Trondheim has a busy calendar of events. Updated for 2023/24, here's your list of all the big festivals and events to look forward to over the coming year.
Planning a trip to Norway? If you're passing through central Norway on your travels, then why not time your visit to coincide with a special event? Trondheim is Norway's third biggest city and there's plenty of festivals and other cultural events held throughout the year.
We keep our eyes on the major concerts, festivals and other big events in Trondheim so you don’t have to!
Major events and festivals in Trondheim
From music festivals featuring major international artists to celebrations of all things innovative, Trondheim offers something for everyone.
Whether you're a resident of Trondheim or planning to visit, check out this guide to make the most of your time. Also, don't forget to check out our city guide.
Festningen
1-2 September, 2023: The biggest music festival in central Norway has firmly established itself on the cultural calendar over the past few years. Held in the grounds of Kristiansten fortress, Festningen 2023 will welcome Karpe, Kygo, G-Eazy, and R3hab to the city.
Trondheim Pride
1-10 September, 2023: Central Norway's biggest LGBT+ event takes place over a week and a half in every autumn. Lectures, debates and exhibitions run through the course of the festival, which culminates in a colourful parade though the city streets on the final weekend. This year’s parade is scheduled for 9 September.
Transform: Trondheim World Festival
4-10 September, 2023: The multicultural community of Trondheim celebrates the diversity in society at this week-long festival, with multiple events held across various venues.
Blues in Hell
7-10 September, 2023: A blues festival held over four stages at the Scandic Hotel in the village of Hell, a short walk from Trondheim Værnes Airport. First held in 1992 as a small local festival with only Norwegian acts, Blues in Hell is back for its 32nd edition with Norwegian and international acts. Expect a fabulous mix of styles from acoustic blues, via jump, swing, blues rock to modern next generation blues.
Trondheim Chamber Music Festival
24 September – 1 October, 2023: Since its establishment in 1996, the Trondheim Chamber Music Festival (Kammermusikkfestival) has aimed to find a balance between being innovative, audience friendly and presenting a program of high quality. It is now firmly established on the Trondheim festival scene.
UKA
5 – 29 October, 2023: Long established, UKA has grown to be an important part of Trondheim’s cultural scene.
The almost month-long (despite the name meaning ‘the week’) student-led festival is packed with a diverse range of events and usually some concerts featuring some of Norway’s biggest artists.
Trondheim Developer Conference
23 October, 2023: A non-profit event for developers, both local and from far and wide. The current year's conference agenda caters to a wide range of topics like front-end, back-end, agile methodologies, and digital design, aiming to bring together local, national, and international contributions.
Minimalen Short Film Festival
23 – 28 January, 2024: If you believe that a lot of great cinema is made by unknown filmmakers trying to gain a foothold in the industry without financial backing, this is the event for you. Norwegian, Nordic and international films of no more than 30 minutes compete for prizes. This year is the 36th edition of the event and features approximately 250 short films.
Trondheim Calling
1 – 3 February, 2024: One of Norway's best showcases for unsigned talent, Trondheim Calling returns to the city once again. Many local bands feature across multiple stages at this three-day festival. Festival passes and day passes are available rather than entry to individual events. By day, a music industry conference takes place.
Kosmorama International Film Festival
4 – 10 March, 2024: Established in 2004, Kosmorama is Trondheim’s very own film festival. It aims to strengthen the film industry in central Norway and contribute to innovation at the intersection of culture and commerce. Last year’s edition featured more than 80 films.
Nidaros Blues
19 – 23 April, 2024: Local heroes, top Norwegian names and international stars come together for Trondheim’s annual blues festival, which this year celebrates its 25th anniversary. This laidback yet popular festival is held mostly at the Radisson Blu Royal Garden Hotel in the centre of the city.
JazzFest
8 – 12 May, 2024: Built around the exciting jazz scene in the city and the world-renowned jazz course at NTNU, Trondheim Jazz Festival features mainly contemporary and exiting Scandinavian and European jazz acts, along with a series of popular lectures. In 2024, former NTNU Ambassador Siril Malmedal Hauge will write new music for the festival.
Coralua International Choir Festival
TBC 2024: Choirs from all over the world meet in Trondheim to take part in singing workshops, followed by live performances across central Norway. Singers and choirs of all ages are welcome to participate, and applications are open now. Keep an eye on the Coralua website for announcements about the 2024 event.
St. Olav’s Festival
TBC July – August, 2024: More than one thousand years since Trondheim was the Viking capital of Norway, this festival attracts many thousands of visitors to the city.
There’s a diverse range of events held throughout the week, although the highlight for the most is the medieval market in the grounds of Nidaros cathedral. There are usually a couple of major headline acts for outdoor concerts.
Trøndelag Food Festival
TBC August, 2024: Timed to coincide with St. Olav’s Festival, this celebration of local food transforms the centre of Trondheim into one big diner. More than 80 exhibitors from across central Norway show off the best local food the region has to offer.
Pstereo
TBC August, 2024: A three-day showcase of new music with some established names thrown in too, Pstereo takes place by the river in the shadow of Nidaros Cathedral. The festival usually sells out in advance, with individual day tickets available for a little longer. Dates and the line-up for 2024 will be announced early in the year.
As you can see, there’s plenty going on in Trondheim throughout the year. I hope you found something for you. If you enjoyed this post, why not share it on Pinterest or Facebook so others can find and enjoy it too? Just hit those social sharing buttons.
Wonderful information! I have been to Norway many times since having a Norwegian AFS student sister in 1964-65. We take turns visiting each other. We have involved our spouses, our children and now our grandchildren in this extended family and look forward to every trip to Norway and they to texas. They have taken us from Nordkapp and the Hurtigruten all the way to Langesund in the south and in between, as they live in Heimdal, near Trondheim. I was told by an Olso shopkeeper that I’ve been to more of norway than she has! It is all beautiful, as are the people!
Wonderful information! I have been to Norway many times since having a Norwegian AFS student sister in 1964-65. We take turns visiting each other. We have involved our spouses, our children and now our grandchildren in this extended family and look forward to every trip to Norway and they to texas. They have taken us from Nordkapp and the Hurtigruten all the way to Langesund in the south and in between, as they live in Heimdal, near Trondheim. I was told by an Olso shopkeeper that I’ve been to more of norway than she has! It is all beautiful, as are the people!
The World Rally Cross in Hell.