Olavsfestdagene

Olavsfestdagene is a Norwegian church and cultural festival based in Trondheim and historically connected with the veneration of Olaf II of Norway, commonly known as Saint Olav. The event takes place around Olsok, the traditional celebration associated with the death and sainthood of Olav, and is centered spiritually on Nidaros Cathedral. Its modern history reaches back to Olavsdagene, a festival tradition initiated in 1962. The festival brings together religious observance and a broad cultural program. Its activities have included orchestral, band, solo, choral, operatic, theatrical, and jazz performances, as well as church services, exhibitions, lectures, courses, historical markets, children’s activities, and pilgrimage-related programming. The combination gives Olavsfestdagene a wider remit than a conventional music festival: it functions simultaneously as a sacred festival, a city-wide arts event, a heritage gathering, and a meeting point for pilgrims visiting Trondheim and Nidaros Cathedral. Events are staged at multiple venues across Trondheim. Locations associated with the festival include Nidaros Cathedral, Olavshallen, Vår Frue Church, the Norwegian Freemasons’ premises, Rica Nidelven Arena, and outdoor spaces such as the courtyard of the Archbishop’s Palace and Torvet. The use of churches, historical sites, concert halls, public squares, and temporary outdoor stages reflects the festival’s effort to connect Trondheim’s religious and civic heritage with contemporary cultural production. The program has historically been substantial. Reference material describes a 2005 edition with more than 300 events and approximately 800 international and Norwegian artists. Programming has also included medieval or historical markets, games, jugglers, crafts and trade, treasure hunts, music workshops, stone carving, jousting, and activities designed for children and young people. A late-night jazz program known as Jazzvaka has been associated with the festival as well. Olavsfestdagene has a national cultural role in Norway. It is identified as one of the country’s four festivals with knutepunktfestival status, a designation historically used for festivals considered to have particular national importance. Within that role, the festival has responsibility for maintaining the church-festival tradition at Nidaros Cathedral and for presenting the celebration of Olav through both worship and cultural programming. The festival’s artistic scope has included internationally recognized performers alongside Norwegian artists. The 2015 edition, for example, was scheduled from July 28 to August 2 and included the international artist Sting. Festival leadership has included Randi Wenche Haugen, who served as festival director from August 11, 2008 to August 31, 2013, followed by Petter Myhr, formerly associated with the popular music museum Rockheim, who began a fixed-term director position on September 1, 2013. Olavsfestdagene’s brand proposition is therefore rooted in the interaction between place, faith, history, and live culture. Rather than selling a single product, it curates an annual experience in which Trondheim’s cathedral, pilgrimage heritage, public spaces, and cultural institutions become parts of one festival identity. Its principal audience includes local residents, domestic visitors, international pilgrims, concertgoers, families, and visitors interested in Norwegian religious and medieval heritage.

Olavsfestdagene is historically rooted in the veneration of Olaf II of Norway and in Trondheim’s role as the location of Nidaros Cathedral, one of the most important religious and pilgrimage sites in Norway. The festival’s modern institutional tradition began in 1962 under the name Olavsdagene. It developed as a recurring celebration around Olsok, combining the liturgical and devotional dimensions of the Olav tradition with concerts, public performances, heritage activities, and civic gatherings. The festival’s central religious responsibility is connected with the celebration of Olav at Nidaros Cathedral. Pilgrims from Norway and other countries have traditionally visited the cathedral during the festival period, making pilgrimage an important part of its identity. At the same time, Olavsfestdagene has expanded beyond church observance into a broad city-wide cultural program. Its venues have included Nidaros Cathedral, Olavshallen, Vår Frue Church, the Norwegian Freemasons’ premises, Rica Nidelven Arena, the Archbishop’s Palace courtyard, and Torvet. The program has encompassed orchestral and popular music, solo performances, choirs, opera, theatre, jazz, exhibitions, courses, lectures, church services, and pilgrimage activities. Historical markets have added a medieval and heritage dimension, with games, jugglers, trade, and related activities. Children and young people have been included through treasure hunts, music workshops, stone carving, and other participatory events. Jousting and outdoor programming have further connected the festival with Trondheim’s historical setting. Jazzvaka, a nightly jazz event held at Kjeller’n in Olavskvartalet, has been part of the festival’s late-night offering. The scale of the festival has been considerable. Information describing the 2005 edition records more than 300 events involving about 800 international and Norwegian artists. This breadth illustrates the festival’s role as a platform rather than a single-genre concert series. It brings together sacred music, popular entertainment, performing arts, education, historical interpretation, family programming, and religious practice under one annual name. Olavsfestdagene has also held a recognized national role in Norwegian festival policy. It is described as one of four Norwegian knutepunktfestivaler, or festivals with national status, and has been assigned responsibility for preserving and presenting the church-festival celebration at Nidaros Cathedral and the worship of Olav. This status reinforces its position as both a local Trondheim institution and a national cultural gathering. Leadership documented in available reference material includes Randi Wenche Haugen, who served as festival director from August 11, 2008 until August 31, 2013. She was succeeded by Petter Myhr, formerly associated with Rockheim, who entered a fixed-term director role on September 1, 2013. A documented 2015 edition ran from July 28 to August 2 and included Sting as an international artist. Across its history, Olavsfestdagene has maintained a distinctive model: use the religious and historical significance of Trondheim as the foundation for a contemporary, publicly accessible arts festival. Its identity is expressed through the annual calendar, the Olsok period, Nidaros Cathedral, pilgrimage, live performance, and participation by audiences ranging from worshippers and heritage visitors to families and concertgoers.

