As Norway's second biggest city, Bergen hosts many festivals and major events throughout the year. Here's our rundown of what you can expect in Bergen during the next twelve months.
Bergen is a beautiful, bustling city known for its natural scenery and rich cultural heritage. With a picturesque harbour and historic wooden buildings, Bergen is a popular tourist destination in Norway.
Throughout the year, Bergen plays host to festivals and events that celebrate the unique character of the city. From music festivals and cultural celebrations to food and drink events, there is something for everyone in Bergen.
Are you planning a trip to the west coast of Norway in 2025? I know from the emails we get here at Life in Norway that many of you are. There's plenty to see and do whenever you visit, but perhaps you want to experience something a little different?
If you're starting or ending a coastal ferry cruise in Bergen, then why not time your visit to coincide with a special event or music festival?
Major Events in Bergen
Interested? Then you're in the right place! That's because we keep our eyes on the major concerts, festivals and other big events in and around Bergen so you don’t have to.
Whether you're a local or planning to visit, check out this guide to make the most of your time. Don't forget to bookmark this page, as we'll keep it updated throughout the year.
Bergen Seafood Festival
15 February, 2025: Norwegian seafood is known the world over. See for yourself why that is during this winter event.
Throughout the week, various restaurants in Bergen will host events. But the main event is held on the Saturday, when the Fish Market transforms into a family-friendly food festival venue for the day.
Cine Latino
6 – 9 March, 2025: Later in the year, the Bergen International Film Festival takes over the city. But first, the team presents its Latin American event, Cine Latino.
Held for the 7th time in 2025, Cine Latino is a meeting place for Latin American culture. In addition to a unique opportunity to see the best of new Latin American films on the big screen, the festival features dance performances, food sales, music, panel discussions, and parties.
Borealis
12 – 16 March, 2025: Borealis is a festival for contemporary music and experimental listening. This year’s event features six brand new projects that you’ll see for the first time.
Although sound and music are at the heart of Borealis, the festival also features talk, cinema, literature and visual arts events, as a way of expanding the conversation about music and its place in our lives.
Individual tickets are available for events, but a festival pass can be purchased, which gives reduced entry to individual events. Early bird tickets are also available, but be quick!
Bergen City Marathon
26 April, 2025: The 13th annual Bergen City Marathon will be staged in April of 2025 through some of Bergen’s most famous neighbourhoods. It's a great occasion for participants and spectators, as the start and finish line is at the iconic Bryggen and the atmosphere is great as the route passes right through the heart of the city.
From Bryggen, participants run through Old Bergen, enjoy the stunning views from Fjellveien, take in the new walkway around Store Lungegårdsvann, enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of Nygårdsparken, Nordnes Park, and back to Bryggen.
Thinking of taking part? Registration is open now. If a marathon is a bit much for you, there's various shorter distances available too.
Norwegian Constitution Day
17 May, 2025: Join Bergen's locals to celebrate the biggest day in Norway on the city streets. Watch the parades throughout the morning and listen to the marching bands before fireworks round off the day an hour or so before midnight.
If you want to attend this important national celebration, you’ll need to book hotels well in advance. You must also expect many restaurants to be fully-booked. Never attended a syttende mai before? To get an idea of what to expect, here is Norway's National Day in pictures.
Bergen International Festival
21 May – 4 June, 2025: The Nordic art community descends on Bergen for two weeks every year for the largest event of its kind in the region. The Bergen International Festival presents art in all its guises – music, theatre, dance, opera and visual art – at more than 150 individual events.
Grete Pedersen, one of Norway’s greatest conductors, has been named Festival Musician and will bring two projects to the festival. William Kentridge is Artist-in-Residence and will present his poetic universe on a large scale for the first time in Norway.
Meanwhile, the tale of Pinocchio is brought to life in a new musical family production. Alongside actors, puppets of all sizes bring the world of magic, nature, and humanity to life.
Natt Jazz
23 – 31 May, 2025: The longest jazz festival in Northern Europe hosts concerts that blur the lines between jazz, rock, ethno and electronica. Artists for this year's event including Building Instrument, Rohey Taalah & Martin Myhre Olsen, Daniel Herskedal Trio, Anthony Joseph, and Amaro Freitas.
