Førdefestivalen his annual cavalcade

The duo Ibou Cissokho and Selma French Bolstad, with guest Solo Diarra, created a warm festival atmosphere at Festplassen - the Saturday of what was supposed to be festival week 2020. Photo: Birger Hagevold Johansen.

Last day of 2020. Finally, we almost said, but even though we are now writing 2021, we still have challenging months ahead of us. Today we still want to take a step back from what was good in 2020, and highlight the great musical experiences we managed to create together. Tribute to musicians and everyone else in the industry who has been there, and is still there. THANK YOU.

Solo and Ibou showed up at Vie kindergarten and spread warmth in the rather sour and wet July weather! Photo: Birger Hagevold Johansen.

Thanks to Ibou Cissoko and Solo Diarra who came to Førde and played pop-pop concerts on Thursday and Friday during the festival week. Despite the pouring rain, they managed to convey warmth with their beautiful West African rhythms. Thanks to Anders Bruland for sound and transport.

Morning dew directly from Fjordamamenttunet. Photo: Birger Hagevold Johansen

THANK YOU to Morgonrode, who delivered a wonderful concert in Fjordamattunet for an invited audience. And to Bright who created a wonderful production for international delegates and for TV (the concert is still available at nrk.no/festivalsommer).

Selma and Ibou - pure joy in the sun. Photo: Birger Hagevold Johansen

On Saturday it was Ibou and Selma's turn - they created a little celebration under the tent roof at Festplassen. THANK YOU! And unlike the other days in this completely different festival week, we actually didn't need the roof, since the sun shone from a cloudless sky.

Førdefestivalen its former director is presented with the King's Medal of Merit by the mayor of Sunnfjord Municipality, Olve Grotle. Photo: Birger Hagevold Johansen

Saturday night was Førdefestivalen hosting when the festival's former director, Hilde Bjørkum, was presented with the King's Medal of Merit by Mayor Olve Grotle. The session was confidently and humorously led by Gabriel Fliflet.

In September we started a new collaboration that we had been thinking about for a while: A mini-tour of some of the beautiful day trip cabins that all the municipalities in old Sogn og Fjordane are now blessed with. Together with the local hiking teams in Sogndal, Gloppen and Førde , we invited Stein Villa to a day trip cabin concert at the cabins: Gytta, Draumekvila and Stedjestova. Two days before the tour was to start, Stein Villa had to call in sick, but on super reserves Jens Brekke and Terje Isungset saved the concerts for us. HURRAY for them.

In October we beat the drum and invited for the first time to OktoberFolk at Larris Scene. With funds from Sparebanken Vest's corona fund we were able to set up two days and six concerts from three arenas. THANK YOU to Moenje and Polkabjørn & Kleine Heine for a brilliant Friday evening, to Gammalgrass and 9 degrees north for ditto Saturday evening. THANK YOU to Sharqant for a great church concert, and Ole Nilssen and Ingrid Schei Stuhaug who, together with the Sunnfjord junior fiddlers' group, filled Kafé Sobra at the Sogn og Fjordane Art Museum to the last seat.

In November we were supposed to have Borna's World Day Førde , but just then the corona warning lights were shining so brightly that we were forced to postpone. We will postpone this nice family day a little later in the new year.

Majorstuen - in collaboration with the Sunnfjord junior fiddlers' club - ended the music year for us.

Then came the Christmas month, and we got to end a very special year with our favorites, Majorstuen and one of their last Juledrøm concerts. Before the concert itself, the entire ensemble played with the newly established Sunnfjord junior fiddlers' group - and after 20 years this fantastic folk music ensemble says thank you. Thanks to soundman Stig in On Qeue - it was a wonderful concert to take with you into the Christmas season.

A BIG THANK YOU also to the audience who has come to the concerts and events we have held this very special year.

Now the sun has turned, we are heading towards brighter times; brighter in every way we hope. Thank you for this year - we look forward to meeting you in the new!

Thank you for all the good things we were able to experience in 2020 - and welcome to new musical experiences in 2021!