• 2015

  Festival edition features Sting

  [1]Olavsfestdageneen.wikipedia.org

  The 2015 edition is scheduled for July 28 to August 2 and includes international performer Sting.

• 2013

  Petter Myhr succeeds Haugen

  [1]Olavsfestdageneen.wikipedia.org

  Petter Myhr begins a fixed-term festival-director appointment on September 1 after Randi Wenche Haugen’s term ends.

• 2008

  Randi Wenche Haugen begins festival-director tenure

  [1]Olavsfestdageneen.wikipedia.org

  Randi Wenche Haugen becomes festival director on August 11.

• 2005

  Large-scale multidisciplinary program documented

  [1]Olavsfestdageneen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material describes an edition with more than 300 events and approximately 800 international and Norwegian artists.

• 1962

  Olavsdagene tradition begins

  [1]Olavsfestdageneen.wikipedia.org

  The modern festival tradition that later became Olavsfestdagene is initiated under the name Olavsdagene.

A Trondheim-based sacred and cultural festival that links the legacy of Saint Olav and Nidaros Cathedral with contemporary music, performing arts, pilgrimage, heritage, and inclusive city-wide public events.

• Cultural festival · 1962

  Olavsfestdagene annual festival

  The core offering is an annual Trondheim festival held around Olsok. It combines concerts, religious services, theatre, opera, exhibitions, lectures, courses, pilgrimage activities, historical markets, family programming, and outdoor events across venues including Nidaros Cathedral, concert halls, churches, public squares, and heritage sites.

• Music programming

  Sacred and classical music program

  A major part of the festival’s program consists of sacred music, orchestral performances, choirs, soloists, and other classical or church-oriented events. Nidaros Cathedral and other Trondheim churches provide settings in which the artistic program is connected directly with the festival’s religious and historical foundation.

• Music and performing arts

  Popular music and performing arts program

  The festival also presents bands, popular-music performers, jazz, opera, and theatre. This broader programming enables Olavsfestdagene to reach audiences beyond worshippers and heritage visitors, while retaining the Olsok period and Trondheim’s historic venues as unifying elements.

• Religious and heritage programming

  Pilgrimage and heritage program

  Pilgrimage activities and historical programming connect visitors with Olav’s legacy and Nidaros Cathedral. Markets, craft and trade demonstrations, jousting, lectures, and related events present Trondheim’s medieval and religious heritage in an accessible festival format.

• Jazz program

  Jazzvaka

  Jazzvaka is a nightly jazz offering associated with Olavsfestdagene. Reference material places it at Kjeller’n in Olavskvartalet and presents it as a late-night complement to the festival’s daytime concerts, services, heritage activities, and public events.

• 2015

  Olavsfestdagene scheduled a 2015 edition featuring Sting[1]Olavsfestdageneen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The 2015 festival was scheduled for July 28 through August 2 and listed international performer Sting among its participants.

• 2013

  Petter Myhr appointed festival director[1]Olavsfestdageneen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  Petter Myhr, previously associated with the popular music museum Rockheim, replaced Randi Wenche Haugen as festival director in a fixed-term appointment beginning September 1, 2013.

1. 1Olavsfestdageneen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Olavsfestdagene official websiteolavsfestdagene.no