20
CRUICE NORTH 2014
Northern Norway
− a different story
There is far more to Northern Norway than sea and mountains. The region
offers a rich array of events spanning entertainment, culture and sport.
Here is an overview of events that are relevant to include on a cruise to
our part of the world – during summer or winter.
Tromsø is Northern Norway’s largest
city, with a population of around 70,000.
Known as the “Gateway to the Arctic”,
Tromsø has a significant international
community linked to the world’s north-
ernmost university as well as a varied
trade and industry sector. The city has
experienced rapid growth and its cultural
life has grown accordingly.
Among the city’s many festivals, it
is important to mention the annual
Northern Lights Festival. For 25 years,
the city of Tromsø has been submerged
in a musical extravaganza during the last
week of January. In 2014 the festival was
visited by no less than the Bolshoi Ballet.
The Tromsø International Film Festival is
another popular event during the Polar
Night (the sun is below the horizon here
from November 21
st
to January 21
st
). The
Tromsø International Film Festival lasts
a full week, screening challenging quality
films for a local, national and international
audience.
Another event worthy of mention
in Tromsø is the annual Sami Week.
The Sami population celebrates the
national Sami day on February 6
th
, part
of a week-long cultural programme also
featuring competitions in lasso throwing
and reindeer racing.
ARTS FESTIVAL
Slightly further south is Harstad
(population 24,000), where the Arts
Festival of Northern Norway takes place
at the end of June. This festival has been
held annually in Harstad since 1965. What
began as a musical event with a particular
focus on the meeting between amateurs
and professionals is now a top-class
international event.
Harstad is also the place where the
seeds were sewn for the first inter-
national multiple stage cycling race
in Northern Norway. The inaugural
Arctic Race of Norway from Bodø, via
Lofoten to Harstad took place over four
magical days in August 2013. The race
generated unsurpassed international
media coverage of the North Norwegian
landscape and people, and everything
indicates that this success will grow.
Many of the world’s leading road cyclists
competed in the inaugural race, and in
2014 even more leading international
cyclists will take part in the spectacular
route from the North Cape to Tromsø.
Another major sporting event,
Finnmarksløpet, takes place in Alta
in March. Stretching 1000 km across
the majestic Finnmark Plateau, this is
Europe’s longest dog sled race. Fred
Olsen’s “Marco Polo” and Cruise &
Maritime’s “Discovery” both called at
Alta in conjunction with the start of the
race – and amid great enthusiasm some
of the cruise passengers got to partic-
ipate in the prologue. An unforgettable
experience, one would imagine!
WINTER FESTIVAL WEEK
Canteen cook Anna, known in history as
Svarta Bjørn (Black Bear), fed the migrant
workers who built the first Arctic railway
line – from Kiruna in Sweden to Narvik in
Northern Norway. Svarta Bjørn worked
hard, died young and was one of many
women who gave everything during the
construction of the Ofoten Railway. The
annual Narvik Winter Festival is held each
March, in honour of Svarta Bjørn and the
Navvies. The festival, which has a broad
programme focusing on cultural history,
is one of the region’s most popular.
