Winter festivals and events in Norway

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Winter in Norway can be a busy time for visitors, with all the festivals and events taking place in January and February every year.

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Winter 2015: festivals and events in Norway


Tromsø International Film Festival

Tromsø, January. Norway's largest film festival, established in 1991, screens a selection of films from around the world, most of which have not previously been shown in Norway. More than 300 screenings take place during the festival, some of them on a big outdoor screen set up on Tromsø's main square. Documentaries and short films from the region are shown together with feature-length movies by big international names, as well as up-and-coming talent. Talks, quiz, silent film concerts and other events also take place during the week-long festival. Read more about Tromsø International Film Festival.


Ice Climbing Festival

Rjukan, February. There are many waterfalls in Telemark, and come winter these turn into huge ice walls clinging to the mountain side, much to the delight of local climbers. As it happens Rjukan boasts the world's tightest concentration of frozen waterfalls (more than 170 within a radius of 20 kilometres), making it the perfect place for such a festival. Guided climbs, lectures, clinics and more. All welcome, from beginners to professional climbers. Ice Climbing Festival.

Ice Music Festival

Geilo, January/February. An alternative music festival where both the stage and the instruments are carved out of local ice and snow. Much is left up to nature, from the date (the festival takes place at the first full moon of the year) to the music itself (the quality of the ice depends on the weather conditions, so the sound varies with the temperature), making this a rather unpredictable, but no less fascinating, event. Read more about the Ice Music Festival.


Northern Lights Festival

Tromsø, January-February. Established in 1988, this festival is a big musical extravaganza that has attracted high profile artists such as Jan Garbarek, Mari Boine and Dee Dee Bridgewater, among many others. Some of the best symphonic orchestras in Scandinavia have also performed here. Over the past two decades the festival has had an interesting mixture of top quality performances, including many by artists from the North. See Northern Lights Festival.


Polar Jazz

Longyearbyen, Svalbard, February. The world's northernmost music festival. Wrap up warm for this one, as temperatures in Svalbard in February are no joke (Polar Jazz has adopted the phrase "Cool place, hot music" as its slogan). Over the years many of Norway's best jazz musicians have played at the festival, and increasingly other music genres, such as blues and bluegrass, are also represented.

Rørosmartnan (Røros Fair)

Røros, February. Røros makes an ideal backdrop for this annual fair, which has been held in the UNESCO world heritage town since 1854. Attracting some 75,000 visitors every year, the fair is one of the region's largest events, and a real trip down memory lane. The "backyards", where people used to gather to trade, play music, dance and tell stories, is where the action takes place. Try some local food, see how traditional crafts were performed, take part in an auction or even go on a sleigh ride. More info about Rørosmartnan (only in Norwegian).


MORE INFORMATION: www.visitnorway.com/
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