Five days of musical highlights
The festival brunch area seen from the air! Photo: Arve Ullebø
Impressions from the 30th. Førdefestivalen are still fresh. -Five days of musical highlights cannot be digested in two days, says director Per Idar Almås, who despite his long festival experience, has never experienced such overwhelming feedback from artists and the audience like the one he got at his first festival in Førde "I'm just really proud of what we delivered these days," he says, continuing artists , staff and volunteers as the most important pieces in the successful birthday celebration. That the weather in Førde created itself from day two at the festival, it was just the way it should be.
Folk festival for 2700 in the park
The festival's birthday present to Førde was a huge free event in the park at Festplassen on Saturday, with free brunch, concerts and stalls. The new roof that was installed just before the festival made the event safe even in case of rain, but on Saturday the sun shone brightly for all the approximately 2,700 people who came to the park. -This was exactly as successful as we dreamed of, says event manager in Førdefestivalen , Sølvi Lien , who thinks brunch is here to stay.
Karl Seglem opens the festival in front of a packed Larris Scene. Photo: Lieve Boussauw
Only the best
The new director is quoted as saying that musicians should be 'very good at their instruments' to be allowed to play. Førdefestivalen '. -That's exactly where I feel confident that we've delivered, he smiles. From Karl Seglem's sold-out concert at Larris Scene, to Serbian Marko Markovic Brass Band in the Sports Hall on Sunday. From the new fado star, Sara Correia, to the audience favorite KROKE. From Mahsa & Marjan Vahdat in Førde church, to VASSVIK 706 m above sea level. From the ukulele band Timples & Other Small Guitars to SAMURAI ACCORDION, both of which were in the Theatre Hall. From the Reunion Gala: 30 years without borders! in the Sports Hall to Hemsing/Larsen - Two Ladies Two Gentlemen in the Fjord Food Festival. From the Russian fireworks Otava Yo in the park to the party band Dizu Plaatjies & Ibuyambo at Scandic Sunnfjord Hotel in the late hours of the night. The quality of the artists at this year's festival cannot be questioned. -That we can serve all this in a small town in Western Norway is actually a bit incomprehensible, even for me as director, says Almås. -Only now does it really dawn on me what kind of project I have taken over.
Sara Correia, note the name. Photo: Espen Stensvoll
Around 22000
In five days, the festival has held almost 80 events, and of these, 22 events have been free to the public. The total audience for this year's festival is expected to be just under 22,000. -This is slightly below what the festival has had in recent years, but it is a decrease that was expected, since we removed the festival parade this year, explains Almås. -The parade has always gathered a lot of people along the route, but there is a time for everything, and this year we decided that it was time to focus on a good Saturday event for everyone in the beautiful park at Festplassen.