Bergen Events & Public Holidays 2024: What's Happening in Bergen This Year
Are you coming to Bergen this year? It’s worth checking out what’s happening in the city! There are many events happening in Bergen, and it may impact (or enhance) your stay.
Bergen is Norway’s second-largest city and boasts a number of prominent festivals and concerts for the country. There’s also outdoor events and activities all-year-round, making it a great place to visit.
Here’s my list of the Bergen Events for 2024.
Be sure to check out my Flåm travel guide, where I put lots of information about what you can see and do in Flåm.
Table of Contents
March 2024
Borealis Music Festival (13-17 March 2024)
Borealis is a contemporary music festival, but it also has talks, movies, literature and visual arts events.
You can visit their website here: https://www.borealisfestival.no/en/home/
Easter Weekend
In Norway the shops and some museums will close on Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday, making it tricky to arrange a trip at that point. However, there is a nice peacefulness to the city.
If you are taking the train, flying, or heading to a ski area. Expect large crowds. Many Norwegians take this holiday to head out and ski. Easter is generally regarded as the last time for the season that Norwegians can go skiing, so it is a huge holiday for that.
Maundy Thursday (28 March 2024)
Maundy Thursday is a public holiday in Norway. Shops will be closed.
Good Friday (29 March 2024)
Good Friday is a public holiday in Norway and shops/businesses will be closed.
Easter Sunday (30 March 2024)
Easter Sunday is a public holiday in Norway and shops will be closed.
Easter Monday (31 March 2024)
Easter Monday is a public holiday in Norway and shops will be closed.
April 2024
Bergen City Marathon (27 April 2024)
The Bergen City Marathon is a true highlight and is a great event to either participate in or just watch. The start and finish line is at Bryggen, so if you are in town that day, expect your visit to Bryggen to be impacted.
The marathon circles around the city a couple times, passing by some of the prettiest neighbourhoods.
You can read more and register here. It’s also worth checking out the schedule so you can plan your visit to Bryggen: https://www.bergencitymarathon.no/en/
May 2024
Labour Day/Workers Day (1 May 2024)
The 1st of May is a major public holiday in Norway and is the day to commemorate worker’s and the labour movement. In many large cities, Labour Day events are organised by the labour unions themselves in an effort to promote unity among the workforce. Often, Labour Day celebrations in Norway have a strong political message.
The date was chosen to commemorate the Haymarket Affair, a 19th century worker rally that ended in violence in Chicago, USA.
Shops and businesses will be closed.
Ascension Day (9 May 2024)
Ascension Day is the commemoration of Jesus Christ’s ascension to heaven as recorded in the Bible. It is observed on the fortieth day of Easter – 39 days after Easter Sunday – and always fall on a Thursday.
Some businesses may close on Ascension day.
Constitution Day (17 May 2024)
Constitution Day is the public holiday in Norway. Everything will be closed and all the locals will be dressed in their traditional bunad. There will be parades throughout the morning and the city will be crowded, and then in the afternoon there’ll be lots of parties around the city.
You can find the program for 17 May 2024 on the VisitBergen website: https://en.visitbergen.com/whats-on/_ga=2.89125147.107885438.1709361625-1648540860.1709127065
If you plan on moving around the city this day, it’s worth looking at what VisitBergen says about public transportation:
Please note that the whole city center will be closed for ordinary traffic during the celebrations and public transport will have special routes and stops. The Bergen Light Rail to and from the airport will not stop at the two last stops in the city center (Nonneseter and Byparken) in the morning until 15:00 in the afternoon. Bergen Buss station is then the last stop in the city center. If you are going from the city center to the airport on the 17th May, we recommend you plan your means of transport well in advance.
Whit Sunday (19 May 2024)
Whit Monday (20 May 2024)
Most businesses will be closed on Whit Monday.
Bergen International Festival (Norwegian name: Festspillene i Bergen) (22 May – 5 June 2024)
Bergen International Festival is the major cultural event of the year and is regarded as the largest cultural event of its type in the Nordics. Here you can see music, art, dance, theatre and so much more. The opening event this year is the musical Peer Gynt.
You can buy tickets and view their program here: https://www.fib.no/en/
Night Jazz Festival (Norwegian name: NattJazz) (24 May – 1 June 2024)
This is the longest jazz festival in Northern Europe and has lovely concerts in the evening. There’s not just jazz music but you can hear rock music and electronic music.
View the program and buy tickets here: https://en.nattjazz.no/
7 Mountain Hike (26 May 2024)
The 7 Mountain Hike is a yearly event where thousands of people hike the seven mountains surrounding Bergen in one day. It’s not a race but more of a fun day out with the family.
Learn more here: https://www.dnt.no/dnt-der-du-er/BergenogHordalandTurlag/7-fjellsturen/
June 2024
Gay Pride Parade (Norwegian name: Regnbuedagene) (8 June 2024)
The Gay Pride Festival has debates, theatre, art, concerts, films, and the Pride Parade. The parade starts on the 8th of June, but they have a large line-up of events on other days in the first week of June.
You can read more here: https://bergenpride.no/
BergenFest (12-15 June 2024)
BergenFest is the music festival in Bergen. This four-day outdoor festival brings in big names from around the world. You can buy a day pass if you want to go when you’re in town.
See the program and buy tickets here: https://www.bergenfest.no/en/
July 2024
Beyond the Gates (31 July – 3 August 2024)
This is the main festival for metal music in Bergen. There’s also guided tours for metal culture, art exhibitions, and a tattoo festival.
See the program and buy tickets here: https://www.beyondthegates.no/
August 2024
Grieg Festival (19 August – 31 August 2024)
The Grieg Festival is full of concerts at Håkons Hall in the fortress. The music focuses on, but is not limited to, Edvard Grieg.
View the program and buy tickets here: http://www.grieginbergen.com
Feelings (23-24 August 2024)
Feelings is an outdoor music festival that features artists primarily in pop, electronic dance music and hip hop. This is the second edition of the festival.
See the program and buy tickets here: https://www.feelingsfestival.no/
Bergen Food Festival (30-31 August 2024)
At the Bergen Food Festival there is a lot of focus on foods from the surrounding farms of Western Norway.
September 2024
October 2024
Bergen International Film Festival (16 – 24 October 2024)
The Bergen International Festival is one of the largest festivals in the Nordic region and focuses primarily on documentaries from all over the world. It also has many new fiction film premieres and additional events.
November 2024
Bergen Gingerbread Village (Pepperkakebyen) (23 November – 31 December 2024)
Bergen’s Gingerbread Village is the world’s largest of its kind and a must-see!
View their website here: http://www.pepperkakebyen.org/
Festival of Light (23 November 2024)
Traditional annual opening of the Christmas season, where families are invited to light torches and enjoy music, entertainment and a magnificent display of fireworks.
Bergen Christmas Market (29 November – 22 December 2024)
Bergen Christmas Market is located right in the heart of Bergen at Festplassen. Buy handmade Christmas gifts and delightful edible treats.
Keep up-to-date on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/byjulemarked/