificent view in the background. Operafest Røykenvik is a festival that could well be described as a sight for sore eyes – and ears, of course!

“I want to make opera more attractive and accessible to everyone. While others might suggest toning down the opera to attract new audiences, we raise its quality to the roof,” Operafest’s artistic leader and founder, singer and soloist, Eli Kristin Hansveen, says. “We want to leave people utterly amazed.”

The festival’s programme includes everything from an ecstatic Las Vegasthemed concert to family-friendly events and intimate fine-dining concerts.

An international festival with local roots Though Operafest Røykenvik is an international music festival, hosting international singers such as Anna Goryachova, Hansveen explains that locality is an important part of the event. “Our entertainment is of world-class quality, but the event is very much locally rooted, with local food and culture. One of our long-term goals is to introduce more culture to the area, making it an even better place to live.”

As a part of its local engagement, the opera festival collaborates with culture organisations in order to provide free opera classes to young artists, all of whom will open the festival with their very own performances. Additionally, the festival will have a full day dedicated to families and their young ones, aiming to introduce children to opera in a fun and engaging way.

“It’s very important to us that the festival, first and foremost, is fun. We hope to engage our audience so that they will want to return the following year,” says Hansveen.

Many of the festival’s regular volunteers and festival-goers are from the local rock music club, as well as from various other community groups. Operafest Røykenvik wishes to welcome everybody and show them that opera truly is for everyone.

Operafest Røykenvik takes place on 1–5 June.

Web: operafest.no Facebook: Operafest Røykenvik Instagram: @operafestroykenvik