Tickets are available now for individual concerts or a festival pass for the entire event. Just note that festival pass holders must still reserve a place for some of the highest profile concerts to gain entry.
7-Mountain Hike
26 May, 2025: As the name suggests, the annual 7-mountain hike sees keen participants hike the seven mountains that surround Bergen. The whole day can be used to complete the 30km course which includes a total ascent of 2,200m.
Just 206 people took part in the first event held back in 1948. Since 1982, the route has been: Lyderhorn, Damsgårdsfjellet, Løvstakken, Ulriken, Fløyen, Rundemanen, Sandviksfjellet.
Is that a bit much for you? I can't say I blame you! You could always try the three or five mountain hikes instead. Alternatively, there's no shortage of great hiking opportunities in the city if you're visiting at another time.
Bergen to Voss cycle race
31 May, 2025: The ‘west Norway classic' is one of the country's best-known cycling events. It also happens to be one of the most scenic tours in Europe. Cyclists of all abilities take part in this unique annual event.
The 170km route follows fjords and mountains from the coastline of Bergen to the ski and extreme sports resort of Voss.
Bergen Gay Pride
1-8 June, 2025: The Regnbuedagene (Rainbow Days) festival offers political debates, art shows, concerts, youth-events, film screenings, a colourful parade and different social events throughout Norway's second city.
Exact details of this year’s festivities are yet to be announced, although the parade is set for Saturday 8th June to finish the festivities. Prior to this, Pride House will host the educational and political events.
Bergenfest
11 – 14 June, 2025: In recent years, Bergenfest has firmly established itself as a modern music festival of both national and international interest. Day tickets or festival passes covering all four days are available now.
The 2025 line-up is still being announced. Highlights so far include Aurora, Alanis Morissette, Roxette, The The, the Hard Quartet, Brooke Combe, and Kjartan Lauritzen.
Beyond the Gates
30 July – 2 August, 2025: Beyond the Gates, birthed from the iconic Hole in the Sky festival in 2013, stands as a premier extreme metal event. Hosted across venues like USF Verftet and Grieghallen, it draws global fans to its exceptional lineups and deep dive into 90s Norwegian black metal.
Beyond just music, attendees explore Norwegian metal culture with guided tours, art displays, a tattoo fest, and more upcoming surprises.
In 2025, King Diamond will return to Norway for the first time in 19 years with his fantastic, horror-infused heavy metal spectacle.
Feelings
22 – 23 August, 2025: Feelings is an outdoor music festival at the scenic Bergenhus Fortress. Featuring top names in pop, hip-hop, and EDM, it offers a memorable summer finale.
Still relatively new to the Bergen events scene, the historic grassy locale with city mountain views will host the festival's third edition in 2025.
Bergen Food Festival
5 – 6 September, 2025: Farm-based food businesses from the counties of Hordaland and Sogn & Fjordane promote their products to locals and visiting tourists alike in the bustling centre of Bergen.
Ung Matfest is for children between 6 and 16 years old, whereas for the adults there is an adjacent beer festival!
Bergen International Film Festival
15 – 23 October, 2025: More than 120 documentary films, fiction and short films from around the world are presented at what the organisers claim is Norway’s broadest film festival.
Held at Bergen Kino, USF and Det Akademiske Kvarter, BIFF has become one of the biggest and most important cinema events in Norway. BIFF also organises dedicated screenings for local schools.
Pepperkakebyen
Mid-November to late-December TBC: Pepperkakebyen is one of the world’s largest gingerbread towns, and it's right at the heart of Norway’s second city.
Kindergartens, schools, businesses and thousands of individuals have contributed to the annual event since its creation in 1991.
What can you expect? Bergen in sweet miniature, and a whole lot more! There's houses, trains, cars and ships made from real gingerbread. It's not a reason to go to Bergen by itself, but if you're in town, stopping in is a must.
What big events do you enjoy in Bergen? Let me know in the comments. If you enjoyed this post, why not share it on Pinterest so that others can find it too? We've got just the pin for that. Just hit those social sharing buttons to get started.
With so many exciting festivals happening we would have to stay for a whole year to enjoy every one of them. Thanks for the informative post.
you are missing the tall race festival in the next couple of weeks and the live concerts that they organize those days! https://tallshipsbergen.no/ and https://www.facebook.com/events/2211106535579532/