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WHAT CHANGES IN NORWAY

Seven things to do in Norway in February 2024

Festivals on the west coast, Oslo locals’ favourite event of the year and the launch of the European Capital of Culture in the north are among the best events in Norway during February 2024. 

Published: 26 January 2024 11:23 CET
Updated: 2 February 2024 13:59 CET
Pictured is Holmenkollen
These are the best events happening in Norway in February. Pictured is Holmenkollen Photo by Michael Ankes on Unsplash

Trondheim Calling, February 1st

Central Norway will see a showcase of the best unsigned talent in the country during the Trondheim Calling Festival. 

Many local and national acts will be under the spotlight across the city’s various stages during the three-day festival. 

More than 90 different concerts will be held across the three-day festival. 

Festival passes and day passes are available on the event website. 

Bodø 2024 launch, February 3rd

Life above the Arctic Circle in Norway will see an exciting start to the month. On February 3rd, the opening ceremony for Bodø 2024, the European Capital of Culture will be held. The ceremony will be held on a floating stage in the city’s harbour. 

The city is the first above the Arctic Circle to be chosen as the European Capital of Culture. 

For those who can’t make it to the opening ceremony, it will be broadcast live on NRK. 

More than 1,000 cultural events are planned for 2024 in Bodø, meaning there should be something going on in the city in whichever month you manage to visit. 

READ MORE: Arctic Norway’s European Capital of Culture

Sami Day/ Sami Week 

February 6th is Sami Day across all of Norway. Typically, many workshops, exhibitions and showcases of Sami culture and food are planned nationwide. The largest cities and the north will generally host the largest selection of events. 

The same week will also see Tromsø celebrate a Sami week. The yearly festival showcases many traditional Sami sports and events. This is in addition to other events like the Sami winter market. 

Bergen International Literary Festival, February 7th 

Literature from around the globe will be celebrated in Bergen between February 7th and 11th. 

The event is characterised by its literary, linguistic, cultural and geographic diversity. Attendees will enjoy events hosted by authors from across Norway and the world. 

The festival is being held at the House of Culture in Bergen. 

An overview of all the individual events is available on the festival’s website. 

Bergen Seafood Festival February 17th

Home to some of the best seafood in the world is Bergen on the west coast.

Events celebrating the city’s seafood will be held across the city between February 12th and February 17th. The headline event will be the transformation of Bergen’s famous seafood market into a family-friendly food festival venue on February 17th.

This is certainly one event that foodies in the city won’t want to miss. 

Winter Holidays

Kids in Oslo, Akershus, Østfold, Vestfold, Telemark, Agder, Møre and Romsdal, Trøndelag and some parts of Vestland will be off school for the winter holidays between February 19th and February 23rd.

After that, students in Innlandet, Buskerud, Rogaland, parts of Vestland, Nordland, Troms and Finnmark will be off from school the following week.

The winter holidays in Norway are a great time to go on ski and cabin trips. Those who don’t like crowds might want to save any such trips for after the kids return to school, though. 

Holmenkollen Ski Festival, February 29th

Thousands will make their way to Oslo’s winter sports mecca at Holmenkollen between February 29th and March 10th. 

Both FIS World Cup and ski jumping events will be held at the ski festival, known for its lively atmosphere.

The event is one of the highlights of the winter social calendar in Oslo. 

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DISCOVER NORWAY

What’s on in Norway: Ten unmissable events this June

Music and food festivals, Pride parades, and Sankthans are among the many events to look forward to in June in Norway. 

Published: 23 May 2024 12:38 CEST
What's on in Norway: Ten unmissable events this June

National Music Day, June 1st 

The Norwegian capital of Oslo will host its free annual music festival at the start of June. More than 50 outdoor stages will be spread across the city, and hundreds of performers will treat Oslo’s residents to all kinds of musical performances. 

Free music will be available everywhere, from pub patios to large stages in parks. The festival’s website provides more information on where the various stages are and who will be performing. 

NEON, June 7th – June 8th 

The NEON music festival in Trondheim has quickly become one of the hottest summer kick-off festivals in Norway since launching in 2022. 

The 2024 edition of NEON will take place on June 7th and 8th in Trondheim’s Bryggeribyen E.C. Dahls Arena. 

2024 festival goers will be able to see Tom Odell, Matoma, Lost Frequencies, Jason Derulo, Benson Boone, Emma Steinbakken, Roc Boyz and many more.

Tickets are already available, and you can choose between a festival pass, daily tickets, or premium ticket options.

Miniøya, June 8th – June 9th 

Since its first edition in 2010, Miniøya has become Norway’s largest music and cultural festival for children. 

The festival is aimed at children up to the age of 12, and its program includes music, theatre, literature, disco, dance, and activities. 

Tickets are still available at the time of writing, and OBOS members receive 100 kroner off the 430 kroner ticket price. 

Oslo Food Festival, June 8th – June 9th

The second weekend in June and the final weekend of August will see the Oslo Food Festival held in trendy Grünerløkka. 

The festival focuses on foods from around the world. A mix of established and lesser-known restaurants, as well as plenty of home cooks, will be offering up fantastic food. 

For that reason, the event is much a cultural exchange as it is a gathering for foodies. 

Bergenfest, June 12th – June 15th 

It’s not just the capital that will be treated to music festivals in June. Artists such as PJ Harvey, Stormzy, Kaiser’s Orchestra, Jungle and Gabrielle will all take to the stage. 

The festival is being held in Bergenhus Fortress, one of Norway’s oldest and best preserved fortress areas. 

Day passes, weekend passes, and festival passes are all still available at the time of writing. 

Mablis, June 14th – June 15th 

The music festival, near the centre of Stavanger, aims to blend established acts with new and emerging talent. 

Mablis aims to be an inclusive and sustainable festival, and plenty of local, short-travelled food will be served. 

The festival wants to include the whole family, so there is no age limit. Children under 14 also get to enter the festival free of charge when with an adult. 

OverOslo, June 19th – June 22nd 

Four nights of festival music from acts such as Jungle, Chaka Kahn, Billy Ocean, and plenty of Norway’s biggest funk and pop artists await festivalgoers at the top of Grefsenkollen. 

Tickets for some days are still available at the festival held in the forests above Oslo.  

Sankthans, June 24th 

Sankthans or Jonsok, translated as “John’s wake”, is a Midsummer celebration with both religious and secular roots.

Along with the rest of Scandinavia, it is popular to celebrate with bonfires. In major cities and small towns, the bonfires are typically made along the coastline or in a body of water, and the locals watch from boats or from along the shoreline and bring drinks and snacks. The atmosphere is festive yet relaxed. 

Many Norwegians say that if you sleep with a sankthansblomst or a “red campion flower” underneath your pillow on the night of sankthans, then your future spouse will appear in your dreams.

Pride events 

Norway’s two biggest cities will celebrate Pride in June. Bergen Pride begins at the start of June, and events will continue until the city’s Pride parade on June 8th. 

A number of different events will be held across different venues to mark this year’s celebrations. 

Meanwhile, Norway’s biggest LGBTQ+ celebration, Oslo Pride, will begin on June 19th and end on June 29th. The parade will be held on June 29th.

Gladmat, June 26th – June 29th 

Billing itself as the world’s coolest food festival is Gladmat in Stavanger. The event is Scandinavia’s biggest food festival, and 250,000 visitors will have the opportunity to sample the best flavours from the Stavanger region. 

The festival brings together local food producers, great restaurants and delicious street food. 

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